CHAPTER ONE What Does it Mean to grow an organic Garden Do you love plants Do you love watching things grow Do you have a green thumb Then creating an organic garden is the right project for you Having a green thumb means having gardening skills Gardening is growing plants Gardeners garden They dig dirt They plant seeds They water They weed Weeding is pulling out unwanted plants They harvest Harvest means gathering crops Organic means natural Organic gardeners only use natural things They keep the soil 4
healthy They keep plants healthy They don’t add chemicals to soil They don’t use chemical fertilizers Fertilizers are added to soil They help plants grow Talk to other organic gardeners Get their opinions 5
Annuals plants that grow and die in the same season Bedding out planting plants in beds Biennials plants that complete their life cycle in two growing seasons Biodegradable materials that break down into smaller bits through a natural process Bolt when vegetables stop making new leaves and send up stalks turning the remaining leaves bitter Cultivate digging in the dirt and preparing the land for planting Deadheading removing dead or faded flowers Foliage a plant’s leaves Full sun gardens that get sun for 7 to 8 hours Part sun gardens that get some sun and some shade throughout the day Perennials plants that continue growing from season to season Rootbound when the roots of potted plants wrap around the bottom of the pot Sport a plant part that is different from the rest of the plant Volunteers plants that grow where they’re not planted KNOW THE LINGO 6
Organic gardeners don’t use pesticides Pesticides are chemicals used to kill bugs Pesticides are linked to health problems Organic gardeners grow healthy foods They grow healthy flowers They use sustainable practices This means they use natural resources They help the environment They help wildlife They work with nature You’ll have fun creating your own organic garden You’ll play in the dirt You’ll watch your plants grow The best part is you can eat the food you grow Grow a garden all year long Just know which plants grow in what season 7
