To prepare your organic growing area – whether it is a pot, single bed or a large allotment – see Managing your soil and Home composting. It will help you to create the perfect soil - that has nutrients and texture to provide life for your plants.
The best place to start is by downloading the Organic Growing Guidelines. These are a code of practice, designed with a helpful traffic light system, to help you on your organic growing journey - whether you are a complete beginner, want to convert to organic, or be reminded of good organic practice.
Our How to Grow cards cover a selection of vegetables, fruit and herbs – from artichokes to apples and turnips and thyme. See also weed management, and how to cope with pests and diseases the organic way.
Preparing your organic growing area
Your first battle might be with weeds. These compete with other plants for light, nutrition and water, so you need to clear them before you start growing. If your plot is small, you can dig the weeds out, making sure you remove the whole plant, plus root.
However,if your growing area is large, don’t try clear it all before planting. Hours of digging will only lead to back ache and the depressing sight of weeds returning. And if you resort to a blast of weed killer (glyphosate formulations), you are using toxic chemicals on the very area you want to grow your healthy fruit and veg.
Instead, divide the plot in half. One half you will dig, in the other you will feed the soil by using an organic mulch ie covering the soil to exclude light.
For the mulched half, cut down the larger weed foliage to just above soil level using a satisfying slash technique (you can use much of the foliage on your new compost heap, so long as there are no seeds). Then cover the area with a mulch that will exclude light. You can use a variety of materials to do this – a really thick layer of compost or well rotted manure (at least 15 cms deep) is ideal. This is known as the No Dig method. This can be topped by cardboard (add another layer of manure so it doesn’t blow away), or a black plastic membrane, pinned down. (Don’t use carpet – many of the dyes have toxic chemicals that can leach into your precious soil.) Leave this for at least 6 months. It’s that simple. You don’t have to do a thing, as the weeds will weaken in the dark and the earthworms do their work to enrich the soil.
Now dig the area where you want to start growing. Take out tough and woody weeds like docks, thistles, nettles and brambles, removing all the roots. See FAQs for how to deal with bindweed or brambles.
Then add as much compost as you can - one big wheelbarrow, or 5 large buckets, for every 5 square metres of ground. Dig this compost into the top 10 cms of soil, and your bed is ready for planting. If you want to sow seeds, use a rake to break down and gently flatten the topsoil into a fine texture (known as tilth) so the seeds can access soil and water to germinate.
If you are growing in containers, prepare your organic growing medium according to the plants you plan to grow. See Container growing.
Planning your planting
To grow vegetables organically, it’s important to plan what to grow and when - known as crop rotation. Changing where you grow each vegetable from year to year helps maintain good soil structure, ensures sufficient nutrients, helps to control weeds, and prevents a build up of pests and diseases.
You can devise your own rotation, just remember to keep a record of what you have grown, where and when. We show below a typical crop rotation process, which also includes when to add compost or grow green manures.
Firstly, divide your growing area into four or more sections. Then divide your crops into families (see below). If you keep the plants in these families together (such as potatoes and tomatoes), but move them around the different sections each year, you will have a successful crop rotation.
Vegetable Families
Alliums: Onion, garlic, shallot, leek
Brassicas: Brussels sprouts, cabbage, cauliflower, kale, kohl-rabi, oriental greens, radish, swede and turnips
Cucurbitaceae: courgettes, marrows
Legumes: Peas, broad beans, French and runner beans
Potato (Solanum): Potato, tomato
Roots: Beetroot, carrot, celeriac, celery, Florence fennel, parsley, parsnip (nb swedes and turnips are brassicas)
The charts below show an example of a 4-year rotation, including over winter planting, green manures and when to add compost.
Don't forget to leave space for perennials – such as rhubarb and asparagus – as well as many herbs, such as thyme, marjoram and mint (although the latter is best grown in a container to prevent it spreading!)
Now you are ready to grow!
Garden Organic is offering an introductory course focusing on how to start planning your organic garden - looking at crop rotation, ground preparation and more. Courses are held at Ryton Gardens throughout 2016 on 10 February, 13 April, 14 September, and 16 November. Further details and how to book here
See also the How to Grow cards for individual vegetables and herbs. Also see Pests and Diseases and Weed management. Soon you will be Harvesting and storing, as well as saving your seeds. We hope you enjoy the organic way. Not only are you safe from chemicals, but you are encouraging a healthy life for you, the plants and the planet.
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