Creating and Maintaining an Organic Vegetable Garden – Part One

Estimated reading time: 17 minutes

Recently, as I was getting my garden ready for the current season, I thought about my organic gardening journey. For as long as I can remember, I have maintained a garden. However, five years ago I decided to go organic in my vegetable garden. At the time, I was working full time and didn’t have a lot of time for research. As you might imagine, I made a lot of mistakes over the years. Therefore, I am writing a two-part series on creating and maintaining an organic vegetable garden. This is the first part of that series and will focus on the following:

• What is an organic garden?
• The benefits of an organic garden
• Site selection for your garden
• Understanding the basics of soil

In Part Two: Creating and Maintaining an Organic Vegetable Garden we will continue with the following topics:

• Organic Seeds
• Tillage
• Irrigation
• Fertilizers
• Insect Management
• Disease Management

With this two-part series, my goal is to provide you the information needed to either start gardening organically or gradually switch to organic practices. Each gardener, in their own small way, makes a difference in the sustainability of our plant by gardening organically. My advice, take it slow and find contentment in the small things that you do to start or convert to organic practices. Remember, gardening is a delightful journey, not a destination. There’s always something new to learn. With that, let’s begin our journey on creating and maintaining an organic vegetable garden.

What is an organic garden?

As an organic gardener, I strive to create an environmentally friendly garden. To me, that means a garden that sustains and nourishes vegetables, the soil and is also an attraction for birds, bees, butterflies, and other beneficial insects. However, when I tell my family and friends that I am an organic gardener, what does that really mean?

Basically, organically grown food is raised without the use of synthetic (chemical) fertilizers and pesticides. The US Department of Agriculture (USDA) has a legal definition for organic farms. According to the USDA’s National Organic Standard, “organic regulations describe organic agriculture as the application of a set of cultural, biological, and mechanical practices that support the cycling of on-farm resources, promote ecological balance, and conserve biodiversity. These include maintaining or enhancing soil and water quality; conserving wetlands, woodlands, and wildlife; and avoiding use of synthetic fertilizers, sewage sludge, irradiation, and genetic engineering.” 

In simple terms, organic farmers use natural processes and materials to maintain their farm systems. Once a farm is certified organic by the USDA (which takes three years and a rigorous process), they can use the organic label on the products they sell.

Since we as home gardeners do not sell our food, we do not have to follow the strict guidelines as defined by the USDA. When I first decided to take an organic approach to my garden, I thought it meant that I could not apply any fertilizer or pesticide. Later, I came to understand there are products that are not synthetic, that can be used in an organic garden. These products are derived from biological sources that include plants and animals.  In Part Two of Creating and Maintaining an Organic Vegetable Garden, I will discuss both organic fertilizers and pest control mentods.

Organic Labels

When purchasing gardening products, look for products that have been certified as organic by the USDA or have the OMRI label. These labels ensure that the products you purchase are certified organic.

Benefits of an Organic Garden

The following are benefits of creating and maintaining an organic vegetable garden.

• Improve Healthy Eating – when you grow your own organic vegetables you become more conscious of how things are grown and what you are consuming which usually leads to a healthier diet. This has certainly been the case for me. Not only that, but I have increased the variety of vegetables and herbs that I eat.
• Lower grocery bills – the cost of getting the quality we want in the supermarkets can be high. When I talk to friends and family about organic produce, I usually get a similar refrain. “It is so expensive and what is the real benefit?” I challenge them and you, start a garden and grow your own organic vegetables.
• Carbon Dioxide Reduction – Managing healthy organic soil will lower the amount of carbon dioxide that is emitted into the atmosphere. This contributes to fewer greenhouse gases. It is a small part that we can play in maintaining our planet.
• Reduce exposure to harmful pesticides – Because organic gardening does not allow the use of synthetic chemicals, the vegetables and fruit grown in organic gardens is chemical-free.
• Better flavor – While scientific studies on flavor are inconclusive, many people believe that organic produce has a much better flavor.
• An organic garden provides a safe environment and food for birds, bees, butterflies, and other beneficial insects.

Selecting a site for your garden

Before you get started with your garden, you must choose a site. The most important aspect in choosing a location for your garden is the number of hours per day of direct sunlight. A good site receives 6 hours of direct sunlight a day. Vegetables will not grow without adequate sunlight. Observe the area you are considering at various times throughout the day. Are there trees or bushes that will shade the garden at a certain time of day? Another aspect of location is access to water. The water supply should be close to avoid trips back and forth to the water supply.

If you are creating your garden beds in the ground (as opposed to containers or raised beds), it is also important to consider soil drainage and whether the soil has any pesticide contamination. Soil testing can assist in better understanding your soil. This will be further discussed in the next section ‘Soil’.

In the northern hemisphere, a north/south garden orientation is preferred to an east/west orientation. A north/south orientation provides the best sun exposure. My garden currently has an east/west orientation and I need to pay attention to plant placement to ensure that larger plants don’t shade smaller vegetable plants.

Understanding the Importance of Soil

When creating and maintaining an organic vegetable garden, the soil is the most important aspect. Having the right soil will create benefits not only for the plants you grow but also for the environment. In this section, we will examine both establishing your soil and maintaining your soil. The following will be covered.

• What is soil?
• Container garden soil
• Raised bed garden soil
• In-ground bed garden soil
• Sources of Organic matter to Improve and Maintain Soil

What is soil?

Soil is described in terms of both structure and texture. The structure is the ability of soil to hold air and water for plant roots. The texture is determined by the amount of sand, silt, and clay within the soil.

• Sandy soil has a coarse texture and is loose and light. Advantages include being well-drained, well-aerated, resists compaction, and warms up faster in spring.
• Silt feels powdery and its particles are smaller than sand.
• Clay has particles that are tightly packed together. It can be dense and difficult to work. It holds onto its nutrients and doesn’t like to share with plants.

The ideal soil is called ‘loam’ and is made up of 45-50% sand, silt, and clay, 20-30% water, 20-30% air, and 1% organic matter. Regardless of the type of soil, adding organic matter (compost, manure, and other natural materials) will improve the soil structure, texture, and add nutrients. Adding organic matter to sandy soil increases its substance and thus its ability to support plants. Organic matter lightens and aerates clay soil thus allowing water, air, and nutrients to be shared with plant roots.

Getting a soil test will determine the type of soil you have, the current nutrient level, and the soil pH. The ideal pH for soil in a vegetable garden is between 6.5 – 7. Soil testing is a service of the Land Grant University within your state. For example, in New Jersey, Rutgers University is the Land Grant University in the state and has a soil testing service. Here is a link to a list of land grant universities in every state.

Besides growing healthy plants, good soil health will also minimize disease and pests within the garden. Now, let’s look at how to establish soil in containers, raised beds, and in-ground beds.

Container Soil

If you have limited space, containers are a great option for creating and maintaining an organic vegetable garden. Most plants can be grown organically in containers. Here are guidelines for the type of soil to use in the containers.

• Initially, fill the container with a growing medium that is lightweight and porous. An all-purpose organic growing medium that contains peat moss, vermiculite, and/or perlite is recommended.
• Always check the ingredients listed on the bag of the soil mixture. Some manufacturers incorporate fertilizer and/or wetting agents into the soil. If there is no fertilizer, then it is important to add because an all-purpose growing medium is low in nutrients. Either compost (1 part compost to 3 parts growing medium) or a liquid fertilizer should be used.

An important consideration is whether to replace the soil within the containers each growing season. To arrive at this decision, here are a couple of criteria to consider.

• Did the plants within the container develop any disease during the growing season? If so, the soil could be contaminated with the same disease and should be discarded.
• Sometimes the plant roots completely overtake the soil within the container and replacing the soil is necessary.
• Lastly, consider the size of the container. For large containers, it’s probably more practical to amend the soil with 1–2-inches of compost each growing season. For smaller containers (under 12-inches) replace the soil.

Raised Bed Soil

Raised beds are a very popular option when creating and maintaining an organic vegetable garden. The following are the benefits:

• Less soil compaction because the area of the bed is clearly defined and thus not prone to being walked upon
• The soil warms up quicker in the spring
• Less soil erosion due to the borders around the raised bed
• Less physical bending needed to maintain a raised bed
• Raised beds add beauty to the landscape
• Good choice for areas where the soil is of poor quality (or there is no soil)

A Few Words about Native Soil

As we talk about raised and in-ground garden beds, I’d like to introduce the concept of ‘native soil’. Native soil is the soil at the site of your garden. In many cases, this soil has been developing mineral content over the course of hundreds of years and is acclimated to your area. Most native soils are perfectly fine for gardening.

Whether you are gardening in raised beds or beds that are in-ground, an important goal should be to incorporate as much of the native mineral soil as possible (if the soil is not contaminated) from your site into your garden bed. Sometimes, it may seem easier to purchase topsoil but, in most cases, it is better to amend the native mineral soil you have.

Even if you incorporate the native soil within your raised bed, you will still need to supplement with purchased soil and I recommend the following recipe.

• 50% topsoil (including the native soil)
• 25% vermiculite or sand (for aeration)
• 25% compost (for maintaining an even moisture level)

When purchasing topsoil, it is important to understand that there is no official definition for what we refer to as topsoil. I have looked at the ingredients of many bags labeled as ‘topsoil’ and each is different. In many cases, no ingredients are listed. If purchasing topsoil in bulk from a garden center, inquire about the composition of the soil and whether a pH test has been done. Visually inspect the topsoil, it should be free of foreign materials (stones, glass, plastic) and should have an earthy odor.

In-ground Soil

While an in-ground garden bed leverages the native soil, in most cases, it will need to be amended for a vegetable garden. A soil test will provide guidance on how to amend the soil. In the long run, improving native soil may be much less expensive and more environmentally friendly and sustainable. Here are a few advantages of in-ground garden beds.

1. Less costly. The start-up cost of an in-ground bed is less than a raised bed. You do not need to purchase or make a frame for the garden and you will not need to purchase a large amount of soil to fill an in-ground bed.
2. Use of existing native soil. It can be challenging to find and purchase real topsoil and thus it is often better to improve what you already have. Soil that is properly amended has benefits that are not found in man-made soil.
3. Less startup time. You do not need to acquire the materials and build a raised bed.
4. Lower water requirements. In-ground beds will not dry out as quickly as raised beds and therefore require less water.

Amending in-ground native soil for growing vegetables will probably require adding compost, lime, and fertilizer (plant nutrients) based on soil test recommendations. Soil testing is very important when establishing an in-ground garden bed.

Sources of Organic Matter to Improve and Maintain Soil

The terms organic matter and compost have appeared throughout the discussion on the soil. Organic matter is a key component in both creating and maintaining an organic vegetable garden. In this section, we will focus on three sources of organic matter: manures, compost, and cover crops. The benefits of adding organic matter to your soil, include the following:

• Soil structure and soil aeration is improved
• Helps soil retain moisture
• Supplies nutrients that plants need to grow
• Breaks up clay soil
• Allows better moisture retention in sandy soil

Manures

Manures supply plant nutrients such as Nitrogen (N), Phosphorous (P) and Potassium (K) and provide organic matter that conditions the soil. The most common type of manure for the home gardener is composted cow and poultry manure. Never use fresh manure and never use manures from cats or dogs. Manures from cats and dogs may contain parasites that could infect humans.

Bagged composted manure is readily available for purchase in many garden centers. The directions on the bag of composted manure will define the application rate (e.g., how much to apply to your garden bed based upon its size). Work the composted manure into the soil approximately 2 weeks before you plant your transplants. Never apply composted manure to an actively growing garden. Over applying composted manure can lead to excessive vegetative growth, so follow the application directions. Lastly, for safety, remember to wear gloves.

Compost

Like composted manure, compost is organic matter that can be used to grow healthy plants and improve the quality of the soil. It is made by the decomposition of materials such as leaves, grass clippings and vegetable scraps. The result is a soil amendment that is rich in nutrients and is called humus. You can either make your own compost or purchased bagged compost from garden centers.

Compost can be applied in the fall or at the beginning of the gardening season while you prepare the garden beds. In addition, compost can be reapplied between planting within the same bed. All that is generally needed, is a one or two-inch layer of compost.

Making your own compost saves on the cost of having to use fertilizer and reduces the amount of waste going to landfills. It is also a rewarding process when you see the result that is applied to your garden, often referred to as ‘black gold’. With homemade compost, the nutrient composition varies depending upon what goes into the compost pile.  

Basic Compost Recipe

The basic recipe for compost should be ~three parts carbon (brown materials) to ~one part nitrogen (green materials). It is important to remember that once you have built your compost pile, you need to stop adding ingredients and let the composting activity take place.

Depending upon the ingredients in the pile, the composting process can take anywhere from 2 months to 12 months. For this reason, many people who make their own compost have multiple compost piles. For our garden, we have two compost piles. One pile we use for the current season. In the second pile, we are actively adding organic matter. We stop adding organic matter in the fall and let the composting process take place for approximately 7 months.

Besides nitrogen and carbon, compost piles also need water and air.

• Water:  The pile needs to be damp for the decomposition to take place. Add enough water to keep the pile feeling like a damp sponge.
• Air:  To get adequate air into the compost, the pile should be turned once the composition of the pile is complete. The turning should continue until the pile reaches an internal temperature of 120-160 degrees Fahrenheit

At the end of this post, I have included references for how to make compost.

Cover Crops

Cover crops are another tool gardeners can use to add organic matter and build healthy soil. In addition, cover crops prevent soil erosion, reduce weeds, and provide a habitat for beneficial insects. In the first half of the 20th century, farmers used cover crops extensively. However, with the introduction of herbicides, farmers started moving away from cover crops in the 1950s. Today, there is an increased focus on soil health, and this has led to a renewed interest in the benefits of cover cropping.

Cover crops are planted for soil improvement, not for harvest. Grains, grasses, and legumes are types of cover crops. ‘Green manure’ is another name for cover crops. Similar to animal manure, cover crops improve the overall quality of the soil. Late summer/early fall is the most common time to plant. In the spring, incorporate cover crops into the soil. While fall is the most common time to plant, there are other timing considerations:

• ‘Over winter’ crop (e.g. planted late summer/early fall).
•  ‘Under sown’ crop. In this case, you plant under a crop like tomatoes or cucumbers.
• ‘Main’ crop. Plant the cover crop in place of a regular vegetable crop. If a garden bed is empty, this is a good option.

There are two broad categories of cover crops:

• Legumes (Field Peas, Hairy Vetch, Clover)
• Nonlegumes/grasses (Annual ryegrass, Barley, Oats, Rye, Wheat). Note, winter wheat and rye can be difficult for the home gardener to turn under in the spring due to the deep roots that develop.

Gardeners who want to start cover cropping can contact their county Cooperative Extension agent to find out more about which cover crops are most suitable for their region.

Additional Information

Here are some additional articles you may find helpful.

• Four essential tools for working in your garden
• How to prepare raised and in-ground garden beds
• Understanding the USDA Organic Label
• Understanding the difference: Conventional vs. Organic Farming
• Recipes for Compost
• Secret Ingredients
• A charming small-scale market garden: Brookstone Garden

References

• NC Extension: Soil, Plots and Planters
• Rutgers University Extension: Soil for Raised Beds
• University of Missouri Extension: Making and Using Compost
• University of Nevada, Reno Extension: Nevada’s Soil – Worth the Toil