by Carolyn Noblett

Created on: July 06, 2009   Last Updated: May 01, 2012

If you want an organic garden you need to work on developing a chemical free lawn and garden area. It takes a couple of years or longer to clear the soil of additives, both pesticides and fertilizers. You can continue to plant while working toward an organic goal of course.

Where you plant can make a difference if your neighbor is spraying Roundup on his fence-line. If your garden is nearby it could be taking on chemicals that are leaching underground or running off the road. Consider placing your garden in the center of your yard if you can, well away from the neighbors and street.

Now you must think about anything that will get into your soil. If you have been adding store bought potting soil with fertilizer around your foundation and flower beds to encourage plant growth now is a good time to stop.You might try finished compost as it is a natural fertilizer. Anything you have been using to discourage weed growth needs to be stopped also. The compost may actually act as a more natural weed killer. You may have a few weeds sprout here and there, but with proper mowing and watering of your lawn area you will not have much of a problem.

If you have been spraying the foundation of your house for bugs you may want to stop. You may have termite bait installed around your house that you cannot stop if you want a house at all. You may choose to continue to use carefully selected pesticides inside the house, especially it you have a problem with brown recluse spiders or other dangerous indoor pests. You just have to weigh everything that is important and try to strike a balance.

For really heavy soil you may want to start amending it by tilling in leaves and straw the first fall. This can help your garden begin to transform into a rich garden soil that needs no additives. Then if at all possible turn your garden in the spring with a spade fork by hand. If it is still too heavy use the tiller again. Tilling less often can be garden friendly to the earthworms. If you don't till as often you don't have the void waiting for the worms to repopulate. Earthworms are the natural tillers. (Plus they will make nice fishing bait.) When you put the garden to bed in the fall dig in a fair amount of straw making sure it is covered by soil.

You will find that you can turn the soil of your garden by hand easily in the spring before planting and it will stay light and fluffy. Any weeds that will sprout can be easily scraped out with a hula hoe, or a circle hoe.

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