Organic Gardening Basics

Bob Flowerdew is a regular on BBC's 'Gardeners' Question Time' and writes for 'Amateur Gardening' and 'Gardeners' World' magazines. His garden has featured on many television programmes and in several leading publications.

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Introduction. Step 1: Improve Your Soil. The key to organic gardening lies in the soil: healthy soil will nurture healthy plants. Improve all types of soil and keep them fertile without resorting to chemical fertilizers. Step 2: Make Your Own Compost. Garden compost is easy to make and one of nature's miracles, improving the fertility and structure of the soil. A compost heap is a simple way of recycling garden and kitchen waste. Step 3: Avoid Using Chemicals. If pests, diseases or weeds invade, there are plenty of natural controls that really work. Step 4: Choose the Right Plant. Select plants that are suited to the garden and disease-resistant varieties so they stay healthy and happy. Step 5: Encourage Wildlife. The greater diversity of living creatures in a garden the better the balance, and the more likely pests will be kept under control. Encourage wildlife by providing food, water and shelter for beasts big and small. Grow Organic. A directory of annuals, herbs, vegetables and fruit and how to grow them. Planning an Organic Garden. Whether your garden is large or small, urban or rural, this section shows how to plan an organic garden to grow fruits and vegetables or just flowers and foliage for visual appeal. Garden plans illustrate the ideas and show what can be achieved. A Year in the Garden. This section takes the reader through a year in the organic garden, season by season, clearly showing the tasks that should be performed in each for easy reference. Index. Acknowledgements.

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