greener green thumbs: an intro to organic gardening

No matter how you grow a tomato in your garden, that first bite of sun-warmed, bursting sweet deliciousness is always going to taste better than its store-bought cousins. But thinking about how you grow that little tomato can also support biodiversity, keep little critters (such as bees and butterflies) that share your garden happier, and change what you actually consume when eating your (hopefully bountiful) harvest. We’re talking organic gardening, baby!

Organic gardening is all about considering what we use (and importantly, don’t use) to help our plants grow. To help us understand the benefit of having an organic garden – or even just introducing a few small organic steps to start with – we spoke to Genevieve Bailey, the research and development director of Scotts Australia, who shared some top tips.

BACK TO BASICS ‘Organic gardening’ can sound overwhelming but when you break it down, it’s actually pretty simple. Genevieve says organic gardening is when what you put into your garden is “naturally occurring and replenishes soil fertility without the use of synthetic chemicals”. So when gardening organically, you’d use natural fertilisers such as animal and plant by-products, manure, compost and naturally occurring minerals. You’d avoid the industrially made pesticides, herbicides and synthetic fertilisers.

WHY BOTHER? It can feel good to know that the food you and your family or friends eat from your garden is free from synthetic materials, but Genevieve says there are also other benefits to organic gardening. She thinks food grown at home tastes better, but it also “reduces chemical run-off; creates soils that store more nutrients and require less water; and contributes to a more sustainable ecosystem”. Plus, it keeps the beneficial insects and pollinators we need happy!

SOIL MATTERS The most important element of an organic garden is… well, dirt! Having healthy, fertile soil which is rich in organic matter will have more nutrients for your plants to suck up and hold on to more water to support plant establishment and growth. Plus, Genevieve says “healthy soil and plants are also less susceptible to pests and disease”. That’s a win. To get started, make sure to add lots of composted organic matter and composted organic manure to garden beds, or start with a certified organic soil such as Scotts Organic Potting Mix you can plant straight into.

TOP UP REGULARLY To keep your garden chugging along nicely, feed your plants with organic fertilisers and compost to keep the soil microbiome and your plants happy. A liquid feed every two weeks with a certified organic product such as Scotts Organic Plant Food Concentrate will do the trick, but Genevieve says to check the labels of what you buy carefully: “There are a lot of products out there which may say ‘organic’ on the pack but aren’t certified”.

START SMALL You don’t need to go fully organic in your garden straight away. Genevieve says it’s perfectly fine to try things out and take your time as you learn more about it. “You might start by removing the use of pesticides and herbicides and mastering natural methods of control before switching over to only organic forms of nutrients,” she says.

PLAN IT, PLANT IT Clever organic gardeners will consider where their organic garden grows. Genevieve says it’s important to avoid areas that have had “regular application of non-organic products”. Crop rotation is also a good idea to prevent pests and disease. Additionally, Genevieve says having a diverse range of plants in your garden such as veggies, herbs and flowering plants “will attract pollinators and beneficial insects and contribute to the overall health of your garden”.

WEEDS AND PESTS Managing unwanted garden visitors can be a challenge of organic gardening, but Genevieve says the most effective pest management method is to use a garden mesh or barrier of some form that lets sunlight, water and air in… and keeps the critters out.
“You can find planters specifically designed with this in mind,” she says, “or use lengths of garden mesh fitted over a frame of some sort”. Bagging individual fruit as they ripen is also handy! Genevieve advises hand-pulling weeds early and mulching are the best ways to get on top of weeds because mulch “smothers and blocks sunlight, stopping germination and growth”.

POSITIVE IMPACT The ultimate benefit of an organic garden is being more environmentally responsible, but Genevieve also finds it more fulfilling. She finds it satisfying to know what’s gone into the food she’s eating and that it’s had a beneficial impact on the world around her. "There’s something about growing what’s in season and eating from the garden that makes me feel more in harmony with nature,” Genevieve reflects. “It’s good for the soul –and good for the soil!.”

This helpful guide was brought to you in partnership with the garden gurus at Scotts and their certified organic gardening range, which is made with the good stuff and uses less plastic packaging. Check out the complete organic Scotts range at your local Bunnings.