Organic Gardening in San Diego

Why Organic Gardening in San Diego

By definition, organic gardening means gardening without chemicals. This can include your home vegetable garden but also extends to your lawn and ornamental plants. When you care for your total landscape organically, you are actively doing your part to reduce the chemicals that enter San Diego's water supply.

Most people do not knowingly dump toxins into their water. However, those same people may not be aware that the fertilizers and pesticides that they use around their homes will often end up in the watersheds of San Diego County.

A Healthy Landscape

It is far better to create a healthy landscape organically and help to keep San Diego homes and waters healthy as well. By using organic methods of fertilizing you create strong, healthy plants. As an added bonus, you will automatically reduce annoying insects because most pests feed on plants that are unhealthy.

Don't think that a healthy landscape means no insects! Most insects, even the few that unwittingly wander into your home, are actually helpful. In fact, most of them are important for supporting a healthy landscape. Not only do insects aid in the pollination of plants, they also help to break down organic matter in the soil. This creates more fertile soil that is better at providing for the needs of your plants.

Of course, many good insects also feed on harmful insects. This means that automatically spraying your landscape with pesticides will actually do more harm than good. Learn to appreciate the little eco-systems in your yard. A few chewed leaves are not a big deal. You do far more damage yourself when you prune your plants and mow your lawn!

How To Do It

Organic gardening in San Diego is easy. Just keep a few tips in mind.

Selection

Choose plants that will thrive in your environment. Different parts of your yard will likely offer various growing conditions. A low-laying, soggy area should be planted with varieties that don't mind having their roots wet. Areas that are not close to a water source should have drought-tolerant plants. Native plants are always an excellent choice.

If you need help making the right selections, contact the San Diego County Extension Office at 858-694-2845 or visit their website. You can also get your organic gardening questions answered by San Diego's Master Gardeners when you visit their website.

Fertilizer

Give your plants natural foods instead of chemical fertilizers. Compost, manure and even some types of mulch will all add nutrients to your soil. Obtain a soil test to see if you need to amend with an organic fertilizer.

Often, well-meaning gardeners will add fertilizer that isn't needed. Not only will this add harmful chemicals to the watershed, it will also make plants grow faster than they need to grow. Ultimately, this means more work for you. Do you really want to spend every weekend mowing your lawn if you don't have to?

Pest Control

The best way to control pests in your home is to eliminate their sources of food and water. In your landscape, keep in mind that most bugs are beneficial. Consider too that just because you see insect damage, that doesn't mean the insect you see is the one doing the damage. Many times you are seeing a beneficial insect that just did away with the guilty culprit.

If you are able to actually see a specific pest damaging your plants, the best treatment is usually the simplest. Often just a blast of the water hose will knock pests to the ground where they will be eaten by predators. Insecticidal soap is another excellent way to deter pests while protecting the environment. Hand-picking is very effective if you aren't squeamish. Children often find this to be a fun job, just give them a bucket of soapy water and show them what to look for.

Organic gardening in San Diego is a fun way to protect your environment as well as your health. Done properly, it can also save you time and money. It's a way of living that offers nothing but benefits last will last for years to come.