Organic gardening practices nurture and enhance life in a diverse and complex ecosystem, and ensure the long-term ability of the soil to produce crops.

Organic gardeners work in harmony with nature to grow plants while maintaining the health of the soil, water supply, people and even insects in the environment.

One important practice of organic gardening is to avoid the use of synthetic pesticides and fertilizers on plants because these can be harmful to beneficial insects, people and other elements of the ecosystem. Instead, they use barriers, monitor insect populations, use pest-resistant varieties, botanical pesticides or minerals to control harmful pests.

Another organic gardening practice is to continually replenish the soil resources the plants consume by adding organic matter in the form of compost, or rotating crops to prevent over use of some nutrients.

Finally, the organic gardener strives to plant the right plant in the right place. For example, a water loving plant would be planted in a naturally wet section of the garden and a more dry-adapted plant in a drier section of the garden, so that resources such as water can be conserved.

History

Until World War II, all gardening was done without the use of synthetic pesticides and fertilizers. Petroleum based chemicals involved in munitions and nerve gas production during the war evolved into many powerful pesticides. These technical advances have yielded environmental problems such as pesticide pollution and insect pest resistance.

Organic gardeners use the timeless techniques of crop rotation, cover crops and natural-based products to increase soil fertility and rely on biological, cultural and physical methods to limit pest expansion and increase populations of beneficial insects.

Genetically modified organisms are considered synthetic inputs and are not used by organic gardeners.

Resources

Seattle Tilth's Maritime Northwest Garden Guide

Organic Gardening Magazine 

WSU King County Extension

Demonstration Gardens