Organic is a very broad term these days, so what exactly is organic farming today? Growing organic food means to take a holistic approach to gardening, it respects and harnesses the power of natural processes, and follows certain principles in regards to not only human but also the planet's health, fairness and awareness to one's surroundings. Commercial organic farmers certified by the Soil Association follow strict rules. Organic farming prohibits the use of all artificial chemical fertilisers, pesticides are severely restricted, emphasises the importance of animal welfare and free-range, avoids monocultures and promotes crop rotation, and genetically modified (GM) crops and ingredients are banned.
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| Beautiful potato flower |
No-dig gardening
As part of the broader permaculture movement, no-dig promotes gardening with as little soil cultivation as possible.This method saves a lot of energy and effort which every new gardener usually invests in first time (back-breaking) digging and rotovating to get the soil ready for planting. Instead you cover the ground, grass, weeds and all, with cardboard or thick wet newspapers and a thick layer of compost. Charles Dowding, the no-dig expert here in the UK, writes on his website that a layer of about 6 inches (15cm) of manure and compost provides the best results for very little weed growth and amazingly healthy and big vegetables and fruits. The only downside to this is the question where to get such large amounts of soil/compost/manure from without having to spend a fortune. However, a local farmer might offer manure/compost for free, it's always worthwhile to ask around. Leaves and grass cuttings are good, too.
On his website Dowding writes:
"No dig does not mean no work. The soil is cared for in other ways that lead to higher fertility and less weeds. It can be practised without spreading much organic matter, but an annual dressing of compost helps accelerate the improvement in soil structure and is definitely worthwhile for growing good vegetable crops."
