We are often asked about organic, low impact or enviromentally friendly ways to landscape, grow edible plants and control pests. Although our nursery isn't completely organic, we do try to cause as little impact on nature as possible. You should be able to pick up a few ideas from some of our tried and true methods.

*Composting
Composting is a good starting point for any organic gardener.
Compost is simply decomposed organic material. The organic material can be plant material or animal matter. While composting may seem mysterious or complicated, it’s really a very simple and natural process that continuously occurs in nature, often without any assistance from mankind.
Compost is great for the garden because it improves the soil, which in turn supports healthier and more productive plants. Compost provides virtually all of the essential nutrients for healthy plant growth, and it almost always releases those nutrients over time to give plants a slow, steady, consistent intake of the elements essential for growth. Compost also improves the soil’s structure, making it easier for soil to hold and use the right amount of moisture and air. Compost will improve the texture of both clay and sandy soil; indeed, compost is the best additive to make either clay or sandy soil into rich, moisture holding, loamy soil. And, as an added benefit, compost improves plant vigor and provides for improved immunology from diseases.
Good items for the compost bin are: kitchen scraps (such as peelings and and old uncooked vegetables), grass clippings, leaves, animal manure, leftover veggies from the garden, pine needles, straw and even untreated sawdust. Just make sure the moisture content stays just high enough to promote decomposition without being overly wet.
You may want to consider adding some earthwoorms to your compost bin. The worms break down the organic material through digestion. This makes the compost more easily absorbed as natural fertilizer (nitrogen, phosphorus).  Worms also produce natural soil inoculants and beneficial microbes to help control soil borne diseases.  
Your compost pile / bin will need to be stirred or turned every so often to help it break down faster and evenly. There are two basic kinds of compost piles: open bins and enclosed containers. Open bins can be constructed with wood, chicken wire, or recycled plastic. Of course, large scale composting is often conducted in large open piles without the use of any bins at all. Enclosed containers for composting usually consist of one of two designs: upright box-like containers, and rotating drums.
There are literally hundreds of books on the subject of composting.  Any number of these can help you improve and hone your composting skills. But, don't be afraid to get out there and give composting a try.



*Household items an organic gardener should not throw in the trash.
 1) Coffee grounds
Every day millions of pots of coffee and tea are brewed and tons of used grounds are thrown away.  Coffee and tea grounds are a valuable natural fertilizer, soil amendment and pesticide.
Acid loving landscape  plants such as Camellias, Gardenias, Azaleas and Roses benefit from adding fresh grounds to the soil . Vegetable plants such as Potatoes , radishes, tomato and peppers like coffee grounds.
Composted coffee and tea grounds are an excellent source of natural nitrogen for all plants. Worms love to feed on grounds and the worm castings make even better fertilizer. 
The caffeine in coffee contains alkaloids which act as a natural pesticide. Slugs, snails ants and other pests hate coffee.
So, the next time you brew up a pot, consider saving those old grounds and tea leaves to put them to good use.

2) Banana Peelings            
Bananas are rich in both phosphorus and potassium which are important macro-nutrients plants need. Rose bushes in particular benefit from added potassium; however, all potassium fertilizers are extremely expensive. Banana peels are a natural source of the phosphorus and potassium found in expensive fertilizers, but why buy when making your own banana fertilizer is as easy as tossing the skins?
Add banana peels regularly to your compost bin, if you happen to have one. The high levels of phosphorus and potassium are an essential addition to your homemade fertilizer. Whole banana peels break down fairly rapidly; however for faster decomposition, cut the peels into small pieces Toss a banana peel onto the ground around your shrubs, flowers or in your garden as an extra fertilizer every time you enjoy a banana. The peels disintegrate and are absorbed into the ground quickly.

3) Egg shells
Crushed Egg shells add valuble micro nutrients to the soil. The main nutrient in egg shells is calcium. Calcium is essential to plant cell development. Wash shells, crush and sprinkle directly around your plants or mix in with compost.

                 


More comman household items that can be valuable in the garden

 Epsom Salt
Epsom salts contain hydrated magnesium sulfate, two elements crucial to plant growth.
In general, magnesium plays a role in strengthening the plant cell walls, allowing the plant to take in the nutrients it needs. It also aids in seed germination, photosynthesis and in the formation of fruits and seeds.
Epsom Salt for Roses, rose growers, in particular, are strong advocates for using Epsom salts.  It not only makes the foliage greener and more lush, it produces more canes and more roses. To apply to existing rose bushes, either mix ½ cup of Epsom salts into the soil around the rose bush and water well or dissolve ½ cup of the salts in water and use to water the rose bush. Do this in the spring, just as the bids are beginning to open. 

Epsom Salts for Tomatoes and Peppers, tomatoes and peppers may show signs of magnesium deficiency late in the season, when their leaves begin to yellow between the leaf veins and fruit production decreases. Whether you will get more and/or larger fruits will depend on many things in addition to using Epsom salts, but using them does seem to have some benefit. Either mix in 1 T. of Epsom salts into the soil at the bottom of the planting hole when setting out transplants or mix the 1 T. in a gallon of water and water the seedling.

 Baking Soda, Here are a few ways baking soda can be used in your garden.
 
1. Make a Spray to Treat and Prevent Powdery Mildew Powdery mildew is a problem for many plants, including Gardenias and Camellias. Squashes and cucumbers are particularly susceptible to it in the south. Here is an all natural spray you can make to treat and prevent powdery mildew using baking soda, water, and dish detergent.
Ingredients:
1 gallon of water
1 tablespoon of baking soda
1 tablespoon of vegetable oil
1 tablespoon of dishwashing liquid
Mix the ingredients together and add them to a spray bottle. Spray your plants weekly, preferably early in the morning, at dusk or on overcast days to prevent it from burning the foliage.
2. Sprinkle Baking Soda on Cabbages and Greens to stop Caterpillars. If those small green cabbage worms have been making Swiss cheese of your cabbage, broccoli, and kale plants, try this trick: Make a 50/50 combination of flour and baking soda, and dust it all over whichever plants the cabbage worms are eating. They'll eat the combo while munching the leaves, and die within a day or so. Repeat as necessary.
3. Sweep Baking Soda into Sidewalk Cracks to Discourage Weeds
Simply pour or sweep a thick layer of baking soda into sidewalk and patio cracks. The baking soda will kill any small weeds that are already there, and prevent new ones from sprouting.

Worm Castings are a great way to organically fertilize and inoculate your organic landscape

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