1stop Organic Gardening

If you live in a Mediterranean climate like I do in South Australia you’ll probably have been complaining about the unseasonal heat we’ve been experiencing lately. The past few days have been a lot cooler – perfect autumn (fall) weather really. It looks like it might even rain for real today, here in Nuriootpa. WooHoo!!!

The thing is, we’re really lucky in a lot of ways, when it comes to organic gardening and our climate. Yes, we have long, hot, dry summers, but we can pretty much provide food for our families from our own organic vegetable garden all year round.

Our winters are mild, with only occasional frosts. We get to experience all the wonders of the changing seasons, with leaves falling in autumn, bare deciduous trees in winter and pretty spring bulbs and lush growth in spring and summer.

The secret to providing year round food in your organic garden is timing. Learn to grow the right plants for the time of year. That way you don’t have to struggle trying to grow broccoli that wants to bolt to seed, or watermelon that won’t produce edible fruit.

A great way to learn about the right time to plant things in your area is to join a community garden. Most of these groups garden organically and are also very sensitive to environmental issues.

Another way is to make friends with other gardeners. People who have been organic gardening for years have a wealth of information and are usually very willing to share their knowledge.

Growing your own food in your organic garden greatly reduces you and your family’s carbon footprint. There are no food miles, no transportation, no storage and no trips to the supermarket. If you keep chickens or worms or have a compost heap, you are reducing your carbon footprint even further. And of course the joy of growing your own vegetables and the flavour and health of your own food is priceless.

Happy Organic Gardening, Healthy Living…

Warmly,

Julie

Filed under: Uncategorized, vegetables on March 25th, 2008