Practicing organic gardening and using organic products is a way to create a sustainable soil system that constantly provides nutrients for all living matter in that soil. Conversely, traditional gardening methods damage living matter in the soil because of salt laden fertilizers and chemicals.

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With damaged soil, the plants in our gardens have to rely on inadequate chemical fertilizers and pesticides to stay healthy. Healthy soil is actually an easier, less expensive and better way to grow healthy plants.

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Organic growing is a planet-wide recycling system, where gardeners take deceased plant and animal parts (in the forms of compost, manure and fertilizer) and reuse them in the soil to provide nutrients to new plant generations. This system is vital for the growth of plants but also to all the microorganisms in the soil that most of us overlook. Organic methods create fertile soil, which in turn provides nutrients for the plants and food for the microbes. In a never-ending chain, this basic exchange is the foundation for sustaining life in the soil.

Micro-organisms in the soil are the key to successful plant growth and a sweeter harvest. A healthy microbial community is essential to plants because they make nutrients in the soil more available for plant roots to take up. They break the nutrients into smaller more usable parts, which provide 100% nutrient availability to plants. This supports all of a plant’s biological processes and produces healthier plants and more fruit. This nutrient availability causes the plant’s vascular system to produce a higher sugar content, which is directly reflected in the flavor of the fruit.

Additionally, microbes will defend plant root systems from invading pathogens and prevent or defeat pests and disease, using a variety of natural mechanisms. These beneficial bacteria, nematodes, protozoa and fungi can also change the tilth of the soil by aiding in decomposition and providing aeration. This allows for better water penetration and oxygen exchange. In other words, these little guys are amazing miracle workers in the world of soil, plants, and plant production.

This method allows us to step away from using the toxic chemicals that damage the soil and microbes to a point where the soil becomes lifeless and unsustainable. Many of us believe it is senseless to use toxic products around our homes and cities since nature provides us with the most effective and convenient system. In gardening, the health of the soil is everything. By increasing soil fertility through organic methods, gardeners can increase the amount of microorganisms in the soil and boost the health and fruit production of their plants. In doing so, they link themselves to a natural system that emphasizes economy, effectiveness and health.