1 Managing soil
Develop a healthy, fertile soil - the basis of effective organic gardening. This involves getting to know your soil; regularly adding organic matter (eg compost); keeping cultivation to a minimum; growing ‘green manures’ etc.
2 Using crop rotation
Avoid growing crops in the same place each year. This is important to help prevent depletion of soil nutrients and avoid the build up of soil-borne pests and diseases.
3 Managing pests and diseases
Reduce pest and disease attack by growing strong, resilient plants and practising good garden hygiene. Also encourage natural predators and use barriers, traps and scarers.
4 Controlling weeds; ground clearance
Use biodegradable ‘mulches’ instead of weedkillers, eg newspaper with leafmould. Cover uncultivated areas with a green manure or light-excluding material.
5 Starting with good plants; growing media
Use best practice by raising your own plants from organically grown seed and using organic growing media in pots and trays.
6 Working for conservation and the environment
Reuse and recycle, eg collect rainwater; reduce your amount of watering; avoid wood treated with preservatives etc. Consider the environmental implications when choosing materials for hard landscaping and soil improvement.
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