Why Organic Gardening?

We use new inventions and discoveries to modify the way things are done. When we start out we hope it is for the better. But too often the modifications have undesirable blow backs. The use of pesticides to improve crop production is no different. We have ended up with pest free crops that contain a high percentage of unwanted chemicals. Though the history of organic gardening as we know it today goes back to the post World War II era, it was not a new concept even then. Natural Gardening or good husbandry tips were featured in  gardening manuals both in the 16th  and the 17th centuries.

Modern Organic Gardening

The modern concept of natural farming is all about sustainability. In their book The Organic Gardener, Christine and Micheal Lavelle describe organic gardening as, "the marriage of good horticultural practice to an awareness of our impact upon our surroundings". Yes we need pest free food. But we don't have to poison the food itself and the environment to achieve that. Adapting wholly natural methods is not easy. But it is possible. We need to change the way we think and cultivate habits different than we are used to. With time and patience, we can definitely re-establish natural balance.

Organic farming standards vary from country to country. As a thumb rule artificial pesticides are avoided. Instead the aim is to improve the quality of the soil by recycling organic (anything that decomposes easily) waste. 

Why Should We Go Organic?

I would ask why shouldn't we? Over the years we have slowly but surely initiated the means to self-destruct ourselves and we call it development. Most of us simply refuse to see what is right in front of our eyes. We have introduced too many artificial products that are upsetting the eco-balance.  We are too short-sighted and selfish to curb the indiscriminate use of the conveniences of technology. Besides, we are at a stage where it is often simply not possible to go back to the way we were. There is a desperate need to offset the domino effect of years of disregard for the environment. Organic gardening is but one of the answers.