The Heart of Organic Gardening: Conclusion

1. The Heart of Organic Gardening™
September 2007
The Heart of Organic Gardening: Conclusion
Gardening is a skill that can only be developed with practice, curiosity, and accumulated insight borne of
experience. However, it is possible for a beginner, especially one who has chosen to become informed, to enjoy
tremendous success.
The Starter Set: Easy Plants for Beginner’s to Grow
The following crop species are good choices for beginners. We suggest choosing plants from the “Year 1” list if
you are just getting started or initiating a new garden plot. The “Year 2”list expands on the first year’s selections,
though plants on this list have some specific growing requirements.
Year 1
Cool Season
Romain heads
Scallions,
Kale
Salad mix, mesclun mix,
arugula, Chinese greens mix
Snap Peas,
Spinach
Cabbage,
Violas
Carrots
Beets
Turnips,
Chard
Radishes
Warm Season
Tomatoes, Fennel, & Basil
Chard
Cantaloupe
Bush Green Beans
Collard
Dill
Summer Squash
Leeks
Cilantro
Year 2
Cool Season Additions
Peas
Parsley
Rutabagas
Radiccio, Endive, & Frisee
Broccoli (Indeterminate)
Strawberries
Potatoes,
Warm Season Additions
Heirloom Tomatoes
Onions, Garlic, Shallots
Corn
Bell & Hot Peppers
Lemon Cucumbers
Specialty Basil
Thai Or Japanese Eggplant
Watermelon
Robert Hartman and Shirley Ward
Copyright © 2007, 2008, Robert Hartman and Shirley Ward. You may copy, modify, and distribute this text under the terms of the
most current version of the GNU General Public License (see http://www.gnu.org/licenses).
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2. The Heart of Organic Gardening™
September 2007
Solving Problems
The first indication that a problem is developing is often a change in leaf color. Yellows, reds, browns, and blacks
all indicate that the plant could be in distress. Of course, if it is near the plant’s life cycle, it could just be
senescence. However, a quick response to a change in color can mean the difference between a crop being
saved or lost.
Problem solving can be simplified by following a checklist that ensures the plants are getting what they need,
such as this:
1. Air: If the roots aren't breathing well, it doesn't matter what else you do. The plants will still struggle. Even if
the problem isn’t air, increased oxygen to the roots will generally help the plant. To aerate, just poke some
holes with a digging fork and throw in some potting soil or other compost to keep them open.
2. Water: The irrigation system could either be missing that area, or oversaturating it. Overwatering is more
likely when leaves turn yellow. Brown leaves indicate underwatering the grass would turn brown. Overwatering
refers to too frequent applications that prevent the soil from drying down so roots can breathe.
3. Food: If there is some sort of nutrient deficiency or excess in the soil, it needs to be corrected by adding an
amendment (for deficiencies), or halted (for excesses). A balanced blend of compost, green and brown organic
matter, kelp meal (or fish emulsion), and worm castings can help correct the balance. Having a soil sample
analyzed by a lab once every few years is a good gardening practice.
4. Light: If there isn't enough light reaching leaves or plants, those plants might need to be transplanted in a
sunnier location. If the leaves are constantly wilted, even soon after watering, the plants might need a shadier
location.
5. Diseases: If correcting the conditions doesn't change anything, then disease could be a culprit. Somewhere
near you there is a plant pathologist or Ag Extension person who can tell what's going on.
6. Pests: These usually leave signs of damage rather than discoloration alone.
Initial Reference Books
Perhaps the best single resource for information about organic farming is Teaching Organic Farming and
Gardening, published by the Center for Agroecology and Sustainable Food Systems at UC Santa Cruz. This
teacher’s guide has a wealth of information. Each section contains an extensive bibliography and numerous on‐
line references.
The Encyclopedia of Organic Gardening, from Rodale Press is another tremendous resource.
Although they are not oriented toward organic methods, the California Master Gardener Handbook, published
by the UC Davis department of Agriculture and Natural Resources, and the Western Garden Book published by
Sunset Magazine are also useful references.
Catalogs from Johny’s Specialty Seeds and Peaceful Valley Farm and Garden Supply provide detailed information
about specific plants, tools, and equipment.
Please refer to the Resources handout for a comprehensive list of additional books and resources. As your
interest and skill level grows, you will find the information in those resources to be fascinating and helpful.
Happy organic gardening from our hearts to yours!
Robert Hartman and Shirley Ward
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