Why garden organically?

I’ve been gardening organically for a long time. So long in fact that I can’t imagine what my life would be like without it. For me, gardening is one of the most natural, complete, and enjoyable ways of spending my time. I love every aspect of it – the fresh air, soil, and the sounds that the birds make first thing in the morning. I relish the challenges and opportunities that each different season brings. And I’ve never been afraid of a little bit of hard work, particularly when there are fruits associated with my labour. But while I’m sold on organic gardening, you may not be. At least not yet! However, before dismissing it, I’d like you to consider why I, and many others besides, find gardening according to organic principles an entirely fulfilling, life-enriching passion.

Contemporary philosopher Thomas Moore has noted that individuals may choose to garden because of a need for vegetables or the need to be connected to their roots in nature. This is a simple, yet quite profound, observation. I’d like to take a closer look at Thomas Moore’s observation in the context of why you might like to consider joining me in the garden.

To meet our need for vegetables

When I was young, this was one of the main reasons why people decided to get involved in gardening. If you wanted fresh fruit and vegetables in adequate supply and at reasonable prices, more often than not, you grew them yourself. Growing up, I recall most adults – and many children – had at least a basic understanding of gardening principles. Sadly, much of the desire and requirement for individuals to garner this knowledge has since dissipated.

The proliferation of supermarkets supported by mass-produced agricultural distribution systems has lowered the price – and quality – of vegetables (and other forms of sustenance for that matter). While this has lessened the purely economic and logistic-driven incentives associated with gardening to meet our physical needs, the inferior quality of today’s mass produced food, which is routinely sprayed with a cocktail of chemicals, certainly acts as a driver for many to become involved with organic gardening.

As you’re no doubt aware, most commercially grown crops are represented by varieties that demonstrate high yield potential. Taste and nutritional value are routinely sacrificed to other requirements such as uniformity of size, appearance, and the capacity to resist spoilage. In an organic garden, these commercially driven concerns are not relevant. It’s just as well. If they were, much of our time would be spent spraying pesticides and applying synthetic fertilisers. Under these conditions, it’s difficult to envisage establishing a connection with nature.

To connect with our roots in nature

Gardening – particularly organic gardening – goes well beyond providing mere physical sustenance. I am of the firm belief that organic gardening, with its emphasis on working with – rather than against – nature, provides its adherents with important physical, emotional and psychological benefits.

Unfortunately, many people these days are denied any real or meaningful opportunity to connect with nature. Most people live in busy cities. They work in offices containing artificially maintained air and lighting systems, purchase mass-produced, chemical-laden food from sterile, wide-aisle supermarkets, and lead social lives that revolve around the weekly TV guide. It saddens me to see people live like this. I don’t think any reasonable person would contend that this is the way we were meant to spend our lives. I believe organic gardening can play an important role in helping redress the imbalance that a modern lifestyle imposes upon its participants.

At its most basic, organic gardening is nothing more than a philosophy and series of practices designed to nurture a garden’s natural ecosystem in such a way that planting and productivity objectives can be realised. It sounds simple. It is.

Overcoming our desire to control things

Perhaps the true challenge posed by organic gardening rests in the need for its adherents to relinquish a degree of control. As a species, we like to believe that we exert control over all living things. However, when you garden according to organic principles, you must acknowledge that you’re not always in the driver’s seat and that you can’t always force nature’s hand. Many people who are new to organic gardening find such an acknowledgement emancipating. Often, after a period of a few weeks, many people report reduced stress levels and an enhanced sense of wellbeing.

In my final decade as a professional gardener, I became involved with a charitable group that operated a scheme to assist troubled youths. These young people had, for one reason or another, come to the attention of either the police or local court system. Before coming to us, many of these young people had never set foot on a garden, much less an organic garden. But after a period of weeks, although in some cases months, most of these young people exhibited positive changes.

Benefits of organic gardening

Here are some of the reasons why I believe most people derive significant benefit from organic gardening.

Exercise

I’ve never met anyone that didn’t build up a decent sweat in an organic garden – at least, not while they had me working alongside them. There’s something for everyone to get involved with in an organic garden. If you’re young and spritely, you might like to get involved with some of the heavier tasks in the garden, such as moving fallen branches, making compost bins, or digging (where necessary – more about this later). Alternatively, if like me you’re of advancing years, some of the less physically demanding tasks, such as seed collection, watering, and staking might prove more appropriate. Whatever tasks you undertake, be careful to ensure they are appropriate for, and reflect, your age and level of physical capacity.

Relaxation

For me, there’s no more relaxing place to be than in an organic garden. All manner of living organisms live and breathe within its confines. The soil is rich and fertile. Native trees, shrubs and flowers are encouraged. The increased insect life attracts birds to the garden. In short, a natural ecosystem that I’m sure, much like me, you’ll find to be calming and serene.

Learning

I’m old. And I’ve been gardening for a long time. But in the garden – as with most of life’s other pursuits – I’m constantly learning. Fortunately, organic gardeners tend to be generous folk. In my experience, most of them are more than happy to share with others what they know. So whether you’re keen to learn more about soil, insects, companion planting, or any other aspect of organic gardening, you’ll find that there will be plenty of opportunities.

Interaction

An organic garden, and the simple pleasures it provides, deserves to be shared with others. And in practice that’s often what happens. In my opinion, there’s no better way for family members to connect than in the garden. It engenders a sense of collective responsibility and collaboration. If you have young children, you’ll find that they will love being in an organic garden. There’s so much for them to see and do, and they’ll appreciate the time they get to spend working alongside others.

If you’ve got neighbours, an organic garden provides a great opportunity to get to know them better. Gardening with others is generally more productive than going it alone. It’s also a great way of involving some of the older folk in your community. You never know, they may prove to be a valuable source of untapped knowledge.

There are also many community-based organic gardening groups. These groups provide an opportunity to interact with others sharing your passion and are well worthwhile seeking out.

The produce

There’s nothing to beat the aroma of garden fresh herbs or the taste of a peach taken directly from a tree that’s never been sprayed with dangerous synthetic chemicals. If you decide to garden organically, your own fruit and vegetables will taste better and be safer to eat than other forms of produce. There is also the psychological satisfaction and sense of security that develops from providing quality food in a sustainable manner.

Perhaps you too can benefit from gardening organically. I certainly hope so. There’s a lot of fun to be had, and a bit of hard work to be done, in an organic garden. So, I hope you’ll join me.