How to Plant Organic Food
- 1). Begin your garden preparation one month before the last frost date in your area to give yourself time to prepare the soil for planting. Find a site that gives you at least 25 square feet of space and receives six to eight hours of full sun every day. Make sure that your entire site drains quickly after watering, since vegetables won't thrive in standing water.
- 2). Turn over the top 12 inches of soil to break it up, mix it and aerate the growing foundation. Add 6 inches of organic compost, and use the garden fork to mix the soil. Don't add commercial gardening soil, as it may contain synthetic substances such as plant food. Compost gives vegetables the drainage and nutrient support they need, and it is organic.
- 3). Add organic fertilizer such as bone meal, blood meal or fish emulsion to the top 3 inches of soil just before planting. These are natural products that enhance rooting and growth. Save this fertilizer for continued use through the growing season.
- 4). Plant organic vegetable seeds, rather than seedlings, after the last frost in your area to ensure a fully organic garden. Vegetable seedlings may have synthetic soil in their roots and may bring synthetic pesticides into the garden. Choose from summertime vegetables such as tomatoes, corn, peppers, squash, pumpkins, cucumbers, beans, eggplants, okra, garlic, onions and lettuces for your organic garden.
- 5). Water the entire garden for 10 minutes with the sprinkler setting on your hose. This settles the soil and establishes the seeds. Spread 2 to 3 inches of organic mulch between the rows and around the planting sites to maintain soil moisture during growth.