When most people think of organic gardening they think of three possibilities: complicated very labor-intensive gardening, gardening that involved unattractive plants and a tolerance of insects, or letting weeds take over your planters. While organic gardening is different from what many are used to, it is not complicated or significantly more labor-intensive than traditional gardening. Organic gardening does not mean foregoing attractive plants and aesthetically pleasing layouts. Organic gardening is more about what you do not do, namely use synthetic fertilizers and pesticides and how the garden is planned from the ground up. Several simple tips and tools will provide an enjoyable organic garden.

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The use of synthetic fertilizers throughout the years has caused an overabundance of toxic chemicals to enter our oceans and rivers. The runoff water and soil from farmlands and residential properties that use these chemicals are beginning to enter the drinking water supply causing a wide variety of health problems. Researchers have found that when the warm water of the Mississippi river combines with the cold water from the Atchafalaya river the differences in the water temperatures creates an atmosphere were algae grows, then dies and decomposes. This decomposition of toxic algal blooms and the over enrichment of the environment in the water leads to the death of shrimp, shellfish, fish, sea grasses, and coral reefs. A report from the United Nations states that inappropriate irrigation and low stream water has increased the amount of saline in the freshwater supply. This increase of saline has lead to an inability of agricultural land to sustain important crops.

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Most people spend a lot of time, money, and effort to ensure their lawns look impeccable. There are innumerable products for sale that can help people achieve this lush, green lawn that so many desire, but people should be aware that many of those products are riddled with dangerous chemicals and are derived from oil and natural gas. The usage of chemically based lawn fertilizers has many negatives that impact the environment both locally and globally.

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Lawn care which is purely organic has many benefits and aspects the homeowner should consider as a way of reducing exposure to toxic chemicals and reducing the environmental footprint that can come with having a chemically treated lawn. Purely organic lawn care means using only ingredients which are free of contaminates and available naturally in order to create a lawn that is lush, healthy, sustainable, and free of man-made chemicals. Therefore, in order for your lawn to be considered organic, your lawn care program must avoid commonplace fertilizers, pesticides, and weed control herbicides that are derived from oil and natural gas.

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Controlling lawn and outdoor pests is an important facet to any home owner. People pay lucrative amounts of money for property; to some people their home is the most cherished possession they will ever own. The last thing they want is to have a pest problem in their lawn and plant that can ruin outdoor experiences. Luckily, there are ways to prevent these infestations and primarily the main form of protection is through chemicals which will prevent pests from invading landscape.

However, landscape pest control is composed of oil based chemicals that come with both environmental and health drawbacks. There are many negative effects these chemicals can have on your life. The first aspect of life which these chemicals can negatively impact is the environment. Chemicals used as pest control have been shown to linger longer in the environment than most substances and contaminate water supplies, food sources, and even the atmosphere. Using chemical pest controls is environmentally irresponsible and has ultimately lead to a global contamination crisis.

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