What’s Controlled in Organic Gardening?

The answer to the question, “What’s controlled in organic gardening?” is, “It depends.”  If you’re just growing organic veggies for your own family, nothing is controlled.  Well, if you buy things for your garden that are certified organic, they are regulated, but nothing you grow is controlled. If, however, you plan to sell your veggies at a farmer’s market or something, and you could make more than $5,000 you can’t call your veggies organic unless they meet certain standards.  That’s what’s controlled in organic gardening.

Here is some of what’s controlled in organic gardening:
• The kinds of records you need to keep.
• You can’t use any ionizing radiation in your garden.
• You can’t use sewage sludge.
• You have to have used organic techniques on that particular plot of land for at least three consecutive years.
• You have to have a plan to rotate crops and use cover crops.
• You have to have a plan for the plant and animal materials you use to fertilize your garden.
• You have to have a plan for tilling and cultivating the garden so that the soil is maintained, and improved, and that erosion is prevented.
• You have to have a plan to prevent your veggies or land from being contaminated by pathogens, heavy metals or residues.
• You can’t use burning except to prevent the spread of disease or to help germinate seeds.
• You can only use specific, approved synthetic or nonsynthetic materials in your garden.
• You have to use organically grown seeds and stock, unless there are no organically grown options.
• You must use organically approved methods for pest, weed and disease control.

So, as you can see, what’s controlled in organic gardening is a lot.