In the Malibu Garden:

Steps to a Successful Organic Home Garden

“Weeds do not grow in soil that is rich in minerals and alive with soil microbes” Invisible Gardener

Why Plan?

Planting an organic garden involves more than putting organic seeds in the ground and hoping for an organic garden. It also includes selecting a location and everything that goes with that, such as preparing the seed bed. Will you sow seeds directly into the beds or will you start them in a greenhouse or tray and then if you do plant directly will you thin or will you try your hand at transplanting?

A good garden plan will save time, save you space, save your back and save your money, as well as make it fun!

Gardening with vegetables and fruit is not only fun, butalso provides a delicious and highly nutritious fresh food source. Becoming an organic gardener can add a new dimension of enjoyment to life and bring an awareness of the wonderful world of gardening. The path to a successful organic vegetable garden is not difficult, nor a long one, but an exciting healthful lifelong ongoing experience!

Begin to plan your next garden by learning from your past gardens, or, if you have never had a garden before, join an organic gardening club and learn from other organic gardeners. What varieties did you like well or not at all? Would you like to extend the harvest season to as long as possible or increase the amount of your food you grow?

Would several small staggered plantings thru out the season be desirable (remember how you grew too many lettuces at one time last year?).  Did you try something new last year that you want to include again this year? Is there something new that you want to try this year?

“Selecting a good location is a key ingredient to having a healthy organic garden.”

The Invisible Gardener

Choose an area with plenty of morning sunlight and some afternoon shade. Most vegetables, especially fruiting types, do best with eight hours of full sun exposure.

Leafy and root vegetables will tolerate partial (but bright) shade. Don’t plant vegetable gardens under or near trees, large shrubs or under fruit trees as tree roots rob fertility, water and especially light from vegetables. Don’t plant vegetables in the narrow shaded space between houses and walls unless it gets full sun and good workable soil. A loose, fertile, well-drained soil is best. If possible, avoid heavy clays or very sandy soils.

An organic potting soil mixed with compost, self-prepared or purchased, can be used in raised beds or containers (pots, tubs, boxes, etc.). Where space is limited, container gardening is the way to go.

The ideal organic garden soil is a minimum of 18 inches to 3 feet or more, fertile, well-drained and medium-textured. Such soils are usually dark colored like compost. Clay soils are difficult to work and frequently form clots, as it dries. Sandy soils do not retain moisture or nutrients well and need organic matter and rock dust applications added. 

  Gardens near the house are more accessible, easier to take care of, and to protect. There are fewer wild animals near the house and water for irrigation will be easily available. Frequent harvests are also easier and more fun when gardens are near the house or the kitchen. Consider a small garden near the kitchen just for frequently needed herbs and other cooking stuff.

I would start a wish list. What vegetables do you like to eat? Keep track. Then you should get a hold of a few good organic heirloom seed companies. Here are a few: Seeds of Change, Peaceful Valley Farm, and Garden. Do a google search and their websites will show up. Once you get the catalogs, you should go through and pick some seeds you think you would like to grow. These seed companies will always have a large choice of seeds, so you should get a lot of different seed varieties, grow a few from each and see what works well, as well as tastes good to you.

You will find that you can grow a large variety of vegetables along the coast.

The key to a good garden in  Malibu is to grow in a raised bed, with the proper soil amendments, and a drip system installed. Did you know that you can grow seven times more food in a raised bed then in the same area on the ground? You can also protect the plants by covering the beds with a cover. I would suggest that you build a caged area that you walk in. This will protect your garden from all the wild animals that also love Malibu (where I live).

I would also suggest that you build a greenhouse to start your seeds. This is vital if you want to grow year round.

A wise thing to do is not to plant too many seeds at once. I did this the very first time I started. I planted the whole seed packet! Not a good idea! Then I had to try and eat all 30 plants (lettuce  I think it was) at the same time! Best to plant a few seeds then wait a few weeks then another few seeds. In that way, you will get food coming in over a period. That’s when a greenhouse comes in handy!

Also, a greenhouse would let you start plants early, and then move them into the garden.

Have fun Growing, Organically of course!

BTW, I recently received an email that says I was misleading folks by saying “Dont Panic Its Organic” that organic doesn’t mean safe? It doesn’t mean safe. I don’t say Dont Panic Its Safe, do I? But growing organically is certainly better for the environment, as well as humans, and other living things!! It is also a matter of preference. I would rather grow organically than to grow with chemicals that have been proven to damage the environment ,etc..  More on how safe is organic gardening later….

Andy Lopez

Invisible Gardener

Any questions? Email me andylopez@invisiblegardener.com