Most chemical fertilizers and pesticides, herbicides & fungicides kill the micro-organisms living in the soil. Many people call 'living soil' the "Web of Life".
Micro-organisms help the roots access the nutrients in the soil. Having these micro-organisms attract other insects which attract ground beetles, birds and frogs. A living soil is rich in life; worms help break down organic material, as do many insects, and create wormholes which increase drainage. Their castings can be measured in the tons per acre! By applying well-composted compost on top of the soil every spring and fall encourages all these life forms to interact and grow. By using chemicals, most of these lifeforms are killed which creates a domino affect throughout the 'web of life'.
Unfortunately, mainly in the last 50 years homeowners have been told to buy numerous amounts of chemicals and fertilizers. Many of the fertilizers leach, quickly past the roots and onto the watertables and out into our lakes and oceans. We were shamed to have nothing less than a lawn that you find on a golfcourse green.
Today, more and more people are ripping up their lawns and replacing them with edible and indigenous plants that have been bred and acclimatized to their region. Starting with these disease-resistant, hardy plants is an important step in creating a healthy garden.
The first step to having a healthy garden is having great healthy soil. This means to add compost at least once a year, in the spring. Green cover crops are grown to ensure no 'bare' spots are left over winter. Green crops can build the soil with nutrients and organic material as well as stop the disease and pest cycles that occur when the same vegetable are grown over and over in the same location.
Rotate your crops! Divide your yard or property into sections and grow similar plant families in each plot. Many of the plants have different nutrition needs, so many people start one plot for the heaviest feeders, that need the most nutritious, high pH soil. Ther lowest quality soil in one of the beds otr location is devoted to plants that are 'light' feeders or plants that can give back to the soil, like the legume family (peas, beans, vetches, broadbeans). Or potatoes or buckwheat can be grown in these poor soil conditions. If growing potatoes make sure the conditions are more acid and do not add lime. Potatoes are a great way to convert a lawn into beautiful soil, ready for whatever your planting scheme is.
I lay down straw (not hay which has seeds) directly over the lawn. I put down a good 3 to 4 inches. Then I cover the straw with 3" of soil and then place the seed potatoes on top of the soil. I then cover the potatoes with another few inches of soil, and then cover the soil with another 4" of straw. As the potatoes begin to poke up through the staw I lightly cover the new growth with more straw. I continue doing this throughout th growing season. In late August, I can start reaching through the straw to pick the amount of potatoes I need. It is important to allow the roots get any light as it will turn the tubers green, which is toxic. Always cut off any 'green' part of a potato before preparing it for food.
In the early fall, I remove all the potatoes and quickly plant winter rye and a winter vetch. In the spring, these plants will take off, so unless you want to leave the soil fallow for another year, I would cut the plants down and gently hoe them into the soil. In a few weeks, plant a new crop, like peas or fava beans. All the grass and weeds will be converted into a beautiful rich organic material, attracting many beneficial insects and worms.
Many of todays organic growers rely on great compost, while others make their own organic fertilizer. This is a very simple and inexpensive way, especially if you buy the 'ingreiants' from a farmer's feed supply company. You will need to buy organic Alfalfa meal, kelp meal, dolomite lime, garden gypsum, and calcium carbonate.
Mix together: 4 parts of alfalfa meal, 1/2 part of dolomite lime, 1/4 part gypsum, 1/4 part calcium carbonate and 1 part of kelp meal. Some people substitute the kelp meal for rock phosphate or use 1/2 part kelp meal with 1/2 part rock phosphate.
Apply 1 cup per 10 sq. ft. Buy your ingrediants in minimum 50 lb. bags. Garden centres will sell an organic mix or these ingrediants in small 5-10 lb bags but the cost will be a lot more expensive.
This post is getting long so I will add one more point before I sign off:
Attract beneficial insects! Plant feverfew, borage, fennel, parsley, shasta daisies, sedums, elderberries; plants that have small flowers. Allow these plants to go to seed too. These plants attract ladybugs and numerous other insects that attack pests.
Have a water source, like a small pond or a dish of water and lay burlap so the insects and bees don't drown. In the Fall, leave some leaves in a pile and hollow dry stems, with rocks, sticks or ornaments that allow these insects to over-winter.
