I have been growing food for 10 years now and I have yet to use any chemical pesticides or fertilizers. Read on for tips on how to grow beautiful chemical free produce at home!
FIRST: CHOOSE AN APPROPRIATE SITE
Choosing a site is the most important step. To grow healthy plants you need an adequate amount of sunlight, at least 6 hours per day, 8 if possible. Also, pay attention to water on your site. How does it move through the proposed garden area? Is it flood prone? Is there access to water? Consider all of these when selecting a spot for your garden.
Second: Tend To The Soil
The importance of your soil health cannot be overstated. Compost that is free from any chemical residue (for example conventional vegetable and fruit scraps which are saturated with pesticides and fungicides) is a must. Composted chicken, cow, or horse manure are also good. Keep in mind that if animals are fed GMO grains, or given chemical wormers and antibiotics, that those compounds will be in their manure and will make their way into your soil, into your food, and into your body. Blood meal, bone meal, worm castings, and liquid kelp are all excellent ways to amend your soil. I like to find weeds with deep roots that have not yet gone to seed (like dandelion, comfrey, mullein, or thistle. Nettle is also great even though it doesn’t have a deep tap root it is still mineral rich) These can be dried outside until they are crispy and then ground up and sprinkled back onto your soil.