to purchase organic or not. That includes
soil additives for fertilizing and enrichment,
weed and disease control, pest control,
fungus control, etc. Organic choices some-
times require a little extra work (putting
ladybugs and praying mantis populations
in your garden to naturally control plant
eating aphids and other bugs is an organic
alternative technique example, which
requires additional effort and expense,
which I have used) but in other cases, it is
no more work, it simply requires asking your
store clerk for an organic variety alternative.
Once you begin organic, it just becomes
part of your gardening routine and culture
and you are likely to find that you do not
want to contaminate your garden or the
people you love who eat from your garden.
Organic gardening has actually made our
family select more organic choices when
we purchase produce at the grocery. That
is becoming the smart choice for more and
more people. There is a reason that organic
fruits and vegetables inhabit more and more
produce departments of traditional grocery
chains like Kroger. Whole Foods and Fresh
Market may have been the pioneers but now
the ‘others’ are following that lead because
a growing number of consumers demand
those healthy and clean options. It is an easy
choice in my garden.
Planning a garden is in some ways like
planning a vacation trip. You want to plan
wisely to increase the odds of an enjoyable
journey, you desire to enjoy your vacation
within a budget that you have set, and you
hope to include some of the best experiences
expected in a visit to that destination. But
remember, like on many vacations, some
of the most valued experiences are the
surprises for which you did not plan.
Kenneth F. Farrell is a mixed-use real estate
developer (commercial lifestyle centers with resi-
dential components) who lives in Memphis (TN)
with his wife, Miki, and step-son. His real estate
projects are in small to medium cities throughout
Tennessee, Arkansas and Mississippi. He and his
wife are avid gardeners who love cooking eclectic
meals using produce grown in their garden.
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