Expert: Greg - 5/14/2003

Question
Greg,
I am a novice gardner and I would like to grow organic vegetables using compost. What is the best procedure to prepare the soil?
And for the compost, would the vegetable scraps I use have to be from organically grown vegetables only or can I use conventionally grown veggie scraps also?
How about grass clippings that have had commercial fertilizers and/or pesticides and herbicides used on them?

Thanks for your help.
Marilyn  

Answer
Hello Marilyn

The Best way to Grow Organic Vegetables is to do a Raised Bed. You have more control of the Soil this way, because you know what its Compostion is. I have a 6" Raised Bed which I add compost to Every Year in the Spring. I know whats in it because I have made the Compost myself from Yard and Table Wastes.

It does not really matter if the Scraps are from Organic or Commerical grown means, after time the Decomposition process will filter all of the Pesicides from them, and after 1 Year of your own growing, you will have only your own grown Scraps in the Pile anyways.

I am a Huge Proponent of doing your own Fertilizing and Weed Control in your own Yard. Lawn Services blanket coat yards with Weed Killers, even though only a few weeds may be present. Also as an added bonus, Organic Fertilizers are much better than regular 34-3-3 Popular Named Products on the Market for your Lawn. I would use Clipping that I know had Commerical Pest Controls only in the Flower Garden. True in time these will also be OK by the Decomposition Process, but I would wait much longer on this, and who has the room to wait that long for this to happen.

The Inside of a Proper Working Compost Pile can reach Temperatures of an Amazing 150 Degrees, you could actually burn your hand if you were not carefull. With those type of Temperatures, you can understand that this will purify most of the products that go into the Pile,

I hope this helps, but if I have missed something here, feel free to follow up with a mose specific question, and I will be more than happy to help.

The Best of Luck.....Greg