Growing an Organic Garden in DC

Tomato plants are great for small gardens

There are beautiful gardens all over the Washington area. The combination of these gardens and our amazing tree canopy makes for a uniquely green urban community. Of course having a garden means taking responsibility for what you’re growing and how you’re growing it. It’s necessary to choose native vegetation and utilize organic methods.

First, what exactly is organic gardening? Organic gardeners do not use synthetic fertilizers or pesticides in their gardens. They also work to replenish nutrients their plants take from the ground by regularly adding more organic matter to the soil like grass clippings, leaves, vegetable scraps from the kitchen, etc. Not only does this nurture the ground, but it results in healthier, more robust plants. For a list of recipes for homemade organic pesticides, click HERE.

Next, what plants are native to our area and where can you buy them? It’s important to avoid introducing non-native species of plant to our area. Often these plants choke native species because they require more water and nutrients. A few varieties of plants native to our area are Virginia bluebells, begonias, lemongrass, elephant ears and ginger lilies. To find a complete list of bushes, trees and flowers native to the DC region, check out Fairfax County’s Gardening Resources. There are several great nurseries in our area with plenty of native plants. Check out the Garden District in DC or Johnson’s Flower and Garden Center in Friendship Heights.

Photo Credit: CC-licensed by Flickr user plutor