Growing Your Own:
Lessons From Michigan Farmers

Gardening to produce your own vegetables, fruits, and flowers and a beautiful lawn can be fun and satisfying. Like Michigan farmers, you can practice good stewardship of the land–getting great results while protecting the environment. Here are a few tips to help you be successful.

Recycle Nutrients Back into Nature

Recycling organic material back into the soil makes good environmental sense.Farmers regularly return animal manure to the soil to provide vital nutrients. In your home garden, you can recycle plant and vegetable matter. easy. Cut the bottom from a plastic garbage can and place the can in a hole about 20 inches deep. Household vegetable matter will be composted by insects and worms and the natural decay process. When well composted, the resulting matter can be tilled into the soil of your garden or flower beds.

Want to Fertilize? Read the Label First

The first rule of feeding growing things is to use only what you need. More is not better–it can harm plants and the environment. Most complete fertilizers have three numbers on the front label, separated by dashes, such as 5-10-5. The numbers stand for the percentage by weight of the three major nutrients that plants need: nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium. A 5-10-5 fertilizer has a 1-2-1 ratio, which is normally recommended for growing vegetables. A ten-pound bag of 5-10-5 would give you the same nutrient value as a five-pound bag of 10-20-10. A soil test will tell you which nutrients your soil needs.

Know Your Soil, Like a Good Farmer

Plants grow best in good soil. Before applying any fertilizers, be sure that you're applying only what is needed. It's a good idea to take a soil sample every 4 to 5 years. Just take a slice of soil down to about 6 inches with a small shovel. Repeat in 10 to 12 locations around your garden. Mix the samples in a bucket and remove one pint. Take it to your nearest MSU Extension Office or garden center for analysis. The cost is normally under $15. test will tell you whether the pH of your soil is at the recommended level to make use of nutrients (6.5 to 6.8 pH is ideal), and will also indicate the nutrients in the soil.

Pesticides: Be Smart and Safe

All pesticides are developed to be toxic to intended pests. Some can be harmful to humans as well. Wear gloves and protective clothing if applying them, and keep pets away until the application area is dry. Also be aware that by targeting an unwanted pest, you may be harming beneficial insects. Your best advice is to carefully follow label directions.