Organic Vs. Sustainable Gardening: What Is the Difference?

We talk a lot about sustainable gardening here, but we also talk about organic gardening, and although they may have some similarities, organic gardening and sustainable gardening really aren't the same thing. We've had a couple of questions from our readers on this subject, so today I'm going to hopefully clear up some of the confusion!

First of all, let's define the two terms.

 (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Organic gardening means gardening without the use of chemical pesticides, fertilizers or other chemical inputs. Fertilizers can be compost, manure, purchased organic fertilizers such as fish emulsion, seaweed, or many other inputs made of organic matter. Organic means of pest control are also used, from physical methods (removing pests by hand, barrier methods, etc.), to purchasing or making natural insecticides to apply to the plants. If we move up to organic farming (on a larger scale than just gardening, and usually the produce is for sale to the public), organic certification also comes into play. Foods sold with the "organic" label are required to meet certain standards regarding what substances are used to grow, package, and preserve them.

Sustainable gardening on the other hand, means growing food sustainably - both with regards to the surrounding environment, and the process as a whole. Obviously growing food with chemicals is NOT sustainable. Not only does it pollute the air, soil, and water, but it also destroys valuable nutrients and microbial activity in the soil, meaning healthy plants cannot grow there without the use of more and more chemicals. Chemical gardening and farming basically interrupts the natural ecosystem that keeps everything (from growth to pests to disease) in balance, creating a cycle where progressively more chemicals must be used to keep your garden growing and producing. Obviously this is the antithesis of sustainability. But there is more to sustainable gardening than just avoiding the use of chemicals - otherwise it would just be organic gardening.

(Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Sustainable gardening in theory means that your entire ecosystem works together as a natural and holistic system, without requiring any outside inputs. Yes, this means you would not purchase any fertilizers or pest control methods - even those made of natural and organic ingredients. It means you nurture your soil first of all, and help it naturally become the best soil it can be. It means that you would use only those items in your garden that you could make yourself, from existing components - such as compost from garden waste and kitchen leftovers, and animal waste only if your own animals produced it. It means that you would use techniques such as companion planting and crop rotation, plus encouragement of beneficial bugs, to control pests and disease, instead of purchasing natural pesticides. Sustainable gardening means utilizing the natural tendencies of plants and their interactions with their environment to grow your garden. This is a step beyond just "going organic".

Obviously this isn't always the easiest thing to do! It may be easier if you actually have a small farm, and not just a garden, so that you can use things like animal bedding and manures in your composting efforts, and allow your animals to help keep the land healthy, as in the example of Polyface Farms. But even if you don't have a farm, you can still incorporate some sustainable gardening techniques into your garden. When planning your garden this year, draw up an actual garden plan, or use some of the available garden planning software, so that you can start a defined cycle of crop rotation. Learn about companion planting, and how you can draw beneficial bugs to your garden that will feed on pests you have commonly noticed in your garden. Choose plants for your garden that are native to your area, or at least grow well in your conditions - e.g. low water, clay soils, whatever your case may be. And of course, if you haven't already, start composting!

This year, try to go beyond just organic in your garden, and be sustainable. Check out our Sustainable Gardening web page for some helpful resources, and the articles below may also give you some good tips on these topics:

http://nhlsustainablegardening.blogspot.com/2013/02/using-organic-vegetable-garden-planner.html
http://nhlsustainablegardening.blogspot.com/2013/01/video-crop-rotation-planning-tool.html
http://nhlsustainablegardening.blogspot.com/2013/06/pest-control-tips-for-organic-gardeners.html
http://nhlsustainablegardening.blogspot.com/2012/10/composting-tips-for-organic-gardening.html
http://nhlsustainablegardening.blogspot.com/2012/02/video-helpful-composting-tips.html