Organic gardening made easy
by MATT CHANDLER

There was a time not long ago when the term "organic garden" was something you only heard at the local farmers' market. If you could find anything organic in the produce department of the grocery store, it was both limited in selection and expensive. While the potentially adverse effects of pesticides and chemicals in food have been well-documented through the years, many Americans were not willing to spend the time or the money required to seek out organic alternatives.

Gardening Times have changed. Today, with the focus on what Americans can do to live longer, healthier lives and the hot-button issue of "living green" getting a lot of ink, American consumption of organic fruits and vegetables has dramatically increased.

Wegmans and Tops carry large, varied and more affordable lines of organic produce. Additionally, Buffalo is home to Feel Rite, a chain of health food stores specializing in organic foods and products.

But organic produce is still costly, and the selection, while vastly improved, still has its limitations. So how difficult would it be to create your own organic garden at home?

Based on U.S. Department of Agriculture guidelines for organic foods, there are several key components to creating an organic garden:

+It must be free of synthetic chemical fertilizers

+It must be free of pesticides

+There should be a "buffer zone" to avoid contamination from outside sources.

Before you get overwhelmed and think this is beyond your ability, it isn't. Stroll through a garden center on a Saturday afternoon and you will be pleasantly surprised at the selection of pesticide-free, all-natural fertilizers, plant nutrients and gardening supplies.

The key is to start small. Choose foods that are easy to grow, and test the water before you dive in. Don't be surprised when your first batch of organic tomatoes doesn't look exactly like the chemically induced, shiny, artificially red ones you are accustomed to.

It may take some time, some testing and some adjustments to get the right mix in your organic soil. But in the end, as you bite into that pesticide-free, naturally grown tomato atop your salad (a salad made with organic lettuce and wax-free cucumbers, of course), you will enjoy the natural flavors that your taste buds have been missing after all these years of ingesting your food with a side order of chemicals, pesticides wax and other pollutants.