Organic Gardening
- Amar B. Shrestha
Organic gardening, in layman’s terms, means gardening that is done without using chemical products such as pesticides and fertilizers. In its truest sense, organic gardening is all about making use of, and continuously replenishing, available natural resources—for example, nourishing depleted soil with composted plants. Organic gardening means working in harmony with nature and considering your garden to be a small part of the natural system.
Feed the soil, it will feed the plants
Organic matter includes everything from compost, grass bits, dry leaves and food scraps to manure and fish heads. One can say that it is basically decaying plant and animal waste. Organic matter conditions the soil. In the case of a new garden, it can be worked into the soil while in the case of an older garden, it can be a top dressing or mulch. As for the soil itself, remember that clay soil holds water better and has more nutrients than sand. The problem is that sometimes it may hold excess water resulting in the plants not being able to get enough air. Sandy soil, on the other hand, drains well, but should be improvised to make it good garden soil. This can be done by adding organic matter to it which will improve its texture besides attracting nutrient creating soil organisms.
Natural control
Organic gardening will entail some imperfections in your garden and also, you will not have a garden that is totally rid of pests. The expert advice here is that you should constantly be on the alert and conduct periodic examination of your plants for signs of a problem so that you can take action quickly. You must also remember that not all insects are pests. You must expect there to be some sort of damage now and then but if it is not a big problem, then accept it. Here are some tips on how to ensure pest control:
l Interplanting and diversity are good defensive measures against the danger of losing the whole crop due to some infestation. So, have many kinds of plants in your beds.
l Some insects and larger animals in your garden, for instance, lady bugs and parasitic wasps, can help by preying on pests. Birds too are helpful sinch they love to feed on grubs, as are frogs, lizards and even some snakes which can assist you by preventing a pest population from becoming a problem.
l You can take other measures such as making row covers to prevent moths from landing and laying eggs. Similarly, laying sticky traps will catch flying pests. Cut worms and many borers can be prevented from damaging plants by having foil collars around the base of plants.
l If you have no recourse but to use a pesticide, then go for organic pesticides. These are usually less toxic than synthetic pesticides and effective too. Many organic pesticides target specific problems. So, you need to know what the problem is before you treat it.
In cooperation with nature
You can ensure a healthy garden climate by doing the following:
Make the correct selection of plants most suitable for your particular site conditions otherwise you might be cultivating less healthy and more stressed plants. Naturally, pests are drawn to such stressed plants since they are more vulnerable. For example, if your site is a shady woodland, then avoid plants that require full sun and conversly, if your site is sandy and has lots of sunshine, then don’t select plants with preference for a moist environment.
Mulch your beds. They help to conserve water, moderate soil temperature, provide nutrients, suppress weeds and prevents erosion. They also make your beds look more attractive.
Go for plant diversity. This will prevent the large scale spread of a problem besides attracting more beneficial insects.
Know your plants well so as to be able to identify a problem as soon as it manifests itself. Keep track of the effects of seasonal changes on your plants so as to anticipate problems so that they are easier to manage.
Kid’s yoga classes begin from the age of 4 until 12. Classes are separated into age groups: 4–6, 7–9, 10–12. Young kids from 4–7 have less concentration and most of the class is spent trying to keep their little minds active and interested. A class for little kids aged 4–6 is up to 40 minutes long. During the class, there are theme based stories which are acted out through yoga postures, and mini sequences are taught to the children. Children learn basic breathing exercises along with relaxation, and mindfulness meditation
Do look for a class where the children are having fun and receive positive attention from the instructor. 
Starfish
Removing chocolate stains from washable fabrics like clothes
Removing chocolate stains from carpets or furniture
1Start using a mild moisturizer or even children’s cream every day to maintain healthy skin. If women can get wrinkles, you too will not be spared from this aging process. There is no reason why you shouldn’t be taking care of aging skin.
11Most men have rough callused feet with cracked heels in spite of the fact that they wear socks and shoes throughout the day. Soft feet are not just essential for women, it is important for men too. Take care of them by soaking in warm water with few drops of olive oil for 5-10 minutes. Then use a pumice stone on the soaked skin to gently remove the scaly part and to reduce the roughness. Wipe it dry and apply a foot cream. Wear a pair of cotton socks over it to let the cream get absorbed into the skin.