Originating from Hobart, in Southern Tasmania, this is the grassroots e-source for information about the basics of backyard organic gardening.

I initially started building this web site because I wanted to have a go at building a home site. I decided on organic gardening because it's a personal interest and something I've learnt a fair bit about since I unexpectedly started gardening in 1994. It doesn't contain expert scientific advice, just down to earth advice from knowledge gained mainly through trial and error. Why organic? - read on.

The 'bottom line' aim of organic gardening as I see it, is to create and maintain a healthy and vigorous garden, without the use of chemicals and poisons. It's about creating and maintaining a natural balance to ensure the best health of the plants.

During a recent conversation with a conventional gardener, I was told - "I have to spray my garden more and more because of those organic gardeners. They're nothing but long haired insect breeders", or something along those lines (he didn't realise I'm a long haired insect breeder).

In an average sized backyard, insecticides can cause more problems in the long term than the short-term fix that they provide. The problem with insecticides of course is that they don't discriminate. They kill all of the insects including predators like hoverflies, ladybirds and spiders. Then next doors aphids and other veggie loving insects move in to your place and multiply rapidly in a breeding paradise devoid of predators. The crop is sprayed again and so it goes on.

Plants grown in well balanced soil replenished with organic matter produce a good level of insect deterring natural chemicals called polyphenols as a result. Force feeding plants with chemical fertiliser, in poor growth conditions can produce sappy, lush growth with reduced amounts of polyphenols. The plant is then prone to attack.

Grow a wide variety of plants, which attract a wide variety of insects including predators. Protect your soil and plants from chemicals, and let nature do the rest. Predator insects will be there in numbers in a healthy backyard, worms and good bacteria will survive and thrive in your soil, and the balance between nasties and goodies will occur naturally.

I have to say that I don't like eating bugs myself but they're not difficult to remove from vegetables prior to eating. The occasional caterpillar is of course an extra source of nutrition and as long as I don't feel a crunch as I bite into my broccoli I'd much rather eat a few bugs than include insecticides and fungicides as additives to my diet.

That's one good reason for organic gardening, another is of course playing a part in preserving a healthy eco system by avoiding the spread of chemicals into the food chain and our natural environment.

Whilst I am concerned about the adverse effects we are having on our planet, I didn't create this web site to preach about it. The web site was designed to provide practical information to assist you to garden sensibly.

Join Tasmania, and the worlds growing band of organic gardeners, and reap the rewards.

NOTE: Most of the content of the site was written by myself. Contributions have also been made by Phil Watson (native plants and other), David Stephen (worms) and Heather Evershed (chooks).

David Bellamy