‘Organic’ and ‘Native’ Are Not The Same

Tomato growing in a compost bin.
©2022, Elana Goren. All Rights Reserved.

When I talk with people who don’t know much about native gardening, they regularly bring up organic gardening as if the two are the same thing. Though, it is well-advised to use organic methods in your native garden, organic gardening can apply to non-native and vegetable plants as well. Organic gardening is a method of creating a non-chemical, nutrient-rich environment for your plants to thrive. Native gardening refers to the type of plants that are native to your local area and are used when creating your garden. It is a recommended practice to always garden organically, no matter what you are growing, whether it be a vegetable garden or an ornamental one, but the term ‘organic’ is not the same as the term ‘native’ when describing a native garden.

How does one garden organically? Organic gardening relies on natural means to fertilize the soil and reduce insect pest populations, so that they don’t destroy your plants. A balanced ecosystem can be a big help with organic gardening. It is loaded with biodiversity and is supported by native plants for food and shelter. This biodiversity helps both the local flora and us by naturally and organically keeping garden pests in check. Most birds, for example, rely on insects as essential food and feed them to their young. Attracting a diversity of species to your native garden is one of the ways that plants are protected from being overeaten by insects.

As for the soil, compost is an organic way to enrich the soil instead of chemical fertilizers. Compost not only adds nutrients to the soil, but it also improves the texture of it. There are great places to find information on composting in your backyard or even in an apartment with an indoor composter. See our resources page for more information on composting.