For people who are interested in an organic approach to gardening...
"How To Create A Pest-Free Organic Garden
That's Exploding With Life, Beauty And
Exceptionally Nutrient-Dense Food
- In One Growing Season"
by Phil Nauta, Certified Organic Gardener
Did you know that food grown today has as much as 60-70% less nutrition than the food grown 60 years ago?
And that crop loss due to insects has doubled even though pesticide use has increased 1000%?
These 2 issues - decreased nutrition and increased toxins - are a major reason why we're experiencing such an epidemic of illness and disease. Buying organic is a start, but it doesn't mean the nutrition is getting back into the food.
Growing your own vegetables and fruits is the best way to guarantee you have that nutrition and great taste 0 without the toxins - but because of soil degradation, past chemical use, lack of biodiversity and other factors, it's very difficult to get there without knowledge of how to balance the soil.
But I'd like to give you and your family and friends an opportunity to experience real food again, not just for that great taste, but for the health and energy it brings. And while we're at it, we might as well grow some vibrant flowers, ornamental plants and trees, too.
We can get rid of pests and weeds without toxic chemicals. We can fix that degraded soil and decrease water use. We can have inspiring, beautiful, diverse gardens.
Most important, we can bring ourselves back to optimal health by drastically increasing the nutrition and decreasing the toxins by growing food ourselves.
I know all of this because not only am I a passionate follower of organic research from around the world, but I've put it into practice for myself and my clients.
I've experienced the pain many times when things go wrong, and I've figured out how to get it right.
To do so, you need to do some things that most gardening courses and books are skimping over or not covering at all. That's why I'm here, to give you that detail.
These photos are from the garden I started last year (I definitely need to get some better shots this year). You can see the 3 photos - before, during and after - by clicking the arrows below.
Why 2006 Was A Difficult Year For Me
Planting potatoes in the sheet mulch
If you've been following my work, you may know that I grew up working in a garden center and on a 9 hole, pitch & putt golf course owned by my parents.
Back then, I didn’t even know what organic was. During the summers, I sprayed pesticides on the greens to get rid of a fungus called dollar spot.
I literally had no idea there were any disadvantages to spraying this stuff. All I knew is that it didn’t work for very long because I had to come back and spray every week or two. Then in my 20's, I:
- Completed a Certificate in Organic Landscape Management
- Started an organic gardening business that I passed on to my sister
- Became a Certified Organic Land Care Professional
- Received my Permaculture Design Certificate
- Started a business selling high quality organic fertilizers
- Taught courses for Gaia College
- Wrote the book 'Building Soils Naturally.'
What I don't talk about much is 2006, a year I'm very happy to say is over. I'd just started my own gardening business. I had a lot of conventional gardening experience, but was new at the organic method.
I knew the theory, but didn't have the practice - and things went very wrong. Many of my clients had major weed issues, pest problems, and gardens that were just plain sick. I had seeds that wouldn't germinate and plants that wouldn't flower or fruit. I didn't know how to deal with it and people were not happy with me.
I am not a crier, but I cried myself to sleep many nights because I didn't want to let these people down and I didn't know what to do.
Being stubborn, I dug into the organic research with furious dedication and started trying things out. A few actually helped. Most didn't.
But I stuck with it. I learned how to make quality compost instead of the junk I'd been buying from the local providers. I also learned how to make quality compost tea, and how to use other microbial inoculants to bring many benefits compost can't offer.
I learned about proper soil testing - not the ineffective home kits sold at garden centers or the free tests done by government labs that are a waste of time. I learned how to test properly, how to interpret the results and how to fertilize based on them. It turned out it wasn't about throwing down the same organic blended fertilizer in every garden.
I figured out how to deal with pests, too, and it was not what is taught in 90% of organic gardening books. In fact, it was very interesting and surprising how it all worked.
I learned hundreds of things like this, and eventually put together a holistic gardening system I could follow on any property.
I somehow managed to make it through that year with happy clients and beautiful gardens (and very few tears shed since then)...
How I'm Able To Grow Such Nutrient-Dense, Chemical-Free Plants
Seeding broccoli in the sheet mulch
Cut to today and I have vibrant fruits and flowers without much of any disease, insect damage or weeds, certainly not enough to cause me any concern.
I’ve learned a simple approach for keeping them at bay, and this approach also happens to bring me abundant, nutrient-dense harvests from the vegetable garden, too.
Last year I put in a new garden on fairly average soil and grew 11 brix tomatoes and 15 brix carrots! (If you don't know about brix, don't worry, I'll be teaching you what it is and how to use it - it's a very useful test for growing food). And that's just in the first year - I'm looking for an increase this year.
The approach might be called "organic gardening," but it’s more than that. What often passes for organic gardening is simply neglect, letting the garden go wild to do what it wants. I have no problem with letting nature run its course, but that doesn’t satisfy my own gardening goals.
What also often passes as organic gardening is simply piling on the organic matter - throw a little compost and mulch on the garden and everything will work out fine. The thing is, that hasn’t been my experience or the experience of most people who have been doing this a long time.
I absolutely love compost and have seen how quality compost can do a lot of good, but it’s not a magic bullet - and again, using it alone doesn’t get me to my goals.
Let’s look below at these goals of mine and see if any of them are similar to yours.
And be sure to read this whole article because there are lots of great hints about how to produce the best organic garden possible - or as one of the visitors to this website said "Radically healthy fruits vegetables, flora & fauna that are astounding in taste, vitality, size, & appearance".
Which Of These 4 Gardening Goals Interest You?
Here are some of my top gardening goals. Click on the ones that resonate with you to see if we're on the same page.
Creating an inspirational haven
A garden should be a magical, inspiring place
To me, these are some exciting goals, because they're all about health and abundance.
They lead me an organic gardening tip I want to give.
One secret to achieving these goals is to come at them from a holistic perspective that doesn’t rely on just one tool or strategy to achieve them.
Compost alone isn’t going to do it. Neither is compost tea, kelp, or lime. We need to learn about all of these things and know when to use them. There isn't one solution for everything.
That being said, for most of us, increasing the organic matter content of our soil is a primary goal. That means increasing humus and the mulch layer.
So a tip I have for you is: A vital goal is increasing soil organic matter with various mulches, composts and cover crops, but it's usually not enough to focus only on organic matter if we want optimal health in the garden - we need to take more of a holistic approach.
It takes a bit of work and knowledge to achieve these goals. Not a lot of work, and not a lot of knowledge, but a little.
If you don’t want to do any work, my methods aren't the best for you, because as you can see from the goals above, I’m all about creating optimal health in the garden. This is my passion!
Not that it's difficult. There are many important things you need to know, but once you know them, you can do it. When you follow my methods, you'll actually save time and money in the long run. If you're into that, I’ve got something for you...
"You have joined Elliot Coleman, Heidi Hermary, Tobi Hemenway, Steve Solomon, David Holmgren, Rudolf Steiner and Elaine Ingham as one of garden/grower gurus. That your focus is on growing healthy food (the pretties are great but there to support food plant growing) resonates totally with my own perspective and values. Really like the tips on improving nutrient content.
Your information (such as about beneficial micro-organisms) is cutting edge, which I really appreciate, as such info is often scattered or difficult to track down. Sometimes what you say is such clear common sense (like your pruning advice), my mind just stutters in amazement.
Your writing is tight, well organized and clear. Love your positive spin. I feel happy - uplifted and energized after I finish a lesson, ready to jump into my boots and grab my trowel. Thank you for sharing your wisdom, Phil. We are fortunate."
Janet
How To Grow Those Radically Healthy Plants...
You may have heard about or even read an early version of my book (it's being published by Acres U.S.A. this spring).
I'm very, very proud of it, but this new project is on a whole other level.
It's a totally comprehensive resource I've put together for you - an exclusive membership website called the Smiling Gardener Academy for people like you who want to go the extra mile to create health and abundance in your organic garden.
It's not a snobby club, but it is elite - for people who want to grow that nutrient-dense food that has been on the brink of extinction for decades.
So here's what I did. I put in a new organic garden, from scratch. I pulled on all of my education and experience from the past 15 years of gardening - and especially since 2006 when I figured out how to succeed organically - and tried to use every strategy I could think of to make it the healthiest garden possible.
And I videotaped the whole process for you, from A-to-Z. So far I've filmed over 250 short videos, and there's plenty more to come (that's just all I could get done in 1 growing season).
I was actually blown away with the results this year, and it's going to get even better every year (building healthy soil takes time).
I've taken the pain I went through when I switched to organic in 2006, which drove me to create a system that I've been perfecting since then, and put it into an online course for you...
Here's How It Works
As a member of the Academy, you get access to a new module every month with 35-40 videos (and accompanying text).
I show you the exact steps I took to design and install what is going to be an incredibly productive food garden.
By the way, if you're more interested in flowers and ornamental gardens, the lessons still apply - it's the same process.
Right now, the course is 12 months long. Of course, you can just stay as long as you like - as long as you feel you're getting good value.
I did my best to make the videos very practical. They start with some basics and get quite advanced on some topics. I've written it with beginner and intermediate home gardeners in mind (although professionals will learn some things, too - I did landscaping for 10 years before I knew most of this stuff, and wish I had learned it earlier).
I also worked hard to make many of the videos as hands-on as possible, showing you exactly what to do, and when and how to do it. There's background information and some science, but all with a view to let you know why we do the things we do in the organic garden.
And where it gets really cool is you can ask and answer questions about each of the lessons. If you have a question, ask it. If you see a question someone else has asked and you have something to offer, go for it.
I spend a lot of time answering questions, too, which is a major benefit of being an Academy member. If you've ever sent me an email or asked a question on my blog, you probably got a response, but you may have noticed it was one that was rather short and I take at least 2 days to respond.
I can't answer in much detail because I'm really busy and I get a lot of emails, but Academy members get access to me through a special form that I answer as soon as I receive it. And in the future I hope to bring in some of my fellow professional gardeners/teachers to help answer your questions.
I think the fact that all members get to weigh in on each of the lessons is what makes this Academy so incredible. When we all do that, we get an amazing resource.
And here is what you'll discover in the videos and text (click the tabs at the top):
And that's just the first 7 months I've filmed so far. Here are some of the other topics I'm considering:
Short Summary Of Topics
To quickly summarize, the main things you'll discover in this Academy are:
- Proven techniques for how to grow optimally healthy food to create health in you
- How to make incredible, living soil that produces this food and other healthy plants
- A hands-on plan for doing these things, so there's no guesswork
- Keeping things simple and practical, while still learning some science
- Focus on the soil food web, because these organisms actually make your plants healthy
- How to garden with sustainable practices, in harmony with nature
- A lot of instructions on how to use organic fertilizers and inoculants
- How to control pests without chemicals
- How to do it all without spending too much money
3 Benefits To You
- Better Health. You will grow food that is full of vitamins, minerals, antioxidants, enzymes and natural medicines, to contribute to your health today and for the rest of your life.
- Save Money. I guarantee you will save money in the long run on maintenance costs, not having to replace dead plants, and growing a lot of your own food, not to mention not having to hire a landscaper.
- Help The Planet. It starts in your backyard and then extends to other areas of your life. When you intensively study organic gardening, you can't help but become motivated to be a steward of the earth.
Free Bonuses - $60 Value
I wanted to make this resource so valuable that it's an easy decision for you to jump in and take your garden to the next level.
I contacted some people and got some amazing bonuses for you that are worth more than your first month in the Academy and will help you reach your gardening goals:
Free Bonus 1 ($35). Since you're growing food this year (I hope at least a small amount), one of the most rewarding parts is preparing it into delicious meals every day. My wife Heather recently put together a DVD of 8 healthy cooking classes. They've been a huge hit. Each class is 45-60 minutes long, focusing on one aspect of cooking. It's the best resource she's put together yet.
Free Bonus 2 ($10). Mumm's sells certified organic seeds for sprouting. I buy their 1kg bags of clover and alfalfa (my 2 favorites), as well as kale and chia. They have a good selection of other seeds, too, as well as sprouting equipment. Their prices are incredible. I think everyone should sprout year round, since it's so easy and sprouts are so nutritious, so I'm super excited that they're giving you a $10 discount on seeds. I also use these seeds for cover crops.
Free Bonus 3 ($10). This is a fantastic book by Heide Hermary, and she's agreed to let me send you the ebook version. It's a wonderful overview of organic gardening.
I really think of it as a cheat sheet, because it has an overview of many of the important things you need to remember to do in your organic garden.
Free Bonus 4 ($5). This is the checklist I bring into the garden to keep track of what I’m doing well and what I need to work on. You won’t do everything on this list, and don’t feel you have to in order to have a healthy garden, but generally, the more things you do, the better.
I've also included a simple soil management calendar you can use to remind you when to do many of the tasks outlined in the Academy. It’s not a typical 12 month calendar because timing changes depending on your climate. Instead, it’s organized seasonally.
Who Shouldn't Get This Resource?
This isn't for keeping up with the Joneses
The steps outlined in the Smiling Gardener Academy are for people who want an optimally healthy garden, who want to grow nutrient-dense foods and vibrant ornamental plants and flowers.
Basically, this is not for people who want to simply keep up with the Joneses. Frankly, I don't want to be too cheesy here, but it's way beyond the Joneses.
As such, I know it’s not for everyone because there is a bit of work involved, and some people want a "maintenance-free" garden. Not that you have to toil in the garden for hours every weekend in order to get things done, but it requires a bit of work up front.
When I was a full-time gardener, you would have spent thousands of dollars hiring me to implement the steps for you, but now you can take advantage of this Academy and do it yourself, and even do a better job because you can watch the changes in your garden day to day and season to season.
Join Now - Introductory Offer - Over 40% Off!
I have an introductory sale price for the first 50 people at more than 40% off.
I put this price in place to give some of my loyal readers a chance to be the first ones to check out the site, and I'm hoping you'll help me out by giving me some feedback.
I know not everyone will get in at this price, but if you join today, you will.
So, for just $27USD/month (the price will eventually go up to $47USD/month, but will always be $27/month for you if you get in now), join now and instantly get access.
This will expire after the first 50 people, so you'll want to join asap (sorry, I can't give the deal to you after then).
Yes Phil, I definitely want to join the Academy to use these proven techniques to help me save money and grow nutrient-dense food so I can achieve optimal health.
By paying this low price right now, I know I will receive the following:
- Exclusive access to the member website with videos, text and community
- Free Bonus 1. Heather's Healthy Cooking Classes DVD
- Free Bonus 2. $10 discount from Mumm's Seeds
- Free Bonus 3. The Essence Ebook by Heide Hermary
- Free Bonus 4. Phil's Checklist and Soil Management Calendar
$47USD $27USD/month
Your order is 100% Secure
30 Day, Risk-Free 100% Money-Back Guarantee
I spent many hundreds of hours putting this together, and I know it will help you develop an amazing organic food garden that provides you with non-toxic, nutrient-dense fruits and vegetables. It will save you money and move you toward optimal health at the same time.
I really want you to check it out and to make sure you have time to go through the videos, so I'm offering you a 30 day, risk-free 100% money-back guarantee.
If the information isn't what you were expecting, let me know. I'll refund 100% of your money, no questions asked. What's important to me is that you get a chance to join us on the inside.
And then, you can cancel any time after that.
(Yes, I need to ask Heather to take better photos for me this year. Can't wait for season 2 in the new garden!)
To summarize, this resource is not for people who want just a basic garden that looks like the neighbors. It's for people who want maximum health for their garden and themselves.
If you want to bypass the pain I went through of killed plants, weeds and pest infestations, tasteless foods and money wasted, this is for you.
If you join today, you're locking in the introductory price and taking the next step to growing an abundant organic garden.
The membership includes exclusive access to the Smiling Gardener Academy with videos, text and a like-minded community of organic gardeners. With the 30 day, risk-free 100% money-back guarantee, I hope the choice is easy.
Thanks for reading. I hope to see you inside.
Phil
P.S. Do you have any questions about the Academy that I didn't answer here? Feel free to contact me and I'll be glad to answer.
"This feels like a dream come true. I know this Academy will enrich my growing experiences. Most importantly, it will help me to grow healthier plants that in turn feed my body and my soul. All in all, it's Friday night and I just signed up, so you can only guess what I'm doing all weekend."
"The way the lessons are set up is terrific. It's clean and well organized. I REALLY love that you've broken everything down into manageable segments. It's great that the segments are short and even better that I have the option of watching the video or reading the text. Your set up is nice and clean in that regard, too, because the text is directly below the video. I don't have to download separate transcripts and open them up in another window. Great work with this. Really. It's comprehensive without being overwhelming and it's extremely well organized and segmented."
"The Academy is the best thing since 'sliced bread'. Your 'set-up' is easy to navigate and learn from. The content is very interesting and useful; it can take beginning gardeners from 0 to 60 in a hurry. And, if I’m right, it is going to take intermediate gardeners a long way also. And I’m sure that the advanced will get a lot out of it too, looks like it is going to be a wonderful journey toward well-being and true health! I like the presentation, it is 'clean'. You have mastered the art of KISS (Keep IT Simple and Sincere). I’ve got a feeling that the Academy is going to take off like a rocket. Your meaning is coming through loud and clear. You are seen as a man of integrity; you are clear, well focused and Sincere. In other words, you are doing great, keep truckin...and we’ll keep watching and reading. Thanks for being on the planet right now, good timing. :)"
"Nicely done, Phil! Thanks for putting together such in-depth studies and details about the soil. It is much more detail than I've ever heard about soil before. My husband studies up on soil some, but I've never read any of his books on it. Watching a video to gather information is much more interesting :)"