Organic gardening is a close sibling to the field of small-scale organic agriculture.
The emergence of chemical farming was precipitated by the scientific and industrial advancements of the middle to late 18th century, which started to consider soil as a "sterile medium to hold plants." Growing food evolved into a "factory" process where chemicals were added to the fields in order to produce the most food possible. The vast number of living things, their intricate and crucial relationships within the soil and plant community, as well as the connection between plants and soil to the regional ecosystem, were not given any consideration.
Early in the 20th century, the organic agricultural movement began to take shape in response to these changes. A variety of visionaries, including Rudolph Steiner, the creator of biodynamic agriculture, started to mold a radically different perspective on the farming and gardening process. The concept that the farm or garden is a living system and that the gardening process can greatly benefit from understanding how nature functions is at the core of the organic gardening philosophy. While the fundamental requirement of organic gardens or farms is that they use no synthetic chemical fertilizers, pesticides or herbicides, there are several other key principles common to the organic growing environment:
• An emphasis on soil health and fertility, including regular additions of organic matter (such as compost) and natural nutrients to the soil, preferably obtained on-site;
• The use of techniques such as crop rotation, companion planting, and green manure (growing crops and turning them into the soil) to conserve soil;
• The ability to identify "pests" and "weeds," preventing the damage they can cause by methods such as keeping plants healthy and resistant, ensuring a healthy environment for plants;
• The prudent use and conservation of additional important resources, such as water.
Due in large part to a growing understanding of the advantages organic farming and gardening techniques provide for both human health and the environment, the organic gardening movement has experienced significant growth over the past two decades. Over time, a wide variety of specialized methods for organic farming and gardening have emerged.
The practice of "No-Till Vegetable Gardening" is also gaining favor. Although this method also makes use of permanent raised beds, there is never any soil cultivation (i.e., digging). The beds are covered with layers of organic material, such as plant remains, weeds, leaves, straw, compost, newspaper, etc. Seedlings are then sown directly into the mulch. Other names for no-till techniques include lasagna gardening, sheet mulching, zero-tillage farming, and natural farming, each of which has a unique spin. No-till techniques increase the amount of organic matter in the soil while preserving the vital population of soil organisms that ploughing frequently reduces. The small-scale gardener also has to do a lot less physical labor.
The organic movement has more recently impacted urban landscaping, as many organizations now certify landscaping companies that employ organic practices. A growing number of city dwellers are making the decision that they do not want harmful pesticides used on their lawns and gardens and that they want to contribute to the cause of a better, more sustainable environment ("in their own backyard").