J.I. Rodale set up Rodale Inc in 1930.

Organic Gardening, fitness and health were the major topics of the books and magazines published by the Rodale press. J.I. Rodale had many strong beliefs regarding the American Agriculture system.

He believed that there was a positive correlation between the declining fertility of the soil and the health of the people. Organic Farming and Gardening, a magazine started in 1942 by Jeremy Rodale, made people aware of the benefits of growing their food in a naturally healthy soil. Before preaching to the world Rodale put his theories into practice at a 60-acre farm near Emmaus, Pennsylvania.

For Jeremy Rodale, organic gardening was the pathway towards a healthier populace. His idea slowly gained popularity. Today he is considered a pioneer in the field of organic gardening.

The magazine started by Rodale, Organic Gardening, is even today the most popular organic gardening magazine. It gives direction to the users to cultivate anything they want without the use of chemicals.

In 1950, J.I Rodale started a magazine Prevention. It dealt with ways and suggestions to prevent illness and disease, rather than wait for the need to cure it.

It is the 12th largest magazine in the country now having a circulation of nearly 10.5 million readers each month. The readers are advised to take an active role in attaining and keeping good health and fitness. For twenty years, the people considered J.I.

Rodale a crank in general for propounding ideas towards natural foods and organic farming. It was in the sixties that people became aware of the truth in his preaching. The environment crisis was at hand and Rodale’s organic gardening theories made sense.

All his cautionary words regarding the side effects of chemical sprays, erosion of topsoil etc were coming true. “Failure to look after the soil under the green carpet does not pay. It leads to the destruction of large areas of land; it creates an inefficient population.” As mentioned in his book Pay dirt.

J.I. Rodale was a prolific author and has many books to his credit. J.I. Rodale passed away in 1971. The leadership of his company Rodale Inc was taken over by his son Robert. Under him, Rodale gained immense popularity. Their message “You can do it,” was labeled strongly across their ever-popular books and magazines. It mirrored their belief that the common people. On taking holds of the reins, Robert Rodale published many successful books on books on gardening, health, home improvement and fitness. In today’s world the name Rodale, organic gardening and natural products are synonymous.

Successful organic vegetable gardening requires long drawn plans. This includes the preparation of the soil, enriching it and protecting it from the attacks of harmful insects.

Organic vegetable gardening differs from the conventional vegetable gardening in two major ways: – usage of fertilizers and pest control. The fertility of the soil depends upon three components: nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium.

Nitrogen intensifies the growth of lush green foliage. Phosphorus results in strong roots and stems.

Potassium protects the plants from disease and cold. It is required for every plant that stays alive for more than a year. In conventional methods, synthetic fertilizers are used to enrich the soil.

Commercial fertilizers are available as a mixture of the three main ingredients. However, in organic vegetable gardening, these nutrients are added in a different manner.

Compost is a very good organic way of enriching the soil.

Compost can be made easily in pits in your backyard with garden and kitchen refuse. Materials like leaves, lawn cuttings, pine needles, weeds, corn stalk, carrot tops, spoiled fruit and vegetable, animal manure etc. can be used to make good compost.

The decomposition of the organic material forms bacteria and fungi in the soil. They help in converting unavailable nutrients like nitrogen to ammonia and nitrates, forms usable by the plants. This process is called nitrification.

Rock phosphates, natural occurring deposits of phosphorus in combination with calcium, can be mixed with the compost. Natural potassium occurs in substances like wood ashes, tobacco stems, seaweed, potash salts and ground rock potash. They can be also mixed to the compost.

This combination will provide a very balance nutrient mix for organic vegetable gardening.

The organic material takes longer to decompose and affect the soil. Hence it should be added at least a fortnight before planting the vegetables.
The pH scale runs from 0 to 14. 0 indicates extreme acidic, 14 is extreme alkaline and 7 indicates a neutral soil. The most inexpensive and efficient material for raising the pH is ground limestone. Dolomite limestone has an additional ingredient, magnesium, which many soils lack. If the pH of the soil is alkaline, finely ground sulphur is used to lower it. Pest control in organic gardens is done in a different manner. Organic vegetable gardening believes in the theory of manageable pest levels. In this, the pests are not completely eradicated but kept at an easily manageable level maintaining the balance.

Pest resistant varieties are planted. Natural predators and parasites are used that eat up the harmful insects. Mulch the soil to avoid direct contact with sunlight as the harmful organisms require bright sunlight to grow. These methods using organic vegetable gardening techniques will help in raising a healthy and abundant crop.