Best in Gardening

Organic gardening has taken off in the past five years. Whole Foods Market is one of the fastest growing grocery changes and farmer's markets have seen a remarkable resurgence in patronage. As the attention of the country shift towards safer foods, consumers are looking for ways that they can change their purchasing habits. Regardless of your lifestyle or location, you too can benefit from the bountiful supply of organically grown produce.For those who enjoy gardening, growing organic veggies is the way to go. By supplementing the soil with natural products such as compost, earthworm castings, or manure; and ensuring that the garden has appropriate levels of all required nutrients; one can produce a more bountiful harvest than if they used artificial additives alone.

Garden pests can be controlled naturally as well. Insecticidal soaps (made from potassium salt and fatty acids) work very well against white flies, aphids, and small caterpillars. Ladybugs also serve as an excellent means of reducing aphid populations. A great place to find organic garden products is the site www.gardensalive.com.

If you are not able to grow your own organic fruits and vegetables, take advantage of Bucks County's wonderful U-Pick farms. For prices comparable (and often lower) than those found at the grocer's, you and your family can pick your own supply of apples, pears, strawberries, raspberries, peppers, corn, herbs, and more. An outing to a local farm allows kids to see where their food comes from, and provides adults with a pleasant afternoon outdoors.

If time is an issue, consider a visit to the local farmer's market. These stands are established by local farmers and often yield the freshest, most healthy produce money can buy. Our favorite places to shop for produce:

Delaware Valley College Farm Store 2100 Lower State Road Doylestown, PA 18901 Open daily; All proceeds benefit the college.

Doylestown Farmers Market State & Hamilton Streets Doylestown, PA 18901 Open Saturday mornings.

The extensive benefits of choosing organic fruits and vegetables over those grown with fertilizers and pesticides are just beginning to emerge. Take advantage of the rich horticultural environment that we live in and consider purchasing from a local organic supplier.

Chris Orser Landscaping, Inc. has consistently been providing high quality services to the Doylestown, PA and Bucks County areas for over 15 years. We are a complete design & build company. Chris Orser Landscaping, Inc. specializes in all areas of landscaping: design, brick and paver patios, walkways, retaining walls, ponds, waterfalls, pondless waterfalls, and other water features, plantings, lawn mowing, spring clean-ups, fall clean-ups, pruning, tree removal, fertilization, lawn aeration, pest control, snow plowing, de-icing, gutter cleaning, and firewood delivery.

Contact us at (215) 249-1236 http://www.orserlandscaping.com

We also carry Magic Salt, which is a highly effective deicing product that is environmentally friendly, leaves no white residue, and has a residual effect. These benefits lead to using less product, saving money and time for the contractor and homeowner. Visit http://www.magicsaltpa.com or call (215) 285-9161.