Organic foods are basically foods that are grown without any chemicals or pesticides added, and that are grown only with substances found in nature. These foods are very popular with men and women who want to eat healthfully or support the environment in general. Public interest in organic food has grown in recent years, going from the shelves at GNC to the shelves of many public supermarkets — and now, to your garden.

The interest in organic foods has grown since NBC stated that every year, 9,000 people die of food-related illnesses in the US alone. Since then, the organic food industry has grown tremendously, now selling $10 billion worth of natural foods each year.

Interested in your own organic garden? Here's how to get started:

• For eventual use as fertilizer and mulch, make your own compost pile for recycling dead plant material, including that from your kitchen. (Do not use material from diseased or pest-infested plants.)
• Use natural fertilizers instead of ones made of manufactured chemicals.
• Instead of using chemicals to defend your plants, use other gardening techniques to prevent your plant from getting diseases or pests. Ask us for organic tips to keep your plants growing healthy.
• Instead of using weed killer, use a weed-pulling tool to pull the weeds. Use thick mulch to help keep weeds down.

We have an extensive line of organic products to help you. Come and see us!

Why they appear and how to take care of them.

Yellowing leaves are a common sight on plants. They can be caused by a multitude of different problems which affect the production of chlorophyll, such as a pH imbalance in soil, hard tap water, toxic gas such as that from a stove, weed-killing chemicals, plant pests, an unhealthy amount of sunlight or water ("water stress"), or simply aging.

Some things to look for, outside of obvious things... like a broken limb:

• Where you are in the growing season: If the leaves are growing old and turn yellow, this is usually not a sign of a plant problem. This only means the leaves are done growing and new leaves will grow in soon.

• The pH level of your soil:  If the pH level is more than 7.0, the plant most likely cannot take in iron, which is necessary in the process of photosynthesis. If the pH level is too low, the plant may not be able to take in magnesium. A high lime level in your water can cause soil to become too high in pH. We carry an excellent line of potting soils with proper pH for your plant, as well as soil-balancing amendments.

• The placement of your plant:  If the plant receives too much or too little sunlight, the process of photosynthesis will malfunction and cause a loss in the green color of the leaves. Or if you have your plant near a stove with a gas range, this could be dangerous to the plant.

• Soil moisture: Most gardeners recommend that when you water a plant, the soil should feel cool and moist to the touch without dampening your finger. Over-watering can rob the soil of oxygen and leach out nutrients; under-watering can damage the plant by impairing the distribution of nutrients and causing cell damage.

• Nutrients:  Nutrient deficiency can cause yellowing. However, too much fertilizer can also cause leaf yellowing from salt damage. If you have been fertilizing heavily, cut back and see if that helps. If you haven't been fertilizing much at all, try fertilizing a bit more. Using the wrong fertilizer can also cause problems. Ask us which type of fertilizer is best for your plant.

• Pests: They're reasonably easy to spot and we have pest-control methods available to get rid of them. Ask us which will do the best job for your pest problem.