As gardeners, farmers, and growers, we plant seeds for many reasons. Maybe we’re interested in growing the healthiest food possible, getting in touch with nature, or taking part in a more sustainable food system. Whatever the case, most of us care about how our produce is grown whether that’s vegetables from our own gardens, berries from the local farmer’s market, or seeds from the catalog. One quality we may look for is the organic label, but what does that actually mean for our produce and gardens?

In this post, we’ll talk about what organic means and answer some of the most common questions we get about growing organically. 

What does an organic mean?

In the United States, organic is a regulated certification. To label products organic, growers and must comply with practices listed in the National Organic Standard that was created by the U.S. Department of Agriculture as part of the Organic Foods Protection Act of 1990. 

Organic standards are designed to promote soil and environmental health by promoting practices like crop rotation and biological pest control. They also prohibit things like synthetic pesticides, synthetic fertilizers, GMOs, sewage sludge, antibiotics, and hormones.

The exact standards can vary by type of product. For example, meat, dairy and eggs must be raised without growth hormones to be certified organic and certified organic grain must be produced with natural fertilizers.

It can also affect land selection. Growers must use land that has been free from prohibited substances for at least 3 years.

You can find the full set of standards on the USDA website.

Should my farm get an organic certification?

Growing organically can improve your farm or garden’s soil health, protect water quality, help conserve nature, and support healthy communities. You don’t need a certification to do any of those things. You can follow organic standards on your farm or in your garden with no certification. 

However, organic certification offers significant benefits to market gardeners. Having an organic certification and organic labels can allow farms to sell their products at higher prices, break into new markets, and build consumer trust. An organic certification can also allow a farm to access certain government programs for technical and financial assistance.

Growers have to weigh the pros and cons before seeking organic certification. Depending on the size of your operation, organic certification can cost anywhere from $750 to $3000+ annually for small and mid-sized farms. Sometimes, an organic label can help growers sell more food or demand higher prices. However, in many rural areas, where small-scale operations are well known and already trusted, a certification may do little to affect demand and may not be worth the cost. 

Is anyone exempt from certification?

Some small farms that gross less than $5000 per year may be exempt from organic certification. To see if your small farm qualifies, reach out to your local certifying agency.

Why aren’t all of your seeds organic?

As of 2025, about 71% of our varieties are certified organic. This percentage has been increasing slowly over time. We’re carrying more organic seed all the time, but there are many varieties that we just can’t get organically right now. Certified organic varieties are marked with the green “OG” symbol. Since certified organic farmers must plant certified organic seeds when available, we prioritize offering USDA certified organic seed for varieties that are particularly well-suited to market gardeners.

Several of our growers are using organic practices without getting the certification. As of our 2025 catalog, this is about 14% of our varieties. Usually these are small farmers who don’t feel it’s worth their time and money to be certified. In these cases, we use the green “e” symbol to note varieties that they’ve grown. Some of these Eco folks have an alternative certification through Certified Naturally Grown, which is not an organic certification, but uses roughly the same criteria.

Can hybrid seeds be organic?

Yes, hybrid seeds are the first-generation cross between two open-pollinated parents. These crosses have what we call “hybrid vigor” and a tendency to produce uniform crops, making them a popular choice for market gardeners. Hybrid seeds produced on organic farms may be certified organic. 

Note that hybrids are not reliable for seed saving. Seeds from hybrid crops rarely grow vegetables that are “true to type” the following year. Meaning they may not look like what you originally planted. They can revert to looking like a parent crop or produce something new. We don’t offer hybrids, except for two varieties of sweet corn, because our focus is on preserving open-pollinated varieties and protecting farmers and gardeners’ right to save seed.

Can GMO seeds be organic?

No, GMO seeds and crops are prohibited under the organic certification. We don’t carry any GMO seeds at Southern Exposure Seed Exchange. Most conventionally grown seeds aren’t GMO either. Currently, the vast majority of vegetable crops are not GMO.

Can I get organic garden amendments?

Yes, there are many organic amendments and garden supplies available, from potting soil and compost to natural fertilizers like kelp meal and natural pesticides like neem oil. To find organic amendments, look for those with the Organic Materials Review Institute (OMRI) label.

Are there other certifications?

Yes, there are many other certifications that farms and companies can get for their food and other products that may affect how they’re grown. For example, some farms may choose to pursue bee-friendly farming, regenerative farming, fair trade, or B Corp certifications. 

However, it’s important to know that plenty of companies will use phrases and buzzwords to help sell their product that don’t mean anything like “natural,” “eco-friendly,” “ethically sourced,” or “sustainable.”

When you see a certification or phrase listed on something you’re purchasing, do a bit of research to make sure it actually carries weight. Good certification programs should have third-party oversight and transparent practices. 

Small gardens don’t have to mean small harvests! It can be tempting to make your garden as large as possible and buy all of the seeds, but it’s easy to stretch ourselves too thin. It’s easy to get overwhelmed with all the weeding, watering, harvesting, and preserving for a large garden. A well-tended small garden will out-produce a large, poorly maintained garden. So whether you are short on space or short on time, there are still methods you can use to produce a big harvest. 

Here are some good options for small garden layouts and a few tips for making the most of your space. 

Small Garden Layouts

All small gardens are different, and there are no concrete rules. To create a layout that works for you, you’ll need to consider your space, your family’s tastes, and what vegetables perform best in your climate. 

For these layouts, I’ve focused on some of our most popular vegetable crops like peppers, tomatoes, cucumbers, pole beans, carrots, sweet corn, lettuce, and summer squash. However, you can swap these out for other crops like okra, beets, asparagus beans, sage, peanuts, or sweet potatoes.

You can get incredible production from six raised beds (four feet by twelve feet). This layout features an early-summer option. The collards may have already replaced a cool-season crop like lettuce, and the sweet corn could have been planted where snow peas were previously grown.

A couple of smaller raised beds (two feet by eight feet) can still provide an abundance. Focus on your favorites for a garden like this and work with smaller varieties of crops like peppers and tomatoes when possible to make the most of the space. Using trellises for crops like cucumbers and pole beans will help prevent them from spilling into the paths.

Round or oddly shaped gardens are a fun, whimsical option and can help your vegetable patch match the decorative features in a small backyard. As the summer continues, the cool-season crops in this bed like lettuce, broccoli, kale, and radishes can be harvested and replaced with heat-tolerant options like eggplant, cowpeas, sweet potatoes, oregano, or Swiss chard. 

Designing Permanent Beds in a Small Garden

In small spaces, permanent beds are often a good option. They reduce compaction, improve drainage, and help you build healthy soil. They’re also easy to design and accessible. I like to leave 2 foot wide paths around the exterior of my beds so I can easily move a wheelbarrow and other tools down the pathway. I also make beds a maximum of 4 feet wide so I can reach across them for weeding, planting, and harvesting, but you can decide what works best for you.

Raised Beds Versus Traditional Beds

These days, many folks are opting for raised beds, and they have a lot of benefits. Raised beds give you good soil right from the beginning. They also drain well, warm up quickly in spring, are easy to manage, and may be more accessible for some folks. 

However, raised beds have a few downsides. They dry out more quickly, especially in hot climates. They can also be costly to build and may require maintenance or replacement over time. Also, they’re tough to move, so if you decide to change your layout, it may involve quite a bit of work. There’s no one size fits all; you’ll have to decide which works best for your space.

Learn more about the Pros and Cons of Raised Beds.

The Best Crops for Small Gardens

There’s no real perfect crops for small gardens. You should aim to grow what you enjoy, so that you’ll make the most of it. However, crops that are short-season and can be planted in successions like radishes, or produce over a long period, like cherry tomatoes, will help you get the most produce from your square footage. You also want to consider each crop’s growth habit. Can it be neatly trellised to save space? Does it take up tons of room for the produce you get? Can you grow it in a container?

Here are a few of our favorite varieties for small gardens, but feel free to experiment:

• Aunt Bea’s Pole Snap Bean
• Early Jersey Wakefield Cabbage
• Chantenay Red Core Carrots
• Ashworth Sweet Corn
• Marketmore 76 Cucumber
• Spacemaster Cucumber
• Arugula (Roquette)
• Champion Collards
• Vates Collards
• Premier Kale
• Salad Bowl Looseleaf Lettuce
• Red Malabar Summer Spinach
• Tom Thumb Bibb (Butterhead) Lettuce
• Wild Garden Lettuce Mix
• Deep Purple Bunching Onion
• Evergreen Hardy White Bunching Onion
• Sugar Ann Dwarf Snap Pea
• Ashe County Pimento Sweet Pepper
• Doe Hill Golden Bell Sweet Pepper
• Jalapeño Hot Pepper
• Seminole Pumpkin
• Cherry Belle Radishes
• Zipper Cream Southern Pea (Cowpea)
• Early White Bush Scallop Summer Squash
• Black Cherry Tomato
• Yellow Bell Paste Tomato
• Glacier Tomato

Sneak in Crops Wherever and Whenever Possible

One of the key ways you can make the most of your space is to sneak in crops wherever possible. I like to tuck onions in between grids of cabbages, sow some small patches of spring radishes between squash before it gets too big, and under-sow snap peas with Malabar spinach. The onions make use of the gaps between the cabbages, the radishes are ready to pull long before the squash takes over the bed, and the heat-loving Malabar spinach takes off as the peas begin to die back.

Succession Planting

You can also add crops in by succession planting. In a small garden, you want to always be harvesting something. When lettuce bolts, pull it immediately and sow a warm season crop like green beans or zucchini. If Downey mildew takes your cucumbers, pull them and sow some pole beans. When your summer squash plants begin to fail, sow carrots or beets for a fall harvest.

The Risks of Tight Spacing

Many gardeners with little spaces forgo traditional spacing guidelines and opt for tighter spaces. For many small gardeners, this works because they can provide extra nutrients, water, and attention to make up for a bit of crowding. 

However, sometimes crops need the space. Proper spacing between crops like tomatoes, summer squash, and cucumbers allows good air circulation, helping to prevent diseases like Downey mildew and late blight. Overcrowding can also lead to poor production. Some crops, like broccoli, may produce smaller heads, while beets may produce smaller roots.

Learn more about 5 Ways to Increase Your Harvest in a Small Space. This article includes advice on season extension for small gardens, growing vertically, succession planting, soil health, and record keeping.

Peas are a sweet, cool-weather treat from the garden. They’re often listed as easy to grow, but in the Southeast, where the weather is often hot, they can be tricky. If you’re new to gardening, or have struggled to get a good pea harvest, here’s everything you need to know to select peas, grow and care for them, and have a successful harvest.

What are the Different Kinds of Peas?

There are a few different types of peas. For this article, we’re focusing on cool-weather edible peas that are cultivars of the Pisa sativum species. These include snow peas, snap peas, English or shelling peas. 

Snow Peas

Snow peas have thin, tender shells and are ready for harvest when the pod is large and flat with tiny immature seeds. Typically, folks enjoy them whole, often in Asian dishes.

Snap Peas

Similarly, snap peas have tender shells and are usually eaten whole. Unlike snow peas, snap peas are harvested when they’re plump and full. Both the peas and the shell are crisp, tender and sweet. They’re great for eating raw or in stir-fries and other dishes.

Shelling Peas

Shelling or English peas have plump, sweet peas but tough, inedible pods.

A Note on Other Types of Peas

You may also find a few other peas listed on our website, including sweet peas, Austrian winter peas, and cowpeas.

Austrian Winter Peas

Austrian winter peas are also a cultivar of the Pisa sativum species. Like the other peas mentioned above, they’re edible. Austrian winter peas aren’t particularly productive for making pods, but the shoots and tendrils that make tasty salads. In much of the southeast, these peas will overwinter. They’re an excellent winter cover crop or salad green.

Sweet Peas

Sweet peas are from a different species, Lathyrus odoratus. They vine like other peas and offer stunning, beautifully-scented, early flowers. However, sweet peas are toxic. Never consume sweet peas.

Southern Peas (Cowpeas, Field Peas)

Southern peas are also called cowpeas, field peas, crowder peas, and black-eyed peas. They’re cultivars of the Vigna unguiculata species. Whatever you call them; they’re an old southern favorite thanks to their incredible production in hot climates. Unlike the peas we’re focused on, southern peas don’t thrive in spring’s cool temperatures.

Preparing a Bed

Peas thrive in soil with a pH between 6.0 to 6.8. For production, you want well-drained soil that’s rich in phosphorus and potassium. Peas are sensitive to excess nitrogen. Heavy nitrogen in peas will cause them to put on excessive foliar growth at the expense of pod production. Thankfully, they make some of their own and, like other legumes, are considered “nitrogen fixers.”

When to Grow Peas

Young pea seedlings are quite tolerant of frost and cold weather. Direct sow peas as soon as your soil can be worked in the spring. They germinate well when soil temperatures are above 40°F.

Snap pea seeds are high in sugar, so they may rot before germinating when the soil is cold. To avoid this, we recommend pre-sprouting snap pea seeds for early-season plantings in cold soil.

You can also fall sow peas, but this can be trickier. Especially here in the Mid-Atlantic, we find that by the time it cools down enough to sow peas, it’s too late for much production. We get killing freezes before most peas will mature. Unlike the young plants, the pods are susceptible to freezing.

Sowing & Growing Peas

Peas benefit from some type of support, particularly the tall varieties. Use fencing, netting, stakes, or well-branched brush driven into the ground to create a trellis.

Sow seed 1 inch deep, 1/2-1 inches apart in double rows 4 inches apart. Thin to 2 inches apart. Plant single or double rows 2 feet apart for dwarf varieties and 2-1/2 to 3 feet apart for tall varieties.

Typically, the soil is wet enough in spring that water isn’t an issue. However, if the soil is dry in spring or you’re fall planting, keep the soil consistently moist.

Peas benefit from keeping up with the weeds. However, they have shallow roots, so you should avoid cultivating near the base of the plants.

Pea Diseases

Peas are susceptible to a couple of diseases, including pea root rot (Fusarium sp. or Aphanomyces euteiches), which will cause yellowing and leaf die-back starting near the base. They are also susceptible to powdery mildew, which will cause white mold-like spots on the leaves, stems, and pods, particularly in hot weather. If disease is a problem, use resistant varieties and follow a 5-year rotation.

Harvesting Peas

Peas produce more when you harvest regularly. In the height of the season, you may need to check every or every other day. Harvest the pods as soon as they reach maturity. Allowing them to over-ripen can signal the plant to stop producing. 

Peas harvested in the cool morning will be crisper. The sugar in peas converts to starch soon after harvest, so to keep the sweet flavor, use or process within two hours.

Saving Pea Seed

It’s super easy to save seed from open-pollinated pea varieties! Let the pods mature on the vine until they are brown and dry. You can shell your seeds by hand, or thresh and winnow them. 

Placing the whole, dry vines into a pillowcase and beating it against the ground works well to dislodge the seeds. Then you can use a couple of buckets and a box fan to winnow out unwanted plant material. Pour a bucket of material into another bucket sitting in front of the running fan. The heavy seeds will drop into the bucket while the light plant material will blow away. Repeat as needed. Store seeds properly to ensure they last for several years.

If you’re growing multiple pea varieties, remember that they can cross. Isolate varieties by a minimum of 50 feet for home use. For pure seed isolate by 150 feet.