People who start doing organic gardening do so because they don't like toxic effects of pesticides and fertilizers. Additionally, most organic gardening techniques cost very little money. Read on for some advice about how to work in your organic garden.
Organic material that is a minimum of three inches deep should be used as mulch within your garden. The mulch retains moisture, enriches the soil, and prevents weeds from growing. Mulch also makes your garden appear neat and well cared for.
A shady area makes a beautiful organic garden. These gardens are low maintenance, which is very appealing to people. They require less watering too, so they save a lot of time and work. This means the garden will grow slower. However, weeds will be fewer as well.
Make gardening efficient. Don't spend 30 minutes searching for a tool. Before you start work in the garden, make sure you have the necessary tools, and always remember to put them away when you are finished. You can keep your garden tools in a tool belt, or in your pockets. Another good idea is to keep them all in a bucket that you carry around with you.
Make sure you actually take a look under the surface of the dirt at the roots of your plants before you transplant anything into your garden. If you're buying some tomato seedlings to use in your garden, keep a look out for starts that are lush and green, but have poor root systems. These kind of starts stay on these seedlings for weeks at a time; this doesn't allow the seedling to grow unless the starts are gone.
A raised bed can be built with untreated wood, brick or stone. For best results, you should only use wood that has not been treated with chemicals or protective coating. The best varieties include cedar, locust and cypress wood. In order to avoid toxic substances from getting into the ground and perhaps into your vegetables, avoid using treated wood to enclose or demarcate different sections of your vegetable garden. If the ground cover you've used already contained treated lumber, line it with a barrier of some form.
To make the most of your time in the garden, you should store all of your tools and implements in a close, accessible location. You can make use of a bucket, or wear pants that have plenty of pockets. Have gloves, shears, a trowel and anything else you need handy for quick use.
A good thing to know when it comes to your organic garden, and running it, is to, a couple times a day, lightly ruffle the seedlings with cardboard or your hand. While it might sound strange, research has shown that this method can increase the size of your plants.
Young children will love it if you plant strawberries that bear continually, and organic gardens are the perfect place to do it. For kids, there are few things as fun as picking fruit fresh from the garden. Your children will be much more interesting in helping out if they know they'll get to enjoy some tasty strawberries.
Plants are bound to be healthier if placed in healthier soil, therefore they will be able to avoid diseases as well as damage that can be caused by insects. Although insects will likely still remain, they won't have the ability to cause great damage to the plants.
Mulch your garden rather heavily. Remember, the mulch will compact and break down over time. Mulch adds nutrients to your soil, prohibits water evaporation, inhibits weeds and creates a finished look to your flower or gardening beds.
Be sure to save your rainwater! Trap rainwater in rain barrels, buckets or anything else that you have to use to water your garden. This will save you a lot of money in water bills. Rainwater is abundant and free. The natural beneficial relationship between plants and rainwater is also worth noting.
Don't let your organic gardening tasks stack up for very long. If your busy life prevents you from tending your garden every day, do small tasks to avoid having so much work when you do have some time. For example, snatch out a weed or two whenever you pass by the garden, such as when you take your dog out for a potty break.
Make you garden diverse. Packing your garden with multiple species and varieties helps ensure you attract wildlife. Try planting many different groups of plants in the garden so you are able to recreate a more natural environment. If you do this, you can create a naturally relaxing atmosphere, and have satisfaction from helping the environment yourself.
You should rotate your garden every year. Planting your garden in the same area every year will allow fungus to grow there as well. Fungus and disease may stay in the soil and then affect your plants the next growing season. If you mix things up, by planting in different spots, you will have enlisted a natural method of keeping fungus and diseases at bay.
To keep your houseplants happy during the day, your thermostat should be set anywhere between 65 and 75 degrees. They need this type of warm temperature in order to grow. If you don't like keeping your home that temperature in the winter, you may wish to consider getting a heat lamp, instead, to keep your organic plants the correct temperature.
Place trees in locations around your house so they are in the perfect place for shade. You can create natural shading for your home and save on your energy bills.
A mixture of aspirin and water can protect your plants from common diseases. Your plants can benefit from a solution you can make by dissolving one and one-half aspirins into a couple of gallons of water. Spray the plants with the aspirin solution to help your plants fight disease. Use this solution once in every three-week period.
Weeds are the bane of any garden's existence. This organic weed killer is safer for the environment and you and your family.
You can keep bugs out of your organic garden by planting garlic in different areas. The smell of garlic will deter insects from inhabiting your garden. Garlic should be planted around the perimeter of your garden, as well as near any plants that are known to attract insects. Garlic shouldn't, of course, be considered only useful for pest control. It is actually a valuable culinary addition to your garden.
Planting organic strawberries is a great way to encourage your children to get involved. Kids are quite eager to pick fruit from a garden, and will help with the planting if they get a nice snack out of it at the end.
Now, you shouldn't get your hopes up and believe that a few tips are going to turn you into an instant professional gardener. However, these tips are a great starting point if you do plan to grow organically. As you implement these tips and hone your skills, you'll be a professional green-thumb-holder in no time
No comments:
Post a Comment