Anyone can learn how to maintain an organic garden and enjoy it. Horticulture can be overwhelming for a beginner. How should a novice approach the learning experience of growing plants? Read this article, and follow the helpful advice.
Use climbers for covering fences and walls. Climbing plants are extremely versatile, helping to hide an ugly fence or wall, often within one growing season. You can also train climbers to cover arbors and other things that you want covered, and they will even grow right through trees and shrubs. Some must be tied onto a support, but a number of climbers attach to surfaces with twining stems or tendrils. Excellent varieties include honeysuckle, wisteria, jasmine, climbing roses and clematis.
A certain amount of CO2 is necessary for plants to maximize their growth potential. A major portion of plants grow their best in an environment with a saturated level of CO2. The best way to expose your plants to a high level of carbon dioxide is by growing them in a greenhouse. It’s very important to keep the CO2 levels high so your plants have the best possible growing conditions.
You can plant wheat grass or cat grass near the plants that the cat eats. It may also work to add citrus peelings or mothballs to the soil of the plants, because the odor is unpleasant to cats.
The best way to start a garden is from first principles: seeds. Not only is this more of an effective method for gardening, but it’s also more environmentally-friendly. It’s better for your garden, in particular, because transplants have high failure rates; whereas, sprouting a seed and growing a plant in the same conditions is better. Additionally, it’s better for the environment, because the plastic pots used by most greenhouses are generally not recycled and are cluttering landfills.
You can keep pests away from your garden by using other plants or natural materials. For example, planting a border consisting of marigolds or onions can repel slugs. If you place wood ash around the base portion of a shrub seedling or tree, you will ward off insect pests. With these natural methods, there is no need to purchase expensive, harsh pesticides.
Know the perfect time to harvest the vegetables in your garden. Different veggies have different windows of time in which they should be picked; it is during this period that the vegetable is most flavorful. Some vegetables, such as zucchini and baby peas, should be harvested when they are relatively young. Tomatoes, however, should be plucked from the vine the moment they appear ripe. So, learn about the ideal harvest time for your vegetables.
Pest Control
Pest control can become a major issue. While chemicals can help with pest control, you should avoid using overly harsh ones, as veggies you grow in your garden are meant for eating. The key to keeping garden pests at bay is to be relentless. Taking the pests off of the plants by hand is one of the best fixes if you are able to catch the infestation in its early stages.
Avoid using broad-spectrum pesticides in your garden. These strong pesticides are non-selective, killing beneficial insects as well as pests. Beneficial bugs are more sensitive to these pesticides than the bugs that are detrimental to plants, so if the good bugs are eliminated, the bad pest population may grow. In the end, you may resort to using even more pesticides in order to erase the problem.
Garden for fall colors. Fall, though, can still be an interesting time for trees. Autumn is the most colorful season of all, foliage-wise. Fall hues of orange, yellow and red can be seen falling from maple trees, and dogwoods and beech trees offer comparable spectacles. Shrubs such as cotoneaster, hydrangea, and barberry will also provide a splash of color in the fall.
A great way to ensure that your organic garden will do well is to keep a section of your land unspoiled. The natural wildlife will spring up and make for a perfect organic habitat. You will then find that the wildlife that can help you create a garden that can flourish become present; from birds to insects, they’ll be around your garden and help your produce grow better.
Prior to working in the garden, make sure any cuts on your hands heal completely, or shield any cuts from contact with chemicals and dirt. If an open wound is not protected while you are working in the garden, dirt and bacteria may cause the cut to become infected. It is possible now to get bandages that will completely seal the cut.
If you’re planning on horticulture inside, the first thing you should consider is an adequate light source. Ideally, these plants should be kept in a room that offers natural light from a window or glass door. If you cannot achieve success merely through plant selection, consider using artificial light sources.
In an organic garden, ruffle any seedlings with a piece of cardboard, or even your hand, a couple times each day. While this appears strange, research shows it can help plants grow larger, versus not petting them at all.
Ensure your soil is health by adding mulch. A thick layer of mulch offers protection to the soil underneath it. It protects the plant roots, keeping the ground cool on a hot summer day. By reducing the evaporation rate of your soil, you will not need to water as often. This also helps all the weeds you have stay under control, relieving stress from your shoulders.
These tips probably gave you some insight into how to enjoy organic horticulture. Horticulture is not only a beautiful art but also a rewarding and relaxing way to spend your time. Use these tips to see your garden flourish!