Organic gardening is an activity that a lot of households want to do and think about, but never tackle. It can seem like a daunting task to learn all that it takes to have a successful garden the natural way. However, if you keep reading, you’ll find suggestions that can help simplify organic horticulture and even make it fun.
Shoveling clay is very difficult and lots of work because the clay is hard and sticks to the shovel, making it tough to handle. Simplify the process by putting a bit of wax onto the shovel. The clay won’t stick then. This will keep the soil from sticking, and prevent rusting of the tool.
Choose plant strains that will give you the best harvest with the biggest yield. Hybrids are usually hardier in terms of disease and weather resistance, and are designed to produce more.
Plant slug-proof perennials. Slugs and snails will quickly destroy your garden if you let them. Young plants with smooth and tender leaves are their favorite. There are perennials that slugs do not want to eat, the ones that they hate have hairy leaves, or are unappealing to their taste. A few great choices are achillea, campanula, and heuchera. Other options from which you can choose are hellebourus and euphorbia.
When winter arrives, you could save some plants by placing them inside your house. You may be able to save your most resistant or expensive plants. Be careful not to damage the root system as you dig up the plant, and place it in a pot.
Do not cut your grass too short. If you leave some of the grass when you mow, the roots grow further into the ground, which makes the grass less prone to drying and other hazards. Cutting your grass too short will cause it to dry out and turn brown in patches throughout your yard.
Before you start planting your garden, plan it out. Doing so means you can remember where each particular plant is when you start seeing sprouts arise from the earth. It’s also a good way to keep smaller plants from getting swallowed up by the rest of your garden.
Protect your delicate deciduous shrubs from harsh elements. If you have them in pots, you need to guard them from cold weather that will damage or kill them. Tie the tops of the canes together; then take a sheet and cover the wigwam loosely. Covering your foliage in plastic will let the air in – and may lead to decay.
All of your vegetable plants should have approximately two inches, just outside the stem, of organic mulch placed around them. Mulch will keep soil moist for longer. Mulch will help a lot in preventing weeds from growing. You will be able to save the time you would spend watering your plants and pulling out weeds.
Being a novice gardener, you should ensure that you follow the directions carefully for tool and chemical use. Some of the chemicals in these products can cause skin irritation, or worse, if you fail to take this simple precaution. Ensure that your body is protected by always following instructions.
Another way to help them grow is by watering them with the liquid that is left from cooking vegetables. To add acidity to the soil of your rhododendrons and gardenias, use coffee or tea grounds. Chamomile tea is a good remedy against fungus.
Choose a plant as a focal point. To create an attractive garden design, arrange a focal point to draw attention. More often than not, it is a plant that is distinctively different from its neighbors.
Spray old aftershave, perfume, or scented products around the grass of your garden to prevent your dog from entering it. By masking the smells he may be attracted to, he should take less interest in the garden plants.
Avoid damage from the sun by dressing correctly when you garden. Put on some sunglasses, sunscreen and a wide-brimmed hat. Protecting yourself from harmful UV rays means you are less likely to get sunburned or suffer skin cancer later in life.
A typical English garden combines various plants of differing heights in a single bed. If you use a combination of plants that grow to the same height, your garden bed will be uniform and dull looking.
Increase the worth of your investment. Improving your landscape is one of the best ways to get a high return from your house. Investing in plants can raise the value of your property by 20%, or sometimes even more. Be sure to choose plants that will thrive in your yard, taking into account soil and climate conditions.
Many organic gardeners get the best results from watering with a soaker hose. This will allow the water to seep slowly into the soil straight to the plant’s roots. Instead of hand watering the plants, which can be tiresome, go with a soaker hose that uses less water.
Healthy soil results in healthy plants capable of standing up to diseases and insects. You won’t be killing off large amounts of insects, but good practices can help avoid the damage they can cause.
You have likely heard about the positive benefits of a compost bin for your organic garden, but you may not have a clue what to put in a bin like this. It is usually made up of grass clippings, leaves, wood chips, organic waste, straws and twigs. This is an ideal substitute for commercially sold fertilizers.
Organic Horticulture
Hopefully this article has taken all of your apprehension about organic horticulture completely out of the equation. Use any combination of the above tips to improve your organic horticulture efforts and have a table laden with scrumptious, wholesome produce you harvested from your garden.