Organic gardening may be a major pain, or a joyous hobby. If you want to be a great organic gardener, follow these hints.
Make sure your soil is healthy enough before you start planting anything. Consider getting a soil analysis and working on enrichment techniques for giving your garden a vibrant and healthy environment. Cooperative Extension departments often offer this testing service. It is a worthwhile effort so a garden can be productive on the first year of planting.
Bulbs are a great option for people who want to enjoy spring and summer flowers. Bulbs are easy to grow and hearty, and they keep growing in years to come. If you choose your plants carefully, you could have flowers in blossom from the first weeks of spring to the end of the summer.
Don’t you hate it how fresh mint leaves take over all of your garden, even though you love them? Rein in their growth by planting the mint in a large pot or garden container instead. This container can be placed in the soil if you prefer the look of mint in your garden, and it will continue to contain the roots of your mint and prevent it from taking over.
Take a look at planting berry-producing evergreens in your yard. These types of trees can offer your garden a splash of color, especially during the winter when all other plants and trees have lost their hues. Other plants that boast of winter berries include: Holly, Snowberry and Winterberry.
Use cologne or other items with a distinct scent to keep your canine out of the landscaping. This can make scents that dogs are attracted to, and make your garden less interesting in general for pets.
During the hottest hours of each day, your vegetables become too soft, and even gentle harvesting will cause damage and bruising. Be certain that you cut picked vegetables straight off from the vine itself and not by twisting them off, because you don’t want to harm the plant.
If you can’t wait for a cut to heal before digging in the dirt, then at least protect your cuts from exposure. Open wounds can easily get infected while gardening because you’re exposing yourself to dirt, bacteria and germs. The key is to use bandages capable of covering cuts in their entirety.
One of the most important things to consider when plotting your garden is to make note of your available space. It’s common to not think about how much space a plant will need once it’s full grown, and you don’t want to crowd your garden. Proper spacing is important not just to accommodate the plants’ sizes but also for air circulation. Make sure that you map out your garden layout beforehand and place your seeds with an adequate amount of space in between each.
Do not let your gardening chores add up. No matter what your schedule is like, you should be able to fit in small things that will help you avoid having an overwhelming amount of work all at once. 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.
Change how much you water your plants with the changing of the seasons. You should also adjust your watering habits if the temperature or amount of rainfall changes dramatically. The amount of water you will need will vary according to your climate and even such factors as the part of day and soil type. For instance, if you are in a warm and humid climate, avoid getting any water on the leaves because this will cause leaf fungus. Rather, see to it that you water the root system well.
Rotate the plants that you grow each year by switching up where you plant them. Keeping plants that belong to the same family in the same place can eventually spark fungus growth and disease. These kind of enemies to plants can stay underground ready for the next year to cause harm to your plants. If you change things up by planting things in different places, you can naturally prevent fungus and disease from taking over.
A good tip for an organic garden with tomatoes, is to plant an additional set of tomatoes once three weeks have passed since you planted the original ones. This makes sure that you are not inundated with a huge tomato harvest all at one time. This will also prevent the entire harvest from spoiling if there are any problems.
When watering your garden, a soaker hose may be your best bet. The water seeps slowly out of these hoses and can be directed straight to the roots so that the leaves stay dry. This type of hose uses less water in comparison to a sprinkler and takes the time and work out of watering your plants by hand.
When preparing to plant a shrub or tree in your garden, consider digging a hole that looks ugly for planting them. If you see that the sides of the hole appear shiny, you’ve probably packed the dirt to tight, which can interfere with the roots.
Before planting anything in the organic garden, decide exactly what you want to grow. Different varieties of plants call for different environments and climates. Certain types of roses need a specific content of nutrients in the soil. When choosing varieties, take into account not only your climate region, but also the specific planting environment, such as full sun, in boggy soil, etc.
As this article stated, there’s quite a lot involved in successful organic gardening. Doing it successfully entails a good amount of patience and dedication, but achieving a productive organic garden is a worthwhile endeavor indeed. By using the tips and techniques found here, you can have a healthy, productive garden in no time.