Starting and maintaining an organic garden requires a lot of patience, and an affinity for growing plants. When you enjoy this hobby, you often have a goal of growing healthier foods for your family to enjoy. It actually isn’t as hard as it sounds. Review the tips in this article and you’ll be on your way to creating a wonderful organic garden.
Starting a garden with the best soil is a great defense mechanism against pests. If your plants are healthy, they can more easily resist insects and disease. If you want to get the best plants, begin with a soil that has hardly any chemicals, and that will bring salts.
Split up the irises. The more you divide clusters of irises, the more your irises will multiply. When you see the foliage is definitely dead, lift up the bulbous irises. The bulbs will automatically split in you hand, and will likely flower the year after being replanted. Make use of a knife to split up rhizomes. Throw away the center after carefully cutting new sprouts from the exterior. Each piece should retain a minimum of one sturdy offshoot capable of spurting new growth. Replant your pieces right away.
Your vegetable plants need about two or three inches of mulch placed around them. The mulch will add beneficial moisture to your soil. It will also dramatically decrease weed growth. This will save you time, money, and effort in your lovely garden.
Take a look at planting berry-producing evergreens in your yard. These year-round berries will give the rest of your yard a much-needed pop of color, especially in the winter. A few examples that you could go with include the American Holly, the Winterberry, the American Cranberrybush, and the Common Snowberry.
Try pouring water leftover from steamed vegetables onto your potted plants. It contains rich nutrients that come from the vegetables. Some plants, such as gardenias, azaleas and rhododendrons need acidic soil for proper growth. Increase the acidity of your soil by adding coffee grounds and unused tea bags. If fungus is an issue, Chamomile tea sprinkled on the plant may be effective.
You don’t have to plant just for spring and summer. Consider what are often beautiful colors in the fall. That doesn’t have to be the case. Autumn is the most colorful season of all, foliage-wise. You can find beautiful maple and beech trees in many different fall colors. Shrubs such as barberry, cotoneaster and hydrangea all have gorgeous fall foliage.
Vegetables are softer when they are warmer, increasing the risk that you will damage them. Cut vegetables to remove them from vines rather than twisting and pulling them. Twisting vegetables off vines damages them.
Water infused with aspirin is great for combating plant disease. One and a half aspirin, dissolved in two gallons of water, can be a great addition to your plants. The solution can then be used to spray the entire plant, and will offer protection naturally. Plants should be sprayed once every two to three weeks.
Spacing is essential when planting an organic garden. When the garden is bare, it is sometimes hard to envision how much space a mature plant actually needs. Beyond just the physical space that the plants will need, you should also consider the airflow that the plants will require. Think ahead and give each plant room for expansion, by properly spacing the seeds.
You can kill weeds naturally. Use a lot of layers of newspaper in order to achieve weed control. Weeds need sunlight to grow. By placing newspaper over them, they will not get light and suffocate. Newsprint also breaks down well, incorporating itself into the compost. Covering the newspaper with mulch will help your garden to be more pleasing to the eye.
If you are starting your seedlings out in small containers, you should use a layer of potting soil that is three times as deep as the size of a single seed. Be aware that some seeds shouldn’t be covered, as they need sunlight. Some common examples include ageratum and petunias. If you are unsure about the specific needs of your seeds, you should consult your local garden center or conduct further research online. Important things to look for include water requirements, ideal soil type, and recommended sunlight exposure.
Create raised beds with stone, brick or untreated wood. Choose a wood that is resistant to rot and does not contain any chemicals. Some great choices to choose from are cedar, locust and cypress. Consider the chemicals that will leach out of the wood before choosing anything that has been treated. Remember the affect that such chemicals will have on your plants and soil. If you must use treated wood, consider using a liner to keep chemicals out of the soil.
Gardening organically is a rewarding hobby that incorporates nature, effort and patience. It makes use of empty land to produce something tasty and healthy. Being a competent organic gardener can be achieved by simply putting in some effort, and learning a few helpful tips.