Many individuals prefer organic gardening, as they fear the possible long-term effects on their health as well as the environment from the many commercial pesticides and fertilizers that are used. There is also the fact that maintaining an organic garden is inexpensive. Here are some strategies to aid you in becoming a good organic gardener.
Digging in clay soil with a shovel can be very difficult. The clay isn’t easy to work with and will adhere to the shovel, which only makes the problem worse. Simplify the process by putting a bit of wax onto the shovel. The clay won’t stick then. The clay will no longer stick to the shovel, and this also helps to prevent other problems like rusting.
Start your seedlings in pots inside and then transplant them into your garden. Doing this will increase the survival rate of all your outdoor plants. It also helps you make your planting times more frequent. Your seedlings will be ready to be planted when you remove your old mature plants.
Slug-proof your garden with smart perennial choices. Slugs and snails are voracious eaters that can destroy a plant literally overnight. Snails and slugs like to eat perennials with smooth and thin leaves, especially if they are young plants. Some perennials are not preferred meals for snails and slugs, especially if their foliage is hairy and tough, or tastes bad. Excellent varieties include heuchera, achillea, euphorbia, campanula, and helleborus.
If you want flowers in spring and summer, plant bulbs in the garden. A hardy perennial addition to your garden, bulbs will continue to delight every year. Various bulbs do not all bloom at the same time, and if you employ this knowledge wisely, your garden can provide freshly blooming flowers for half the year.
If growing vegetables, make sure they are in a location in your garden where they will be exposed daily to at least six hours of the sun. Pretty much any vegetable you plant in your garden requires sunshine for this duration. It allows them to grow in the proper manner and also much faster. Some flowers also require direct sunlight for a portion of each day.
If your soil has a problem with high alkaline levels, mixing in some coffee grounds that have been used is a great solution. This is an easy and inexpensive solution to increase the acid content back into the soil. Improving the pH of your soil will make your vegetables and greens taste even better!
If you are looking for an all-natural, organic way to weed your garden, consider “boiling off” the weeds. The safest herbicide that you can probably find is a cup of boiling water. Carefully pour boiling water right on the weeds, but be careful not to pour it on the plants you want. The roots of the weeds are damaged by the boiling water which, in turn, inhibits further growth.
Always protect yourself from the sun when you are outdoors working in the garden; you can do this by wearing clothes that will shield you from the sun. Clothing should keep your skin covered, and don’t forget to wear a hat, sunglasses and sunscreen. Using the right protection from the harmful rays of the sun means less of a chance of you getting sunburn and skin cancer.
Your children will enjoy being involved with your organic gardening endeavors. Growing a garden offers a unique learning experience, and you and your child can grow closer while growing healthy food for your family.
Put an organic material, such as mulch two or three inches deep, in your flower beds. Mulching is the perfect way to lock in moisture, nourish soil, and to keep away weeds. Mulch also completes your garden, giving it a finished appearance.
When you run your personal organic garden, try ruffling seedlings using your hands or cardboard one or two times daily. This will make your plants grow faster and they will get bigger than they would have without this practice.
Organic gardening may sometimes require more effort than resorting to chemicals, but the payoff in the end is well worth the work. Even though the claims of the chemicals may be astounding, the organic way is always going to provide the best reward to you and whoever is eating your crops.
Over-watering your plants is not healthy because too much water may inhibit the roots from getting nutrients out of the soil. Check the weather forecast before you water any of your outdoor plants to see if rain is expected that day. If rain is in the forecast, it is best not to water that day.
If you’re planning on adding some tomatoes to your garden, try planting a new set of tomatoes exactly three weeks after you plant the first batch. The reason for this is because it helps to prevent the entire harvest from producing all at once. Also, if something goes wrong during one harvest, all your tomatoes won’t be ruined.
Once you start to actually apply what you learned from this article you can start growing a prosperous and healthy organic garden in your own back yard for the future. You will also see more animals in your garden, because organic gardens are more attuned to nature.