Organic gardening is something you may want to do but never go through with. Some may feel overwhelmed by all that needs to be done in order to create an organic garden. You can use the information in this article to learn how to garden with ease, and you may actually find yourself enjoying it.
Transform your gardening tool handles into clever measurement rulers. Tools with substantial handles, like rakes, hoes and large shovels are great for taking measurements. Put the handles down and measure them with a measuring tape. Label the distances using a permanent marker. Now, the next time you’re down in the garden, you’ll have a handy ruler without needing to look anywhere else.
Baking Soda
You don’t need a costly chemical solution to deal with powdery mildew in your garden. Plain water with a bit of liquid soap and baking soda will do the trick. Spray this mix on your plants every week and the mildew should go away. Baking soda treats the mildew effectively and gently and it won’t damage your plants.
Before actually putting plants into your garden, check the type and compostion of your soil. Many nurseries offer a soil analysis service, which will tell you what nutrients your soil is lacking and what you can do about it. It is worth having this information so that crops do not get ruined. Most Cooperative Extension offices provide this service.
If you would like to have flowers in your garden that last through the spring and summer seasons, plant bulbs. Most people have no trouble successfully growing bulbs, and their flowers will return each and every year. Find out which flowers will bloom when and then plant a variety, so that you can have fresh blooms all the way through the spring and summer!
When it’s autumn, it’s time to start planting all of your fall edibles. A pumpkin makes a great container, and costs less than a clay pot. Use some Wilt-Pruf to prevent your pumpkin from decomposing and then you can put your plants right inside. After that, your pumpkin planter is ready to use!
Soak seeds overnight, preferably in a cool, dark place. Soak the seeds by placing them in a container where they are covered with water. This hydrates your seeds and jump-starts their growth. This increases the chances of survival for the seeds.
Knee Pads
If your landscape includes low-growing plants, you should invest in a set of knee pads specifically designed for gardening. Gardening is supposed to be relaxing and enjoyable; you don’t want to finish every horticulture session with aching, throbbing knees. Knee pads offer your knees the extra cushioning they need to stay comfortable during extended periods in the garden.
You don’t want to pick vegetables during the day when it is hot, as that is when they are prone to damage due to them being softer. Also ensure that you use a tool to cut the vegetables off at the vine. If you just yank or twist the whole plant, it may become damaged.
A good tip to help your plants stay healthy and fight diseases is to use aspirin water. Dissolve three aspirin in four gallons of water. You can just spray this on them to fight disease. Plants should be sprayed once every two to three weeks.
You must consider how much light is available when starting your plants indoors. If you are living in a place that does not have a lot of natural sunlight, think about cultivating plants that do well in lower lighting situations. If you still are unable to get enough light to your plants, consider purchasing grow-lights.
Make gardening efficient. Have your tools laid out in an orderly way so you do not have to search for them. Prepare all the tools you need before you go out to work on your garden, and put them away nicely when you are done. Wear pants with several pockets or use a tool belt.
Pine is a mulch that is great. Many types of plants thrive in soil that has high acid levels. If you have these plants in your garden, keep them healthy by using pine needles as mulch. Go ahead and cover the beds you have with needles a couple of inches and while they decompose, they actually disperse some acid into the soil.
If you are planting seeds in containers, a good rule of thumb is that the seed’s depth should be around three times its overall size. However, you should be aware that certain seeds should not be covered at all because they are required to be in the sunlight. Some examples are petunias and ageratum. If you are unsure if your seeds should be covered, refer to the seed packet, or if that is not available, look for information online.
Organic Garden
By keeping in mind all that you learned from this article, you can grow your own organic garden with confidence. It is relatively easy to have an organic garden, that you can show off with pride. Soon you can have fresh, environmentally-friendly fruits and vegetables on your table.