There are many different reasons why one would might prefer organic horticulture methods over more traditional approaches. Some of the most popular reasons include concerns about chemicals, health problems and the environment. Organic horticulture is a very cost-efficient way to grow fruits and vegetables. Here are some strategies to aid you in becoming a good organic gardener.
Choose the varieties of plants that will produce a higher yield. Hybrids are usually hardier in terms of disease and weather resistance, and are designed to produce more.
Start your plants in containers before transferring them to the garden. This boosts the chance that the plants can survive to adulthood. It also helps you make your planting times more frequent. Once you’ve removed the previous group of plants, your seedlings can go into the ground.
Choose perennials that won’t be taken out by slugs. It is alarming to see how quickly slugs, and their cousin snails, can annihilate a plant. Certain perennials that don’t have tough leaves are especially tasty to snails and slugs. There are some perennials that do not appeal to slugs, such as those with leaves that are hairy and tough with a bad taste. Some varieties of these plants are campanula, helleborus, heuchera, or euphorbia.
Healthy Plants
Keeping your garden soil rich and healthy is the best way to discourage garden pests. Healthy plants can better ward off pests and diseases. To increase your garden’s likelihood of producing strong and healthy plants, use high-quality soil containing minuscule amounts of chemicals, which will eventually collect salts.
Use both biennials and annuals to add color to your flower bed. The annuals and biennials are usually fast growing because they only last one season, and this will let you change the garden every season for a nice change of pace. Use these beautiful flowers to line your driveway, surround trees and shrubs, and for decorative hanging baskets. Notable collections include sunflower, marigold, hollyhock, rudbeckia, cosmos, and petunia.
Carbon Dioxide
All plants need an adequate supply of carbon dioxide in order to thrive. In general, higher amounts of CO2 are related to better plant growth. Greenhouses typically provide plants with high levels of CO2. When it is exposed to high carbon dioxide levels, a plant has the best growing condition possible.
Bulbs planted in the spring can flower all the way into summer. Bulbs are easy to grow and hearty, and they keep growing in years to come. You can select bulbs that bloom at many different times, so with a little work, you could have flowers popping up all the way from the start of spring to the end of summer.
Always have a plan for the garden prior to the start of planting it. This will help you to remember where you planted the different plants when sprouts begin to shoot up from the ground. In addition, some plants are so small you might forget you planted them once all your plants sprout. Planning stops these plants from getting lost in the crowd.
Mint leaves are wonderful, but don’t you despise how quickly they can take over a garden due to rapid growth? Rein their growth; you can do this simply by planting mint inside a larger garden container or pot. If you would like, go ahead and plant the container and the plant right in the ground to prevent root overtake.
Look for evergreen variants that produce berries. These help to give your garden nice looking color, even during winter when most vegetation is colorless. Other plants that boast of winter berries include: Holly, Snowberry and Winterberry.
Be smart when you water your garden. Put down the watering can or garden hose, and spread out a time-saving soaker hose instead. Keeping the water pressure low on your soaking hose will help avoid harm to tender plants. Let your soaker hose run for a few hours while you do other things.
You’ll save time and energy if you keep tools nearby while working in your garden. Carry a large bucket with you or wear pants with a lot of pockets. You should always have your gloves, pruning shears and a trowel close to you.
Pine Needles
Pine can make surprisingly great mulch. Some plants need acidic soil to grow properly, because of their own acid content. If this is the case, use pine needles to mulch your beds. Simply add a layer of pine needles a couple of inches deep to the plant beds. The needles will decompose over time and provide the soil with acidity.
Killing weeds the natural way? You can place newspaper in several layers, and it will help control your weeds. In order to grow, weeds need sunlight. If you place sheets of newspaper over the weeds, they will die due to a lack of sunlight. The paper will break down quickly and cleanly, adding to your compost. Of course, you may wish to cover the paper with mulch to make it appear more attractive.
Start using these tips to grow your own organic food and help preserve the environment. Planting a natural garden also encourages wildlife to enjoy your garden, and this even benefits the plants growing within.