Organic Horticulture Advice That Everyone Should Know

TIP! When powdery mildew appears on your plants, you should not rush out to purchase a costly chemical treatment. Mix some baking soda and a very small amount of liquid soap into water.

There are many people who’d like to have their own organic garden, but not many take the time to actually create one. It can seem like a daunting task to learn all that it takes to have a successful garden the natural way. Peruse the following article to discover some very useful advice that will prepare you for success in this most enjoyable pastime of organic horticulture.

TIP! When winter arrives, transfer a few plants into the house for safe storage during the cold weather. Find out which plants will be able to thrive despite the transplanting and different indoor conditions.

A handy trick is to turn the handle on a tool that you use often into a makeshift ruler. Tools with long handles, such as a shovel or rake, are absolutely perfect for this job, and make your workload a little bit smaller. Place the handles on the floor to measure the distance between them. Use a permanent marker to label distances. When you decide to work in the garden again, you will now have a ruler at your disposal.

TIP! Be sure to do some weeding on a regular basis. Weeds can kill a precious garden.

Before actually putting plants into your garden, check the type and compostion of your soil. Soil analysis costs a little money, but the report can inform you how to enrich your soil and open the door to a lush garden. The cost of the analysis will be easily offset by the benefits of a healthy and vibrant crop.

TIP! If your garden includes vegetables, make sure you plant them in a location whether they are exposed to sunlight for a minimum of six hours each day. Most vegetables need at least that much sun for optimal growth speed.

Vegetables in a garden need to have at least six hours of sun every day in order to thrive. Most members of the vegetable family need this minimum of light for proper growth. Some flowers are especially sun-loving as well.

Coffee Grounds

TIP! Learn the proper way to handle chemicals, and the right way to use garden tools. If you ignore them, you can irritate your skin in most painful ways.

If you find that you have soil that has high amounts of alkaline, mix used coffee grounds throughout the soil. The coffee grounds are a very inexpensive way to add acid back into the dirt. This solution will make the vegetables you grow healthier and more flavorful.

TIP! Controlling pests can be quite challenging when trying to grow a healthy, hardy vegetable garden. Avoid spraying harsh chemicals on fruits and vegetables destined for your table.

A set of knee pads are a life saver if you’re an avid gardener and a lot of your plants sit close to the ground. Gardening is supposed to be relaxing and enjoyable; you don’t want to finish every gardening session with aching, throbbing knees. Pick up a good pair of horticulture knee pads to help cushion your knees.

TIP! Don’t use broad-spectrum pesticides for your garden. Broad-spectrum pesticides not only kill pests, but also “good” bugs like ground beetles that eat pests.

The best gardens will evolve from original seeds rather than transplanted items. When opening a garden, the most green method of beginning is from seed. Most nurseries use plastic containers to grow seedling. This plastic is seldom recycled, so most is dumped in landfills. Be kind to the environment and start your garden with seeds or purchase young plants from nurseries that use organic packaging materials.

TIP! Don’t count the fall season out. That doesn’t have to be the case.

Peas have a better chance of survival when their seeds are started indoors as opposed to outside, exposed to the elements. Pea seeds germinate better indoors. Your seedlings will be stronger, and this will mean they can withstand diseases and bug attacks. Once your seedlings are sturdy, you can then move them outside.

Follow Instructions

TIP! It is essential to keep your knees protected as you garden. Not everyone has the ability to remain standing in a bent position for an extended time.

It is particularly important for new gardeners to read and follow instructions that come with tools, as well as chemicals. Failure to follow instructions can be dangerous or painful. For example, some chemicals will irritate your skin if you don’t follow safety rules. Wear protective gear, and use the products as directed.

TIP! A rule of thumb for when you are planting seeds in containers is to make the hole depth around three times larger than the seed itself. It is important to note though, that not all seeds are covered to this depth, as some need direct sunlight to grow properly.

Invest in a kneeling stool, and a wheelbarrow to work in the garden. Gardening can be very tough on the knees as you spend much time leaning near the ground, so a portable stool can make all the difference to your comfort. Horticulture also usually requires that you transport heavy loads, such as dirt or mulch, and a wheelbarrow will make this much easier to do.

TIP! A useful technique for organic gardening, is to gently disturb your seedlings by using your fingers or a piece of cardboard one or two times daily. While it seems a little odd, it has been reported that this can encourage plant growth.

Avoid damage from the sun by dressing correctly when you garden. Wear sunscreen, wide-brimmed hats and sunglasses. Wearing sun protection will prevent your skin from burning and by extension will reduce your risk of developing skin cancer.

TIP! You should add mulch to your garden and flowerbed using at least three inches of organic material. Doing this will nourish the soil in your garden and improve its ability to retain moisture.

One way to create a great organic garden is to allow for a portion of your yard to be undeveloped for wildlife. You will then find that the wildlife that can help you create a garden that can flourish become present; from birds to insects, they’ll be around your garden and help your produce grow better.

Laundry Basket

TIP! If you are going to plant a shrub or a tree in your garden, dig an ugly hole for it to go in. If the shovel “glazes” any sides of the hole, leaving a smooth and compact surface, the roots may have trouble breaking through the soil in that area.

When it is harvest time, use a laundry basket. An old laundry basket makes an excellent strainer for cleaning your produce. The basket won’t be affected by the water and it will drain right off as though it were poured into a large sieve.

TIP! You should think about digging small trenches between rows of plants if you are planting an organic garden. This works to help water flow to the plants themselves, and it reduces the frequency with which you will need to water them yourself.

Want to kill weeds naturally? Pile newspapers on top of each other to kill weeds. Weeds require sunlight for growing. If you put a thick layer of newspaper on them, weeds will not be able to get light or air, and they will die! Newspapers easily break down over a period of time, and eventually become a portion of the compost. Try adding some mulch on top of it to make appear more attractive.

TIP! Chicken tractors are a great, natural way to fertilize your garden area without having to use harmful chemicals. This is basically a chicken coop that moves, with sheltered area and open floor.

Reading these tips probably cleared up some of the questions you had about organic gardening. Hopefully, it made organic gardening seem less intimidating. Put this information to work for you in your organic garden and soon your kitchen will have an abundance of fresh, all natural and delicious produce.