Starting and maintaining an organic garden requires a lot of patience, and an affinity for growing plants. The goal of this hobby is to grow pesticide-free and healthy food that you can enjoy. This particular hobby may not be as easy as it sounds. Continue on for some helpful advice that will have you horticulture like a pro.
When you’re out and about in the garden, particularly in the fall, keep an eye out for sink bugs. They thrive on fruits, citrus, peppers and various beans. If you do not check, they do a lot of damage to plants so try to get rid of them if you can.
If you want your garden to sport flowers in the spring as well as summer, plant bulbs. Not only are bulbs hearty and easy to grow, but they’ll continue to grow as time goes on. Different types of bulbs bloom at different times, so if you choose appropriately, you can have blooms from early spring to late summer.
Learn the best harvesting time for each kind of vegetable you plant. Each variety needs a slightly different amount of growing time to produce the most flavorful vegetable. For example, baby peas and zucchini taste best when they are picked young. On the contrary, tomatoes shouldn’t be picked from the vine until they are ripe as can be. Simply educate yourself on what the best time is to harvest each of your garden vegetables.
An eye-catching plant makes an attractive focal point for your garden or flowerbed. In a well designed garden you should have a focal point so that your eyes will stay there. Usually this is a big plant that is somewhat different from the other plants in the garden.
Vegetables tend to soften during the hottest part of the day, which means they are easily damaged, even when handled with care. See to it that you cut their connection to the vine as opposed to twisting them, because twisting could hurt the plant.
To make a creative English garden, include many different kinds of plants and vary their height in the same garden bed. By using plants which are all the same height your garden will appear flat and boring.
It is important to allow cuts to completely heal before you do any horticulture in order to protect the cut from exposure to dirt or chemicals. Cuts that are infiltrated by soil or other substances have the potential to breed serious infections. Bandages are available that will completely cover the cut so that this cannot happen.
Just as when outside, plants kept inside need varying degrees of sunlight, which can be harder to obtain from indoors. If you live in a home or apartment that does not get great sunlight you may want to consider growing plants that are designed to grow in low or medium-light environments. Using UV lamps is a great way to grow an organic garden anywhere.
To avoid tracking the mud and dirt that will get on your gardening shoes, use plastic bags. Doing this prevents lengthy work interruptions, and allows you to finish the job quickly.
Coffee Grounds
Coffee grounds work great mixed in with your soil. Coffee grounds are full of nitrogenous nutrients that growing plants need. Nitrogen, along with phosphorous and potassium, is an important nutrient in the garden. It contributes to healthy and strong growth of the plant, but don’t overuse it.
Use a laundry basket to help you collect produce from your garden. A laundry basket will act as a strainer for your produce. Rinse your produce while it lays in the basket; any excess water strains off through the laundry basket holes.
Use alcohol to help control the slugs in your garden by fashioning a beer trap. Take a glass jar and bury it so that the soil is even with its mouth. Pour beer into the container to within an inch of the jar lip. Slugs are attracted by the beer and won’t be able to exit the jar once they enter.
Water your plants appropriately for the climate. The amount of water you need to give your plants depends on soil type, quality of water and time of day. For instance, if you live in a humid climate where it never goes below 30 degrees Celsius, refrain from watering the leaves, as this will inevitably invite leaf fungus. Make sure you give the roots plenty of water.
Organic horticulture combines hard work, patience and nature. However, the tastiness of the produce you grow will be a reward in itself. If you follow these tips and put in a great effort, there is nothing stopping you from becoming a good organic gardener.