Anyone can enjoy the relaxation and fruitful benefits of cultivating their own organic garden. Starting to garden can be intimidating at first. How should a novice gardener get started? Well, reading through the tips in this article is a start.
The handles on your gardening tools can be used as a convenient measuring instrument. Large handled tools like rakes, hoes or shovels may be used like measuring sticks. Lay the handles of said tools on the ground where it is flat and there is no interference, such as gravel, and stretch a measuring tape along one side. Mark your distances with a permanent marker. Now, the next time you do work in the garden, you’ll actually have a ruler at your fingertips.
Use climbers for covering fences and walls. Known commonly as climbers, these plants are very versatile, easy to grow, and they will quickly spread out to cover up walls and fences within a single season. You don’t have to worry about removing trees between the climbing plants and the fence, because the trees don’t present obstacles to the climbers’ growth. Some people use climbers as a natural “ceiling” to arbors. Some may need to be attached to a support, and others will attach themselves to any surface using their twining stems or tendrils. Trusted variations of climbers are honeysuckle, jasmine, clematis, wisteria and climbing roses.
Analyze the soil before you even get started with working in a garden. You can obtain a soil analysis for a nominal fee. Using that report, you can amend your soil as needed for a thriving garden. Ask about this service at a local university or the county Cooperative Extension office to improve the soil and insure fruitful crops.
Stink Bugs
If you’re planning on horticulture, carefully watch for stink bugs! You should be particularly careful during Autumn. Stink bugs are attracted to tomatoes, beans and most fruits. If you don’t treat them, they can do a lot of damage in your garden.
Come up with a gardening plan before planting anything. This will help you to remember where you planted the different plants when sprouts begin to shoot up from the ground. You are also less likely to lose smaller members of the larger garden in the overall mix.
Try dividing the irises. Try increasing your stock by dividing your overgrown clumps of plants. Lift bulbous irises when the foliage is dead. The bulbs will split up naturally in your hand, and when replanted, will often flower the next year. For plants with rhizomes, use a knife to divide them. Cut new outside pieces and dispose of the center. Every piece is suppose to have at least one durable offshoot. Replant your new rhizome pieces as soon as you have finished the cuttings.
If you are new to gardening, make sure you read and follow all the directions on any tool or chemical you use. If you fail to follow the directions, you expose yourself to safety hazards or a risk of experiencing adverse reactions. Always follow packaging directions to ensure your body’s safety.
Try placing evergreens that grow berries around your garden. They add color to your yard, throughout the year. Some examples include Holly, Snowberry trees, Winterberry and similar plants.
Familiarize yourself with the optimum harvesting time of your vegetables. Each type of vegetables has its own ideal time for picking for the best flavor. Peas, for instance, should be harvested rather young if you wish to obtain the best flavors and texture. The opposite is true of tomatoes. They taste their best if you allow them to ripen on the vine as long as possible. You should know the proper time to pick vegetables.
If you have a vegetable garden, it can be quite difficult to decide what to do about pest control. It’s likely you don’t want to spray pesticides around the vegetables you intend to eat. Staying on top of the problem will ensure that pests don’t take over your garden. If you happen to notice them early on, you can control them just by physically removing them from your plants with your hands.
Try pouring water leftover from steamed vegetables onto your potted plants. It contains rich nutrients that come from the vegetables. Tea and coffee grounds can be used to add acidity to your soil for plants like gardenias and rhododendrons. Chamomile tea is effective in combating a fungus problem within your garden.
Always completely protect any cuts, or wait until they are healed before attempting any gardening, as this can introduce dirt or chemicals into the wound. A cut will likely become infected if it is exposed to dirt when horticulture. Bandage all cuts completely, using bandages that cover and seal cuts.
Use approximately two or three inches of natural, organic material as some mulch in every single flower bed. This will help to inhibit weed growth, helps to lock in moisture, and adds needed nutrients to your organic garden. As an added bonus, a nice mulch can help make your garden look more finished.
Now that you have read this article, you know why organic gardening is such a fun activity. Gardening is not only a beautiful art but also a rewarding and relaxing way to spend your time. These tips will help you get your organic garden started.