In the world of organic horticulture, there are plenty of great resources available to both new and experienced organic gardeners alike. There are many e-guides, books, videos, and other resources available. This set of tips contains some of the best advice for helping a good organic gardener become a great organic gardener.
When selecting among several varieties of a plant, choose the ones that will produce the largest yield. Many times, hybrid plants tend to resist disease, and tolerate the cold weather better than their traditional counterparts, resulting in higher yields.
The approach of fall means you need to start planting autumn goodies. Try using a pumpkin as a natural plant pot. You can plant fall vegetables such as lettuce in an empty pumpkin shell. Once you’ve cut its top and scooped the insides out, spray the edges and inside with Wilt-Pruf to prevent rotting. Once you have completed this, start planting!
In a dark area, pre-soak your seeds overnight. Place some seeds in your smaller pots and add water almost to the brim. This will keep seeds hydrated and help them to grow faster. This increases the chances of survival for the seeds.
Place organic mulch close to your vegetables. Mulch helps the soil surrounding the plants remain moister for a longer time. This method will also prevent weeds. You will be able to save the time you would spend watering your plants and pulling out weeds.
It can be tough to keep insects and other plant-ruining crawlies from infesting your garden. The vegetables are intended to be eaten, thus you should refrain from using harsh pesticides and chemicals. Research the methods available for eliminating garden pests organically. If you discover the pests when they first infest your plants, the best way to remove them is to pick them off manually.
Pouring the excess water from your dinner of steamed veggies on them can help. Some plants, such as gardenias, azaleas and rhododendrons need acidic soil for proper growth. Increase the acidity of your soil by adding coffee grounds and unused tea bags. Spray your plants with a 9:1 mixture of water and hydrogen peroxide to eliminate fungus without harming your plants.
Pectrum Pesticides
When gardening, try not to use broad-spectrum pesticides. Broad-spectrum pesticides not only kill pests, but also “good” bugs like ground beetles that eat pests. Beneficial bugs are usually several orders more sensitive to the things you spray than the pests you are trying to kill, so you might wind up dropping the good bug populace and open the door to pest population growth. In the end, you may resort to using even more pesticides in order to erase the problem.
To defend your garden from errant dogs, spray something with a strong scent, including aftershave or old perfume around the perimeter of the garden. This will mask any scents that might attract your dog and make your garden less interesting to him.
Vegetables are softer in the heat of the hottest part of the day; even gently picking them at that time can damage them. Cut vegetables to remove them from vines rather than twisting and pulling them. Twisting vegetables off vines damages them.
If you want a sustainable garden, leave a part of it undisturbed for wildlife to enjoy. This will also benefit your cultivated gardens as it will attract more bugs and birds to pollinate your other plants.
Indoor Plants
Indoor plants have been bred over time to thrive in temperatures that are characteristic of a home. Most indoor plants like to be in about 70 degree temperatures, plus or minus 5 degrees. This is the optimum temperature to ensure strong growth. Another option is the use heat lamps that will protect your organic plants.
When you are working in your garden, you will want to have all of your tools in a convenient location. Wasting time finding tools is inefficient horticulture. Get all of your tools together before you go into your garden, then place them in a safe spot when you are finished with them. It may be necessary to don a tool belt or cargo pants with extra pockets.
Don’t let the chores for your organic garden pile up. Even if you’re to busy to focus on your garden’s needs each day, you could do small things that could prevent you from piling up work when you wish to work on your garden. While you are with your pet outside, pull some weeds while the pet does its business.
When planting seeds in containers, remember that the depth should be at least three times bigger than the seed. There are some seeds, however, that you should not cover at all, since they need sunlight to germinate. Petunias and ageratum are two examples of seeds that require sunlight. If you are unsure as to whether or not your seeds should be covered or not, try to read the package or find the answer online.
Slugs are a nuisance that can be easily remedied with the use of an organic beer tramp. Place a jar into the soil so that the top of it’s mouth rests parallel with the soil. Now, fill the jar with beer to approximately an inch below the lip. Beer is especially attractive to slugs; they will lured to it and trapped.
Gardening can not only be an excellent hobby for consuming time, but is great for saving money and aiding a healthy diet. When you grow organic, you will learn much more about the planting and growing process, from A to Z.
Now you know a little more on how you can be a successful organic gardener. This is a field of endeavor where a wealth of useful information exists, and you have to delve into this knowledge. Keep this advice in mind and put it to good work for you in your own organic garden and hopefully, yield very successful and beautiful results.