More and more people are becoming interested in organic gardening as a safe alternative to store bought produce, which can contain all kinds of dangerous chemicals and may even present unforeseen threats with untested methods of genetic engineering. Also, many organic gardening techniques are quite inexpensive. With the tips here in this article you can quickly become an expert in organic gardening.
Choose the varieties of plants that will produce a higher yield. It is quite common to find that hybrids, which are often able to resist disease and withstand cold climates, produce yields much larger than their conventional counterparts.
Start your plants in some pots and plant its seedlings in the garden. They are then more likely to survive and to become thriving, mature plants. It also permits you to tighten the time between plantings. You can plant the seedlings once you have removed the old plants.
Transform the handles of your tools into convenient measuring devices. Tools with long handles such as hoes and rakes can double as measuring sticks. Place the handles on the floor to measure the distance between them. Then, with a permanent marker, you want to label distances. Now when you go garden the next time, you’ll have a giant ruler at your command.
All soil is not the same. You need to check the soil to make sure it’s the best for what you’re planting. A soil analysis is inexpensive and can be used to figure out which nutrients should be added to provide a healthy garden environment. Many Cooperative Extension offices will provide this service, and it is well worth knowing exactly what the soil needs to avoid ruining a crop or two.
If you have a vegetable garden, it is crucial they are kept in a spot with at least six hours of sun each day. Proper sunlight is a prerequisite for proper growth. This also rings true for some of the flowers.
To grow peas, try growing them indoors first, instead of outside. If you were to plant them inside first, the seeds should germinate better. The seedling may also be hardier, which means that they can better resist disease and attacks from pests. You will be able to transfer the seedlings outdoors after they become better established.
Think about planting evergreen plants that will produce berries in the backyard. Your yard will then have bright spots of color all year round, which is especially cheerful in the winter when all of your other flora is bare or colorless. Other winter plants include the American Holly, Winterberry, The American Cranberrybush and the Common Snowberry.
When you’re dealing with a veggie garden, pest control may be difficult. Don’t spray any harsh chemicals on your vegetables because you will be eating them later on. Instead of resorting to these harmful chemicals, you can keep garden pests at bay simply by paying close attention. When pests are noticed early, the best way to get rid of them is to remove then from the plants by hand.
If you want your garden to be off-limits to your dog, spray a scented perimeter around it using things like old perfumes or aftershave. By masking the smells he may be attracted to, he should take less interest in the garden plants.
If you’re thinking about growing your own organic garden, then you might want to consider keeping a bit of your property undeveloped; this way wildlife can flourish. One side effect of this is that where animals thrive, so do birds and insects that help nurture and pollinate plants, which will increase the quality of your garden.
There should be no rush when you are planting a seed. A key first step is to add moisture to your soil. You should then spread the seeds evenly, and make sure they have room to grow. Bury your seeds about three times deeper than the size that they are. Certain types of seeds should simply be dropped on top of the soil due to needing sunlight for growth.
After your seeds have sprouted, heat lamps are not needed. As they begin growing you can move them farther away from heat sources. You can now take off any protective coverings on your plants that were there to shield them from the elements. Unless you closely monitor your seedlings, you may not move them in time.
If you are starting your seedlings out in small containers, you should use a layer of potting soil that is three times as deep as the size of a single seed. Certain seeds are an exception to that rule, since they require sunlight to germinate, so they should be barely covered or not at all. Ageratum and petunias are two examples of seeds that should not be planted deeply. If you are not sure whether your seeds need to be exposed to sunlight, resources are usually provided with the seeds or can be found online.
Try to avoid over-watering your plants. Too much water will make it more difficult for the plants to absorb the nutrients they need from the soil. Before watering plants outdoors, check with some weather stations to find out if it will rain anytime during the day. If the weather forecast calls for rain, it’s probably wise to not water your plants that day.
Start using these tips right away, and you will be able to enjoy all of the benefits of a healthy, pollutant free organic garden in no time. When your garden works with nature, you will also be able to notice an increase in the number of wildlife inhabiting your garden.