Gardening is a surprisingly complicated subject at times. For instance, you have to know certain things like pH balance in soil or things that can fend off bugs naturally when you get into gardening. If you are a beginner, take things slowly. You can do it well by taking advantage of the advice that offered below.
For proper optimum growth, plants require sufficient amounts of carbon dioxide (CO2). Typically, the higher the levels of carbon dioxide present in a plant’s environment, the better it will grow. The best way to expose your plants to a high level of carbon dioxide is by growing them in a greenhouse. If you have a greenhouse, keep CO2 levels high.
Soak your seeds in a dark spot during the overnight hours. Place your seeds in a container filled with water. This will hydrate the seeds and facilitate growth. This way, the seeds you have planted will have some chance of growing.
It is possible to use natural materials as well as other plants to help keep pests away from your garden. A border of onions or marigolds around a vegetable garden can repel slug. Wood ash used as mulch helps repel pests as well when around shrubs and trees. These methods prevent use of harsh chemicals.
Your vegetable plants need about two or three inches of mulch placed around them. The soil will stay moist thanks to the mulch. It can also prevent weeds from growing. This can save you a lot of time and effort in pulling out the weeds.
Do not use broad-spectrum pesticides within your garden. This particular type of pesticide will also kill the useful insects that consume the pests. Bugs that are good for your garden tend to be more susceptible to these types of pesticides, and using them could mean an increase in the pests you are actually trying to get rid of. When this happens, you will spray another round of pesticides to get rid of the pests, thus creating a never-ending cycle for yourself.
Involve your children in gardening. Children will benefit from the fresh air while bonding with you in your efforts to provide healthier food alternatives for them.
It is important to allow cuts to completely heal before you do any gardening in order to protect the cut from exposure to dirt or chemicals. If grime gets into the cut, it could become infected. There are bandages out there now that can seal cuts completely.
When helping organic plants flourish inside, it is vital to keep in mind how much light is reaching them. If your dwelling does not enjoy a great deal of natural sunlight, it makes sense to grow only those varieties meant to thrive in such environments. If you have a different type of plant, extra lighting can always help.
Get more value out of your property. Landscaping your yard will bring you a big return on your investment. Some plants can even raise your home value about 20%. Select plants that will adapt well to your regional area and require minimum maintenance.
When the time has come to gather up the produce, you need to use an old laundry basket. This will be like a strainer for all your produce. Rinse the produce while it sits in the basket, the extra water will go through the holes in the basket.
When developing your compost pile, use equal measures of dried and green material. Green means plant cuttings including grass, produce and weeds. The leaves you rake in the fall, straw, sawdust and the like are dry material. Don’t include ashes, diseased plants, charcoal meat, or carnivorous animal waste.
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. This may sound strange, but research has proven that doing this will help your plants grow bigger than if they were not petted at all.
Treated Wood
Use untreated stone, brick or wood to build raised beds. Be sure to use wood that is naturally resistant to rotting and that has not been treated. The best varieties include cedar, locust and cypress wood. In order to avoid toxic substances from getting into the ground and perhaps into your vegetables, avoid using treated wood to enclose or demarcate different sections of your vegetable garden. If you must use treated wood, consider using a liner to keep chemicals out of the soil.
Now, you shouldn’t get your hopes up and believe that a few tips are going to turn you into an instant professional gardener. However, these tips are a great starting point if you do plan to grow organically. As you implement these tips and hone your skills, you’ll be a professional green-thumb-holder in no time.