Organic horticulture can be an every day part of your life, but understanding how it works can be hard. There are hundreds of different seeds at your disposal. The following tips will help you make the most of your organic garden.
Choose the varieties of plants that will produce a higher yield. Frequently, a hybrid that is able to deal with extreme temperatures will bring higher yields than the more traditional variety of a plant.
Choose perennials that are not vulnerable to attack by slugs. Slugs and snails are voracious eaters that can destroy a plant literally overnight. Young plants with susceptible leaves are favorite meals for slugs, including those with smoother or thinner leaves. Some varieties of perennials are not preferred by snails and slugs, particularly perennials that have hairy, tough leaves or a taste that isn’t appetizing. Examples of these include euphorbia, hellebourus and achillea. Others you may want to consider are campanula and heuchera.
Vegetables in a garden need to have at least six hours of sun every day in order to thrive. Most vegetables need that much sun to grow rapidly and successfully. This also rings true for some of the flowers.
Come up with a gardening plan before planting anything. That way, if you see your plants beginning to bud but can’t recall what they are, you can refer back to your plan to refresh your memory. It can also keep you from planting any of your garden favorites too close to each other.
Be sure your garden is fertilized. Manure can help your plants grow quickly, but you must use only commercially created products to reduce the chance of contracting pathogens. The options for fertilizing are vast and include environmentally sound choices, so no matter which you choose, just be sure to use one.
To keep pests away, you can use plants in the garden or other natural materials. Planting marigolds or onions around the border of your vegetable garden will help repel slugs. Insect pests will stay away from seedlings and trees if you use wood ash around the base as a mulch. Using these natural methods will reduce the need for potentially harmful chemical pesticides.
Place organic mulch as close to your vegetables as you can. Mulching helps keep moisture in the soil. It will also prevent weeds from sprouting. You will benefit by not having to spend so much time fighting weed growth.
Don’t use pesticides that aren’t meant to kill specific types of garden pests. In addition, these pesticides destroy the good insects which eat pests. Bugs that provide a benefit to your garden are more easily killed by these broad-spectrum pesticides, you may simply end up with a bigger pest problem. This can cause you to use an additional amount of pesticides in order to attempt to fix this problem.
When growing plants inside of the house, you should ensure the thermostat is set at around 65-75 degrees in the daytime. It is important for them to be kept in this temperature range if they are to grow properly. If there are times during the year when you would prefer not to have the temperature that high, another solution you can utilize is to purchase heat lamps for your organic plants.
Pine Needles
Pine is a surprisingly good source of mulch. Some garden plants are high in acidity, and do better with acidic soil. If you have some of these plants, then pine needles are an easy way to add acid to their bed. Cover the plots with pine needles. As the pine needles decay, they’ll raise the soil’s acidity.
Lightly ruffle your seeds by hand or with cardboard, twice daily in your organic garden. This will sound a bit strange. However, it has been proven to cause plants to grow larger.
Grow garlic in your organic garden. Plant single garlic cloves during the spring or fall seasons in soil that is moist and well-drained. Plant them approximately 4 inches apart at a depth of 1 or 2 inches beneath the surface of the soil with the pointed end facing upward. Green garlic can be cur directly from the plant and used in a pinch instead of scallions or chives. When your garlic tops are turning brown in color, they are ready to be dug. Harden the skin by setting the bulb in the sun, it usually takes several days. Garlic can be tied in bunches or left loose, and stored where it will be cool and dry.
If organic gardening is something you desire to do, it’s critical that you are aware of the proper method to make beds. Begin by slicing beneath the turf using a spade. Once it is sliced, flip the turf up exposing the soil underneath. Now cover this exposed area with wood chips, about 3 or 4 inches. Leave it to settle for a couple of weeks and then you will be able to plant within it.
Organic gardening just got easier! Plan your landscaping based primarily on native bushes, flowers and grasses. Plants that are adapted to your region’s climate, soil type and surrounding ecosystem thrive without the need for expensive fertilizers or insecticides. This way, your plants will thrive using compost created from other regional ingredients.
Be sure you have information about what to look for when buying plants to add to your organic garden. This is very true of perennials or annuals. It is important to purchase those with buds that don’t have any blooms. This is how your new plants can a begin a strong network of roots.
As stated, organic gardening, and understanding the choices you have in terms of plants, can greatly affect your present and future dietary choices. The tips you’ve found above are sure to help you get off to a good start on growing chemical-free healthy food.