Many people turn to organic horticulture because they are worried about the long-term toxic effects of the many commercial fertilizers and pesticides, on both their health and the environment. Organic horticulture is also cheaper; you don’t have to spend as much money on tools and equipment. Here are some fundamental tips to get you well on your way to being a successful organic gardener.
Select plants that produce a relatively high 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.
If you want the best results, you need to choose the right soil. You should choose your soil depending on the plants that you are going to plant. It’s also possible to make a fabricated area that contains only one type of soil.
If you want to grow vegetables in you backyard, it is vital that you place them in an area where they could get roughly six hours of sun on a daily basis. Most vegetables that can be grown need that much sun to grow well and quickly. This holds true for some types of flowers.
Before you start planting your garden, plan it out. This way, when the sprouts start shooting up, you can recall where you planted each plant. In addition, some plants are so small you might forget you planted them once all your plants sprout. Planning stops these plants from getting lost in the crowd.
The best gardens from an environmental standpoint originate from seeds, instead of plants. Starting from seed is far less harsh on the environment than using plants you buy at the nursery. Seeds eliminate the waste of plastic containers from nurseries which rarely get recycled. There are some nurseries, however, that send their plants out in organic potting materials.
You should be cognizant of the peak time for harvesting your vegetables. Individual vegetables have distinct windows of time to pick for getting the greatest flavors. Many vegetables are best when picked young; baby peas are a prime example. Plant winter vegetables at the right time for a sweeter flavor. So, learn about the ideal harvest time for your vegetables.
To create an attractive, quintessentially English garden, you need to use a mixture of different plants that all grow to varying heights in each bed. Plants that grow to be the same height end up uniform and flat looking.
Planting organic strawberries is a great way to encourage your children to get involved. For kids, there are few things as fun as picking fruit fresh from the garden. Your children will be much more interesting in helping out if they know they’ll get to enjoy some tasty strawberries.
When gardening, remember to take care of your knees! It’s not a good idea to spend much time standing while you are bent over at the waist. Kneeling is a great way to reach your plants without causing stress to your back. Use a pad to kneel upon and protect your knees from possible pain.
If you have recently suffered a cut, discontinue horticulture until the cut has healed completely. Open wounds can easily get infected while gardening because you’re exposing yourself to dirt, bacteria and germs. Bandage all cuts completely, using bandages that cover and seal cuts.
Your seeds, once they begin sprouting, don’t need the same amount of warmth as they did before. You can begin to move them further from the heat source as they become seedlings. You must also take away plastic films from your containers in order to keep the warmth and humidity out. Watch the seeds so you can know when you do this.
Coffee Grounds
Put coffee ground into your soil. Coffee grounds are filled with nitrogen, that is a nutrient required by plants. Plants need an adequate nitrogen source in order to thrive. Adding coffee grounds, chemical fertilizer, or diluted urea to your soil increases the soil’s nitrogen content and will help to make your plants grow faster, taller and healthier.
Construct raised flower beds of brick, stone, or wood. If you choose to use wood, make sure it is naturally rot resistant and untreated. Some great choices to choose from are cedar, locust and cypress. Do not use treated wood in your vegetable garden. If your existing garden structure contains treated wood, at least take the time to make a plastic lining beneath the soil.
Check the roots of your plants. Look out for green starts that are lush that might have bad root systems when you start purchasing tomato seedlings to help your organic garden prosper. As time goes by, the starts will begin to fall off, but you shouldn’t transplant your seedlings until this happens.
Natural Insecticides
You can find a lot of information on how to keep any unwanted pests away by researching local botanical insecticides. Sometimes natural insecticides are more efficient than the synthetic pesticides you can buy. Natural insecticides do have the disadvantage of a shorter effective period and a quick decline.
Organic gardening is healthier. You won’t be exposing your plants – and yourself to toxins or chemicals. Use the tips you just read to help you start planting your organic garden. You can also look forward to a rise in the number of wild visitors you receive in your garden.