Organic gardening will require some extra research and active avoidance of chemicals. If you decide to go the natural route, you may have to know about things like the pH balance of soil and natural bug-fighting concoctions. Organic horticulture can be a bit tricky for those who are trying it for the first time. Keep reading to find out how the professionals do it.
Shoveling clay soil is tiresome since clay is hard, and it can also stick to your shovel for twice the difficulty. To ease the digging, apply some car wax or floor wax to the head of the shovel and buff. The shovel will glide through the clay and as a bonus, your shovel will be resistant to rust.
If your plants have a powdery mildew, don’t use expensive chemicals on them. Mix a little liquid soap and baking soda in water. Spray this on the plants once per week until that mildew goes away. Baking soda is safe for use on your plants and is a gentle, but effective way to care for your plants.
During winter, you should take your favorite plants inside. You might want to transplant your most valuable varieties. Dig carefully around their roots and place them into a pot.
Pre-soak seeds overnight in a dark place. Put some seeds in a container and fill the container to the brim with water. When you do this, you hydrate your seeds and they can start growing. The young plants will survive better, and get a boost toward maturity.
Place organic mulch close to your vegetables. The soil around plants can stay damper through the use of mulch. It also prevents weed growth. Your plants will receive extra water and nutrients, and you’ll spend less time dealing with weeds.
Being a novice gardener, you should ensure that you follow the directions carefully for tool and chemical use. If you fail to follow the directions, you expose yourself to safety hazards or a risk of experiencing adverse reactions. So make sure you take precautions, follow the simple directions and be safe.
Be sure to buy a wheelbarrow and a kneeling stool that you can use for your garden. Spending a lot of time near the ground working is very hard on the knees, so a lightweight and portable garden stool will make gardening more comfortable. A wheelbarrow will help you move heavy items without hurting your back so ensure that you invest in one promptly.
Be smart when you water your garden. Take advantage of a soaker hose so that you don’t need to water every single plant individually, or have to keep filling up your watering can. Lower your water pressure on the soaker hose to avoid harming tender plants. It can water the plants for two hours so that you can do other things.
Young children will love it if you plant strawberries that bear continually, and organic gardens are the perfect place to do it. Kids are quite eager to pick fruit from a garden, and will help with the planting if they get a nice snack out of it at the end.
If you’re really serious about environmentally-friendly gardening practices, refrain from developing some of your land and use it as an animal habitat. This will also benefit your cultivated gardens as it will attract more bugs and birds to pollinate your other plants.
Maximize your time by keeping your tools close. You can wear an apron or pants that have a lot of pockets, or use a big bucket or can. Have gloves, small shears, a trowel and any other tools you may need on hand to make it simpler to maintain your garden.
Tuck away some plastic grocery bags and use them to slip over your muddy boots. Doing this prevents lengthy work interruptions, and allows you to finish the job quickly.
Space is very important when you plant an organic garden. It is easy to underestimate the amount of space that the plants will take up once they start to grow. The plants need space due to sheer size and also for air circulation. It is, therefore, important for you to plan accordingly and allow for enough room between your seed rows.
Organize the chores for your organic garden so they do not pile up. If your busy life prevents you from tending your garden every day, do small tasks to avoid having so much work when you do have some time. Try pulling a few weeds from the garden while your dogs are out doing their business.
Laundry Basket
When it is harvest time, use a laundry basket. The laundry basket is a perfect strainer for any produce run off. If you hose off your produce in the laundry basket, the water will leave the basket through the holes in the sides.
It can be hard at times to grow your own organic garden, yet it is so much more rewarding in the end. While chemical pesticides and fertilizers may claim to do great things for your garden, organic methods will give you the best crops possible.
Using organic produce from organic gardens which are free of pesticides is a great benefit. This is healthier than other alternatives, but you need to still check for diseases and bugs regularly.
Plant a variety of foliage native to your region for the best garden. Wildlife will be attracted by different varieties of plants, so make sure you have a wide choice for them. Adding a variety of plants to your garden will mimic the look of a natural environment. If you can manage this, the garden will be the perfect place to relax, and you’ll have done a little something for the environment.
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.