Author: craigb

Finding Time To Garden In Your Busy LIfe

~ craigb

TIP! So you don’t shock the plants, you should gradually get them use to a change in the temperature and conditions. Put them out in the sun for approximately one to two hours on the very first day.

Gardening has been enjoyed by many people through the ages. Gardening may be a relaxing hobby for some, or a way of feeding nutritious food to your family. Read on for ways to find your own joy in gardening adventures.

TIP! Digging in clay soil with a shovel can be very difficult. The clay isn’t easy to work with and will adhere to the shovel, which only makes the problem worse.

Starting seedlings in pots before planting in your garden is a smart idea. This boosts the chance that the plants can survive to adulthood. It also helps you make your planting times more frequent. Your seedlings will be ready to go in as soon as you remove the previous set of mature plants.

TIP! Turn your tool handles into convenient rulers. Tools with long handles such as hoes and rakes can double as measuring sticks.

Regular weeding is essential to the health of any garden. Weeds can destroy a once promising garden and take away all its potential. White vinegar can be a good solution. White vinegar will kill those pesky weeds. If you’re annoyed with pulling up weeds manually, douse them with a white vinegar solution.

TIP! Plant perennials that are slug-proof. Slugs and snails are voracious eaters that can destroy a plant literally overnight.

If beautiful flowers throughout the warmer months are important to you, make sure you put bulbs into the ground. Typically, bulbs are simple to grow, and they’ll grow every single year. Different varieties of bulbs flower at varied times and if you make the right choices you can have blossoms from early spring through late summer.

TIP! All soil is not the same. You need to check the soil to make sure it’s the best for what you’re planting.

As you cut your grass, do not trim it too low to the ground. If you leave your grass a bit longer, the roots can grow deeper. This results in a lawn that is stronger and less likely to dry out. If you have short grass, you will have short roots and you will dry out your grass.

TIP! Whenever you are planting a veggie garden, it is vital that you place them in a location where sun shines down on them for six or more hours per day. This allows the vegetables to grow quickly and healthily.

Your garden can really benefit from evergreens featuring berries. They will provide a splash of color in the drab and dreary winter months when a lot of other plants have lost their colors. The American Holly, American Cranberrybush, the Winterberry, and the Common Snowberry help provide color during the winter.

TIP! Get gardening knee pads if you have low-growing plants. Gardening is supposed to be relaxing and enjoyable; you don’t want to finish every gardening session with aching, throbbing knees.

Know when to harvest your vegetables at precisely the right time. Each type of vegetables has its own ideal time for picking for the best flavor. Peas, for instance, should be harvested rather young if you wish to obtain the best flavors and texture. However, you get better taste out of tomatoes that have been allowed to ripen as much as practical while still on their vine. So, it is good to learn about the best time to harvest your vegetables.

TIP! Start peas inside in a container, rather than planting the seeds outdoors. When you plant the seeds indoors, your seeds will start to germinate better.

Have one plant be the most interesting eye-grabber in your garden. A solid focal point will draw peoples attention to your garden, leaving them to admire your unique design. Many times, it’s just a plant that differs from the surrounding plants.

TIP! Get a wheelbarrow and a kneeling stool to work in your garden. Gardening can take a toll on the knees, but a small ergonomic stool will be a comfortable solution.

You can spray scents such as after-shave and cologne around your garden to deter your dog. Your dog will find more interesting scents to explore elsewhere and leave your garden alone.

TIP! Choose a plant to use for a focal point. To create an attractive garden design, arrange a focal point to draw attention.

You will garden more efficiently if you keep your tools close by. Put them into a basket you carry with you, or use an apron with many pockets and hanging loops. Keep your gloves, pruning shears, a hand spade and your other tools handy to quickly and easily do your garden maintenance.

TIP! 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. These scents overpower the garden’s scents, which causes your dog to lose interest.

Get more value from your property. Landscaping your yard will bring you a big return on your investment. Investing in the right plants could raise the resale value of your property by at least 20%. Put plants in your front yard as well as your garden that need low moisture, and are ideal for the environmental conditions that you face.

TIP! Believe it or not, pine makes great mulch. Some plants do better in soil with high acidity as they are highly acidic themselves.

If you’re planning on selling crops to people and labeling them as organic, you will need to receive an organic gardening certification. Having this certification will create a lot of trust with customers. People who want to eat organically will purchase from you with full confidence.

Organic Horticulture

TIP! Killing weeds the natural way? Layer sheets of newspaper on the surface of areas where you are trying to control weeds. Weeds must have sunlight in order to grow.

Horticulture is a good way to connect with nature, but organic horticulture remains the best way to observe natural cycles. Organic horticulture is an excellent lesson in the plant life cycle and how to get the most from the planting process.

TIP! Using a soaker hose to water the garden is probably your best choice. This type of hose allows the gardener to get a small, but steady amount of water near the roots without getting the leaves wet constantly.

The ideal way to water your organic garden is with a soaker hose. Because the water in these hoses seeps out slowly, it goes directly to the roots of the places and leaves the leaves dry. Compared with sprinklers, a soaker hose wastes less water and is far more convenient to use.

TIP! Take some time to carefully plan the items to include in your organic garden. Different varieties of plants call for different environments and climates.

Before you start your garden, learn how to properly construct garden beds. You do this by slicing underneath the turf using an appropriate tool. Then, flip the dirt over and cover it with wood chips. The chips should be about 3-4 inches deep when you’re done. Later, once the chips have decayed somewhat, you can begin to plant in the bed.

TIP! A valuable piece of advice is to plant crops with a high value to you personally. Of course, what you value the most might not be worth much to someone else.

When they are in healthy soil, plants can withstand diseases and handle insect damage much better. Pests may still be present, but they will not inflict damage on your plants.

TIP! Use the leaves you rake out of your yard as an organic compost to mix with your soil. As the leaves rot, they create a nutrient dense compost that will keep your garden healthy.

Compost is extremely helpful in a garden, but what is in it? Most compost is made of clippings of leaves, grass, small twigs, straw and other biodegradable matter. This matter is allowed to ferment into a nutrient rich soil. You can use a compost instead of a commercial fertilizer and save money.

TIP! Garlic is a great deterrent to keep bugs out of your organic garden. The strong odor will repel many destructive insects.

Know what to look for when you purchase the plants that you will use in your garden. Keep this in mind when you are purchasing annuals, biennials, and perennials. You need to be sure to get ones that are budded but not in bloom. This is because they can begin growing strong root systems in the garden.

TIP! Start by placing a fence to protect your garden before you plant anything. This will keep animals and people out.

As this article noted earlier, gardening is a centuries old pastime that countless generations have enjoyed and benefited from. Long ago, it was a way of life and a necessity. Today, horticulture is still done for need but also for profit and pleasure. Whatever reason pulls you in to gardening, the information you have read in this article should help you to enjoy the process just that much more. Gardening is rewarding both for you and all those who see your creations.

Tips On Using Your Green Thumb In Organic Horticulture

~ craigb

TIP! Keeping your garden soil rich and healthy is the best way to discourage garden pests. Healthy plants are stronger and more able to resist both pests and disease.

More and more people are finding out how great it is to have an organic garden. Use the simple advice offered here and you will learn just how to grow a successful garden you can be proud of. Just follow these useful tips to get some great results.

TIP! If beautiful flowers throughout the warmer months are important to you, make sure you put bulbs into the ground. Most bulbs are extremely hearty and grow easily.

Sod should be laid correctly. Make sure you prepare your soil before you lay any sod down. Take out any weeds, then mix up the soil into a tilth that is fine. When the soil is clean, pack it tightly and create a flat surface. Dampen the soil completely. Sod should be staggered in rows, the joints offsetting from each other. Press the sod down firmly so that the surface is flat and even. If there are gaps remaining, fill them with a bit of soil. You will have to water the sod every day for 2 weeks, and then it should be firmly rooted to the ground, and able to be walked on.

TIP! Make sure you protect any tender deciduous shrubs. If you have tender shrubs in pots, they need to be protected in the cold weather.

Always allow your plants to adapt gradually to any changes in light conditions, temperatures or soils, if you do not, you might shock them and cause them to die. Put them in the sun outside for a couple of hours during the first day. Over one week, gradually build up the amount of hours you leave the plants outside. After a week’s time, the plants should be fine staying outside.

TIP! If your landscape includes low-growing plants, you should invest in a set of knee pads specifically designed for gardening. The amount of time that you spend gardening on your knees can make your knees hurt by the time you are done.

Before actually putting plants into your garden, check the type and compostion of your soil. A soil analysis is inexpensive and can be used to figure out which nutrients should be added to provide a healthy garden environment. A lot of Cooperative Extension locations offer this service, and you can prevent ruining a few crops by identifying the specific steps to take.

TIP! Allow enough room between plants for air to circulate, so that plants do not stay too wet. Parasites are attracted to the moisture on plants.

When gardening in the fall, you need to be watching for stink bugs. They like fruits, as well as peppers, beans and tomatoes. Decrease their presence as much as possible to avoid them wreaking havoc in your garden.

TIP! D

If you want your garden to blossom with flowers throughout the spring and summer, plant some bulbs in it. Bulbs are one of the easiest plants to grow and are hardy perennials that return each year. You can select bulbs that bloom at many different times, so with a little work, you could have flowers popping up all the way from the start of spring to the end of summer.

TIP! Always fertilize your garden. Manure helps your plants grow.

Vegetables should be placed in a spot in your garden that will get about six hours of sun every day. Proper sunlight is a prerequisite for proper growth. This is true of some flowers.

TIP! Think about berry-producing trees that are green year round for your garden. These will help give your garden a burst of color, even in the winter months when most other vegetation has lost their colors.

Tender deciduous shrubs are very fragile, so protect them. Fragile shrubs, that are planted in pots, should be covered to protect them during the cold season. Tie the canes together, and drape a sheet or blanket over the top of the wigwam. You will protect your shrubs from the cold without having to cover them in plastic, which can cause rot.

Knee Pads

TIP! If you want your children to enjoy your organic garden, plant some tasty strawberries. Little ones will be more likely to help when they can enjoy the fun of harvesting their own fruit.

If you have many low-growing plants in your garden, get yourself a pair of horticulture knee pads. Gardening is supposed to be relaxing and enjoyable; you don’t want to finish every horticulture session with aching, throbbing knees. With good knee pads, you can stay in the garden longer, and more comfortably.

TIP! When your seeds sprout, they will not be in need of the warmth they needed to germinate. It’s important to move the plants away from any heat source as they grow larger.

Many people delight in the taste of fresh mint leaves, but become frustrated when the plant spreads wildly. Contain their growth with a garden container or large pot instead. The container can be planted in the ground, and it will still prevent the plant from dominating the garden.

TIP! Pine is a surprisingly good source of mulch. There are many common acidic plants that prefer acidic soil.

Think about starting your peas indoors rather than planting them directly in the garden. Pea seeds tend to germinate much better when planted indoors, before being moved to an outside garden. The baby plants will also be stronger and will resist pests and disease better. Once they grow a bit bigger, the seedlings can be easily transplanted to an outdoor garden.

TIP! Remember to plan for adequate spacing when you first lay out an organic garden. As plants grow and spread out, you will not always know how much space will be required.

Give them a boost by watering them with the cooled water that is left after steaming vegetables. You should also try using a bit of coffee grounds or tea to increase the acidity of the soil for your gardenias or your rhododendrons. Chamomile tea can be an effective treatment against fungus attacking plants.

Pectrum Pesticides

TIP! Do not let your gardening chores add up. While you may not be able to spend time in the garden on a daily basis, there are still many things you can do to keep things from snowballing out of control.

Broad-spectrum pesticides should be avoided in your garden. While broad-spectrum pesticides will kill most pests, they will also kill helpful insects. Beneficial insects are more susceptible to toxic pesticides than their annoying counterparts, so a broad-spectrum pesticide could kill all of the good bugs first, allowing the population of bad pests to multiply. This can lead to needing even more pesticides to eliminate the problem insects.

TIP! As a good general practice, you should make sure to plant your seeds three seed-widths deep into their containers. You should know that certain seeds need not be covered, because they need the sunlight.

If you have a cut on your hand, take the time to make sure it is either healed or completely covered before you put your hands in the soil. It is possible for a cut to become extremely infected if it comes into contact with dirt and grime while gardening. Get the appropriate bandages to seal the cut completely.

TIP! You can get rid of slugs with a simple beer trap. First, place a glass canning jar in the soil, burying it until the mouth is even with the surface of the soil.

Take your seedlings and saplings to a cooler spot once they are established. To ensure that your plants do not suffer shock, start eliminating the use of a heat source. Also, remove plastic coverings from the tops of your growing containers to keep them from becoming too warm or humid. Watch your seeds closely to find the right time to do this.

TIP! Research the local botanical insecticides which can be useful in deterring the pest population. Natural insecticides are sometimes more effective than the myriad synthetic, chemical-based products available.

Make gardening efficient. Do not waste your time looking for tools. Before you start work in the garden, make sure you have the necessary tools, and always remember to put them away when you are finished. You can keep your garden tools in a tool belt, or in your pockets. Another good idea is to keep them all in a bucket that you carry around with you.

TIP! Think about what you need to use while getting ready to garden. Try using organic substitutes for the typical chemical fertilizers.

As previously mentioned, growing your ideal organic garden requires some time, patience, and effort. Head out to the garden, and make use of these tips to turn it into an amazing organic masterpiece. This advice can help you achieve success regardless of what you choose to plant in your garden.

Excellent Advice For The Beginning Organic Gardener

~ craigb

TIP! If you have a wall or fence that you do not like, plant climbers to mask its appearance. Climbing plants can cover a wall after one growing season only.

When you garden, you can grow delicious vegetables and fruits in your backyard; this gives you plenty of dietary options for the future. There’s nothing quite like going outside and grabbing some toppings for your salad, or better yet the whole salad. This article will give you some great gardening tips to help you make the most of your garden.

TIP! Bring some plants into your home to protect them against winter weather. You may want to save the most beautiful or expensive ones.

Try using annuals and biennials to add color to your flower beds, and brighten them up. These fast growth plants make flower beds vibrant, and they let you alter the appearance seasonally and annually. You can use them between the gaps in shrubs and perennials where there is plenty of sun. Some plants to get you started include petunia, marigold, sunflower, rudbekcia, and cosmos.

TIP! Make sure your soil is healthy enough before you start planting anything. Consider getting a soil analysis and working on enrichment techniques for giving your garden a vibrant and healthy environment.

Seeds should be soaked in a dark area overnight. Put some seeds (a small amount) in a container that isn’t too large for the plant you’ll be growing. Fill that container with water, almost to the top. That way, the seeds will have sufficient hydration and will have the best start possible. Your seeds will then have the best chance possible to survive to maturity.

TIP! Plants all need a good supply of C02 to grow properly! Plants are more likely to thrive in environments where high levels of CO2 are present. Greenhouses provide the best levels of CO2 for plants.

You can use natural materials or other plants in your garden to keep away pests. Forming a border around your vegetable garden with marigolds or onions are ideal for repelling slugs. Insects also avoid shrubs and trees that are mulched with wood ash. When done naturally, there is no need for pesticides with harsh, and sometimes dangerous, chemicals

Kneeling Stool

TIP! Fill your garden with bulbs if you want to enjoy beautiful flowers through the spring and into summer. Bulbs are hardy, easy to grow into flowers, and will blossom for several years.

Invest in a kneeling stool, and a wheelbarrow to work in the garden. Horticulture can be very tough on your knees, so a kneeling stool that is ergonomic and lightweight can make things much more comfortable and enjoyable. There is also a lot of heavy lifting involved with gardening, so a good wheelbarrow is a great tool to have around.

TIP! Fertilize your garden. Manure is a great garden additive, but it is important that you choose a manure that has been composted commercially so that there is less of a risk of pathogens.

Plan your garden, and plant with fall colors in mind. That doesn’t have to be way it is though! When it comes to vivid foliage, autumn offers the best opportunity to view it. There are many variations in leaf color with different varieties of Maple, Beech and Dogwood trees that can give you lively yellows and deep crimsons. Also, when considering shrubs, try using cotoneaster, hydrangea, or barberry.

TIP! Broad-spectrum pesticide is not a good garden choice. Broad-spectrum pesticides not only kill pests, but also “good” bugs like ground beetles that eat pests.

If you know that you’ll be in the garden for an extended period of time, protect yourself from the sun with proper attire. Sunglasses, a nice shady hat, and sunscreen are very helpful. When you keep your eyes and skin properly protected, you are less likely to get a sunburn. You also lower your risk in developing cancer of the skin.

TIP! Take advantage of gardening as a means to unwind. You can relax and be at peace in many different ways.

To make an interesting English garden, mix various plants and plant heights in the same bed. Plants that grow to be the same height end up uniform and flat looking.

TIP! One particular plant should be the focal point of your garden. To create an attractive garden design, arrange a focal point to draw attention.

Strawberries are a good organic garden choice for families with strawberries, particularly everbearing strawberries. Little ones will be more likely to help when they can enjoy the fun of harvesting their own fruit.

TIP! Allow your children to assist with the work to be done in your organic garden. A garden can teach your children about the joy of rewarding work and nutrition while bonding.

Organic indoor plants may need additional light sources to make up for the light they miss out on by being indoors. This needs to be considered. If you live in a home or apartment that does not get great sunlight you may want to consider growing plants that are designed to grow in low or medium-light environments. Otherwise, you could simply use your own lights.

TIP! There should be no rush when you are planting a seed. You should start by moisturizing the soil.

Before planting any perennials, you have to make the ground ready. Use your spade to slice chunks of turf up, then flip each piece over, and spread wood chips on top to a depth of four inches. Let the area sit for a couple weeks, then begin digging into it and planting your new perennials.

TIP! Make sure you work in your garden every day. Keep all of your tools together; do not waste time looking for them! Before you make a trip to your garden, you should gather all tools and items in advance.

When you sow seeds in your garden, try not to rush the process. You need to start by adding moisture to the soil. You should then spread the seeds evenly, and make sure they have room to grow. Look at how big the seeds are, multiply that by three, and plant them down into the earth accordingly. There are some varieties of seed that are not planted underground since they require light to grow.

Laundry Basket

TIP! Use an aged laundry basket when you want to collect your produce. A benefit of using something like a laundry basket is that it can strain for you, as well as hold a large amount of produce.

Use an old laundry basket to bring your fresh produce in from the garden. The laundry basket can be used as a colander for your produce. Rinse the produce while it sits in the basket, the extra water will go through the holes in the basket.

TIP! Your compost pile should contain green plant materials and dry plant materials. Green plant material includes grass clippings, spent flowers, vegetable and fruit waste, weeds and leaves.

Do you want to kill weeds in a natural way? A good thick layer of newspaper can be laid down to control weeds. Weeds require sunlight to grow. With layers of newspaper on them, the weeds are not going to have light, and therefore will not grow. Newspapers also decompose fairly quickly, and mix with your garden soil. Cover the newspaper with a thick layer of mulch for a more attractive look.

TIP! Take care not to overwater your plants, as this can prevent the roots from drawing the proper amount of nutrients out of the soil. Check the weather for the next couple of days to see if you actually need to water your plants.

A rule of thumb followed by many planters is to bury the seeds in soil to a depth of around three times the diameter of the actual seed. There are some seeds, however, that you should not cover at all, since they need sunlight to germinate. Petunias and ageratum are two examples of seeds that require sunlight. Read the instructions that came with the seeds, and do some research on the Internet to find out the sunlight that your seeds need.

TIP! Water your organic garden using a soaker hose. This will allow the water to seep slowly into the soil straight to the plant’s roots.

As mentioned earlier, the art of horticulture means that your dining table can have fresh and tasty vegetables and fruits, that you grow in your own garden. The vegetables and fruits that you pick will add your own unique flavor to the dishes in which they are used. Gardening should be a fun, relaxing and enjoyable hobby that you can share with others.

Follow These Excellent Tips For A Beautiful Garden

~ craigb

TIP! Bulbs are a great option for people who want to enjoy spring and summer flowers. Bulbs are usually very hearty and very easy to grow, and bulbs will grow year after year.

There are many different reasons why one would might prefer organic horticulture methods over more traditional approaches. Some of the most popular reasons include concerns about chemicals, health problems and the environment. There is also the fact that maintaining an organic garden is inexpensive. Read on to learn a few tips if you are thinking about growing your own organic garden.

TIP! When you are mowing your lawn do not cut it too closely to the dirt. If you leave your grass a bit longer, the roots can grow deeper.

When winter arrives, transfer some plants into the house to save them. Your best bet would be try to save the best or most hearty plants. Dig around roots carefully before transferring to a pot.

TIP! Fresh mint is a wonderful addition to a herb garden, but it can quickly take over your entire yard. Rein their growth; you can do this simply by planting mint inside a larger garden container or pot.

Before you plant anything in your garden, have the soil checked. Soil analysis costs a little money, but the report can inform you how to enrich your soil and open the door to a lush garden. A lot of cooperative extension offices can provide this service to you and it is worth knowing what you need to do in order to avoid ruining your plants.

TIP! Whether you have been gardening for a few days or a few decades, you must never deviate from the instructions on the labeling of all implements and chemicals. If you don’t do this, you could cause unnecessary skin irritations, which are very painful.

If growing vegetables, make sure they are in a location in your garden where they will be exposed daily to at least six hours of the sun. Proper sunlight is a prerequisite for proper growth. Some flowers have the same requirement for growth.

TIP! When it comes to harvesting your vegetables, know when the optimal time is to do so. Each variety of vegetable has a specific time to be harvested so that you may enjoy its fullest flavor.

Your plants need to be kept dry, but sill receiving a good amount of air. Excess moisture creates an appealing environment for disease and parasites. In fact, fungi love a wet plant and can cause a great deal of damage. Be sure to prevent the growth of fungus with a spray that will inhibit their growth.

TIP! When gardening, avoid the use of strong broad-spectrum pesticides. This particular type of pesticide will also kill the useful insects that consume the pests.

Remember to place a layer of mulch over the soil around your vegetables, approximately 2 inches deep. The mulch will help keep the soil moist for longer periods of time. In addition, it will keep the weeds from growing. This can prevent you from having to constantly pull weeds.

TIP! Plant with the colors of autumn in mind. But, that does not have to be the case! In the fall, the foliage displays every color of the rainbow.

Read instructions before using any gardening tool you aren’t familiar with, including pesticides or other chemicals. Use the tools only as directed in the instructions. You might end up damaging your plants or getting a skin irritation. So make sure you take precautions, follow the simple directions and be safe.

TIP! Gardening helps with relaxation. There are a variety of ways to find peace and relaxation on a personal level.

Invest in a kneeling stool, and a wheelbarrow to work in the garden. Horticulture can be very tough on the knees as you spend much time leaning near the ground, so a portable stool can make all the difference to your comfort. Also, horticulture can involve a lot of heavy lifting and moving items, therefore a robust wheelbarrow can make that aspect much easier.

Pectrum Pesticides

TIP! When gardening, protecting your knees is important. For most people, bending over while gardening is too difficult.

Do not use broad-spectrum pesticides within your garden. Broad-spectrum pesticides will kill insects that are helpful to your garden as well as the harmful ones. Many times good bugs will be more sensitive to harmful pesticides than the ones you are trying to get rid of. If your good bug population goes down, your problem will only get worse. When this happens, you will spray another round of pesticides to get rid of the pests, thus creating a never-ending cycle for yourself.

TIP! Keep your garden tools close at hand to make the most of your gardening time. Use a bucket large enough to hold all your equipment or wear pants with multiple pockets.

Gardening should be a relaxing activity. There are a wide variety of things you can do to release stress and relax. Horticulture is a relatively easy way to pursue this goal. It is not prohibitively expensive, and has numerous benefits. Great satisfaction will come from raising produce and flowers in your own environment.

TIP! Coffee grounds are a great addition to soil. Plants can use the nitrogenous nutrients found in coffee grounds.

In your flower beds and garden, utilize a few inches of organic mulch. Mulch discourages weeds and helps retain moisture while adding nutrients to your flower bed. This will also give a nice, professional appearance to your garden all year.

TIP! Creating a trap with beer can help reduce the number of slugs in your garden. Get a clean, empty glass jar to use as a trap.

Pine mulch can be highly effective under the right conditions. Many types of plants thrive in soil that has high acid levels. If this is the case, use pine needles to mulch your beds. Cover your beds with two inches of needles; acid will be dispersed into the soil as they decompose.

Coffee Grounds

TIP! To be able to say you have legitimate organic and credible crops, you will need to be certified as having an organic garden. Obtaining this certification will give you further credibility as an organic gardener, boosting sales and proving to your customers that you provide only the best.

Mix used coffee grounds into your soil. Coffee grounds are rich in nitrogen, an essential nutrient for plant growth. Many times, nitrogen is a limiting nutrient in soils. Adding coffee grounds or compost can add nitrogen to your soils will help your plants grow tall and healthy.

TIP! It can be hard to grow an organic garden without chemicals, but the end result is worth the effort. While chemical pesticides and fertilizers may claim to do great things for your garden, organic methods will give you the best crops possible.

Apply equal portions of dried plant material and green into your compost pile. Examples of green plant material are spent flowers, fruit and vegetable waste, grass clippings, weeds, and leaves. Dried materials are things like hay, wood shavings, cardboard and paper. Certain substances will undermine your composting efforts and cancel out any benefits; these include meat, charcoal, ash or plants that have diseases or fungal growths.

TIP! Over-watering your plants can be harmful, because roots that are drowning in water cannot effectively pull nutrients out of the soil. Only water as necessary when there is no rain in the forecast, or for plants which need extra watering.

A good thing to know when it comes to your organic garden, and running it, is to, a couple times a day, lightly ruffle the seedlings with cardboard or your hand. That may sound like a silly thing to do, but it’s been proven to help plants grow larger than they would otherwise.

TIP! It only takes a few steps to create a new garden area for perennials. Cut beneath the turf using a spade, then flip it over.

When choosing plants, dig a little deeper. 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. The reason is because these particular starts will stay on the seedlings for weeks, which will not allow the seedlings to grow until these starts are gone.

TIP! There are many plant kinds you may grow in an organic garden. If you choose plants that require acid to grow properly, use mulch.

If you plant tomatoes, make sure you plant a second batch roughly three weeks after the first ones were done. The reason for this is because it helps to prevent the entire harvest from producing all at once. Additionally, if weather or something else ruins one harvest, you still get a second chance to get a good tomato crop.

TIP! Be sure you know how you should buy plants that you want to add in your organic garden. This is very true of perennials or annuals.

If you start implementing the organic gardening advice included in this article today, you can look forward to having a healthy, productive, toxic-free garden in the near future. You might actually notice more wildlife in and around your garden due to your natural gardening methods.

Organic Horticulture Advice To Grow The Garden Of Your Dreams

~ craigb

Organic horticulture may be a major pain, or a joyous hobby. Use the tips presented here to make the most out of your earth friendly organic garden.

TIP! Create useful rulers from your tool handles. Tools with long handles such as hoes and rakes can double as measuring sticks.

Use slug-proof varieties of perennials wherever possible. If slugs or snails find their favorite perennials in your garden, they’ll snack all night. When you wake up in the morning, there will be very little left of your plants. These pests prefer plants with thin smooth leaves. Plant some helleborus or euphorbias along with your other perennials. There are some perennials that do not appeal to slugs, such as those with leaves that are hairy and tough with a bad taste. Examples of these include euphorbia, hellebourus and achillea. Others you may want to consider are campanula and heuchera.

Iris Bulbs

TIP! Save some plants in the winter by bringing them indoors. This is especially useful if you have a particular plant that you love or was expensive.

Separate irises. You can increase your stock of irises by dividing up overgrown clumps. When the foliage has died off, it is time to harvest the iris bulbs. The iris bulbs should easily split apart in your hand. Once you replant them, they will have a good flower show the following year. Make use of a knife to split up rhizomes. Cut out new pieces from outside the bulb and throw away the old center. Each piece needs one strong offshoot. Replant each one immediately.

TIP! Draw up a garden plan before you plant the first seed. This is a good way to remember which plants have been planted in each area before they grow.

The best gardens start with seeds, as opposed to plants. The environmentally conscious way to start a new garden is to start with seeds. Very few nurseries recycle the plastics that they use as containers for their plants, so the majority of these containers are thrown away and dumped in landfills. Therefore, it is better for the environment to plant a garden with seeds or to find a nursery that packages its plants using organic materials.

TIP! If you have a lot of low-growing plants to take care of in your garden, purchase gardening knee pads. You will end up spending a good deal of time on your knees and this can cause a lot of pain by the end of the day.

Always fertilize your garden. Composted manure is effective in raising healthy plants, and commercial fertilizer products are safer and more convenient. Choosing a specific type of fertilizer is not particularly critical; as long as you’re using fertilizer, you’re improving your soil.

Organic Mulch

TIP! Place a few inches of organically based mulch around your vegetable plants. Mulch has a nice moisturizing effect on the soil it’s spread over.

All of your vegetable plants should have approximately two inches, just outside the stem, of organic mulch placed around them. The organic mulch will keep moisture in the soil for a little longer. Mulch will help a lot in preventing weeds from growing. Every gardener can appreciate pulling fewer weeds.

TIP! Learn the proper way to handle chemicals, and the right way to use garden tools. You might end up damaging your plants or getting a skin irritation.

Invest in a kneeling stool, and a wheelbarrow to work in the garden. Spending time on the ground is rough on the knees, a portable and light stool can help make gardening easier. Because gardening means transporting a lot of heavy things, a wheelbarrow will also come in handy.

Beneficial Insects

TIP! If you want the best tasting vegetables, learn about the optimum time to harvest them. Each type of produce has unique time frames for harvesting at the peak of flavor.

Make sure your pesticides are focused on only what you’re trying to kill. Besides killing the insects you don’t want, this type of pesticide will also kill beneficial insects. Beneficial insects are more susceptible to strong pesticides than the insects you are actually trying to get rid of. This will lead you to end up killing off the good bugs in your garden, leaving the field wide open for the harmful ones. This may then lead to using even more pesticides to eliminate this new problem.

TIP! Pine is a surprisingly good source of mulch. Some plants need acidic soil to grow properly, because of their own acid content.

Make a plant you love the focal point of your garden. When you design your garden, think of a great focal point that will grab attention and add interest. Usually this is a big plant that is somewhat different from the other plants in the garden.

TIP! Consider solving your weed problem without the use of toxic chemicals. Put down old newspapers in several layers for controlling weeds.

If you are growing plants inside of your home, you need to keep the thermostat set to 65 to 75 degrees during the day. They need the temperature to be that warm so that they can grow. If you do not want to keep your home that warm during the winter months, you can get a heat lamp for the organic plants instead.

TIP! While gardening organically requires more work than gardening with the help of chemicals, the rewards are worth it. Chemical giants claim miracles, but those miracle crops come at a price to whoever eats the produce.

When your plants begin to sprout, they can survive in somewhat cooler temperatures. You should move your sprouted plants farther from the heat when they are past the sprouting stage. You must also take away plastic films from your containers in order to keep the warmth and humidity out. Check on your seeds periodically to make sure you know when to remove the films.

TIP! You may be able to find botanical insecticides locally, which are often very helpful for preventing pest infestations. These natural insecticides can often be more effective than synthetically engineered pesticides.

Work efficiently in your garden. You do not have the time to spend an hour looking for each tool you need. Have all of your tools gathered and prepared for use before you work in the garden, and make sure to put them away neatly. If you use lots of tools, consider using a tool belt or even just some pants that have lots of pockets.

TIP! Plant your tomatoes in intervals of three weeks, starting from the original strain and they will grow in a more organized structure. Doing this will cause your harvest to come in at differing times, allowing you to gather up the majority of them and cut your losses.

When planting seeds in containers, remember that the depth should be at least three times bigger than the seed. There are exceptions to this rule though, as some seeds need direct sunlight to grow. These seeds include petunias and ageratum. If you do now know how to plant your seed, consult the information that came with the seed when you bought it or check online for helpful information.

TIP! Organic gardening has been made much easier! Stick to native plants, grasses, flowers and bushes when you plan out your landscape. Plants that are naturally suited to your environmental parameters are unlikely to require the degree of fertilization and chemical pest protection that would have to be expended on other plants.

Every year, you should plant different things and in different places. Repeatedly planting the same greenery in the same place can cause fungus and disease. These kind of enemies to plants can stay underground ready for the next year to cause harm to your plants. If you change things up on a regular basis by varying your planting locations, you take advantage of a natural methodology to avoid fungus and disease problems.

TIP! While you may have heard a few things here and there about composting, how much do you really know about it? Compost is a mixture of scraps, grass clippings and leaves that have been allowed to break down which results in new rich soil. Use this instead of commercial fertilizer.

Organic horticulture, while requiring a good effort for great results, is a great way to live a greener life. With hard work and patience, you will be happy with the end result–a fabulous organic garden. Using the tips that you just learned you can improve your skills in organic gardening.

Advice For Making Horticulture More Enjoyable And Fruitful

~ craigb

TIP! Using a shovel in clay soil is a lot of work, not only is the clay hard, but it will stick to the shovel and make it twice as hard to handle. One way to get around this problem is to coat the shovel with wax.

Many people are under the impression that horticulture is difficult, but it’s actually quite simple if you know exactly what to do. With the correct knowledge, anyone can be an expert gardener. You can greatly increase your horticulture skills by applying the suggestions you will read in this article.

TIP! For the best results, select the right kind of soil. Depending on the type of plants you desire in your garden, your natural soil may or may not be appropriate.

If you have a wall or fence that you do not like, plant climbers to mask its appearance. Many climbers can cover the wall or fence in as little as one growing season. You can also train climbers to cover arbors and other things that you want covered, and they will even grow right through trees and shrubs. Some may need to be attached to a support, and others will attach themselves to any surface using their twining stems or tendrils. Climbing roses, honeysuckle, wisteria, clematis, and jasmine are some great plants to try out.

TIP! Plants will respond with maximum growth if they have the amount of CO2 they require. When exposed to high levels of CO2, most types of plants will grow better.

Before you plant anything in your garden, have the soil checked. Consider getting a soil analysis and working on enrichment techniques for giving your garden a vibrant and healthy environment. A lot of Cooperative Extension locations offer this service, and you can prevent ruining a few crops by identifying the specific steps to take.

TIP! Be diligent in your efforts to banishing weeds! Weeds can turn a thriving garden into a total wasteland. White vinegar can be a good solution.

For an unusual, but effective, organic solution to weeding young plants, try “boiling” the weeds away. Any vessel of boiling water that you can carry safely can be used as an organic herbicide. Just pour boiling water directly on top of the weeds cautiously to avoid damaging your plants. The roots of the weeds are damaged by the boiling water which, in turn, inhibits further growth.

TIP! Both cat grass and wheat grass are good for giving your errant feline pause. Offensive smells also work to repel cats and other pesky animals from eating your plants.

You can use natural materials or other plants in your garden to keep away pests. Planting marigolds or onions around the border of your vegetable garden will help repel slugs. You can also mulch around trees and shrubs with wood ash, which drives away insects. Using methods like these eliminates the need for chemical pesticides, which can be harsh or even harmful.

TIP! When mowing your lawn, be careful not to cut the grass too far down. If you leave a bit more height, the grass roots will get deeper, making your lawn stronger.

If you are growing a vegetable garden, you may find that pests can be difficult to control. It’s likely you don’t want to spray pesticides around the vegetables you intend to eat. One way that you can help control garden pests is to remain vigilant. When you catch a potential infestation early, the solution may be as simple as picking the pests off of your plants with your fingers.

TIP! Try dousing weeds in your garden with boiling water to get rid of them. A pot of very hot water is one of the most effective ways you can get rid of the weeds in your garden.

Working in your garden is an excellent way to relax yourself. There are numerous avenues to pursue when attempting to find your personal peace and relaxation. Gardening is a great way to achieve this satisfaction. While you do have to invest a little bit of money, the returns on that are huge. The biggest dividend is the emotional satisfaction of planting and growing greens on your own.

TIP! Irises should be divided. Take clumps that have become overgrown and divvy them up into separate plants.

While you garden, it’s important that you wear the right clothing to protect your skin from the damaging rays of the sun. This includes wide-brimmed hats, sunscreen, and sunglasses. When you protect yourself against the sun’s rays, you are more likely to avoid both skin cancer and sunburn.

TIP! One particular plant should be the focal point of your garden. A focal point in the garden will capture your attention.

Heather can bring helpful critters into your garden. Heather is very attractive to bees, and when bees first emerge in the spring, it is an early source of nectar. Spiders, ground beetles, and other useful insects spend time in undisturbed heather beds. Keeping this is mind, you need to wear gloves when you prune your heather!

TIP! Always protect yourself from the sun when you are outdoors working in the garden; you can do this by wearing clothes that will shield you from the sun. Wear a hat, sunglasses and sunscreen to protect your skin from the damaging effects of the sun.

Asprin will actually help your plants out by killing diseases. To add the aspirin to the plant, dissolve about one tablet and a half into approximately two gallons of fresh water. Simply spray your plants with the mixture, and this will help them fend off various diseases. Apply this solution to your plants every few weeks.

TIP! If you have a cut, be careful about exposing it to soil or gardening chemicals. A cut can become infected if dirt is allowed to enter the cut while gardening.

While gardening you must make sure your knees are protected. Bending for extended time periods causes pain for many people. To get down to plant level without pain, try kneeling instead. Many types of horticulture pads and cushions are available so that avid gardeners can kneel for longer periods of time without experiencing knee pain.

TIP! Go slowly as you plant the seeds. The first step is to moisturize the soil.

If you are interested in sustainable organic gardening, consider keeping part of your property undeveloped so that wildlife can flourish there. Wildlife can help the plants in your garden to thrive, as insects support plant reproduction, while the excrement of many species contains nutrients which can help to fertilize your soil.

TIP! Pine can make surprisingly great mulch. Acidic soil is a favorite of garden plants that are high in acidity.

To be as efficient as possible in the garden, always have your tools handy. You can keep them in a good sized bucket, or wear utility pants that have plenty of large pockets. Have gloves, small shears, a trowel and any other tools you may need on hand to make it simpler to maintain your garden.

TIP! Coffee grounds work great mixed in with your soil. Coffee grounds are rich in nitrogen, an essential nutrient for plant growth.

Use approximately two or three inches of natural, organic material as some mulch in every single flower bed. A thick layer of mulch will prevent weeds, reduce watering needs and fertilize your garden. It will also make your flower beds look more finished.

TIP! Get more value out of your property. One of the best things you can do to increase property value is to have proper landscaping.

Space is important to remember when planting an organic garden. Many people don’t realize exactly how much space a plant needs when it grows. You need to take into account the plant’s size when it is fully grown, as well as allowing space for air circulation between each plant. Plan accordingly and put an appropriate amount of distance between seeds.

Plant Material

TIP! Do some research on botanical insecticides, as they can be effective in controlling pests. Sometimes natural insecticides are more efficient than the synthetic pesticides you can buy.

Your compost pile should contain green plants and dried ones in equal amounts. Green plant material can include old flowers, fruit waste, grass clippings, vegetable waste, and leaves. Dried plant material includes straw, sawdust, shredded paper, cardboard, and dried and cut-up woody material. Avoid using animal manure, charcoal or diseased plants in your compost.

TIP! Use a soaker hose to water your organic garden. This special type of hose allows water to slowly ooze out; the water then directly targets the roots and spares the leaves.

Horticulture isn’t hard to do if you understand what to do and how to use the tools you have. By following our tips, you will have all the information you need to create a beautiful showplace of a garden.

Stuck With Your Organic Garden? Use These Tips To Find Your Way!

~ craigb

TIP! You need to consider beginning the plants into pots. Then, you can plant the seedlings into your garden.

Horticulture is a great pastime and could bring many benefits. Whether veggies or flowers are your passion, the very act of creating a garden is immensely rewarding. Read this article to learn some important tips about horticulture, and taking care of your growing plants.

TIP! Plant slug-proof perennials. Slugs and snails are voracious eaters that can destroy a plant literally overnight.

Fight pests before you even plant, by getting your soil in shape. Healthy soil leads to healthy plants with more strength to deflect those insects and various diseases. To give your garden the best chance of yielding the healthiest plants, start with a high-quality soil that has fewer chemicals which over time will accumulate salts.

TIP! Make sure air can circulate around your plants, and keep leaves moisture-free. Many diseases, as well as most parasites, prefer moisture.

Climbing plants and vines are great for covering fences and wall structures. Climbing plants are great for hiding hideous fences and walls, and they usually grow within a season. You may also be interested in training them over an arbor or trellis. You can also grow them among existing landscape trees and plants. Some climbers you plant will have to be tied off and supported, but others have no problem attaching themselves to any surface using their tendrils or twining stems There are many varieties you can choose from. Honeysuckle, climbing roses and jasmine are among the best.

TIP! Good green gardens begin from seeds, not plants. This is a more sustainable way to start a garden.

When it’s autumn, you know what that means. It’s time to plant fall vegetables! Try planting your fall veggies, especially leafy greens, inside of a pumpkin! Simply carve open the top of a pumpkin so you can remove the innards, and then spray inside and out with something like Wilt-Pruf to prevent pumpkin rotting. You are prepared to plant after this is done.

TIP! Your vegetable plants need about two or three inches of mulch placed around them. Mulch has a nice moisturizing effect on the soil it’s spread over.

If your plants do not grown very tall, try buying some knee pads used for horticulture. Your knees will take a beating if you spend a great deal of time on the ground while tending your garden. You can be more comfortable in the garden with a good pair of gardening knee pads.

TIP! When deciding on which plants to include in your landscaping projects, consider evergreens which produce colorful berries. These help to give your garden nice looking color, even during winter when most vegetation is colorless.

Irises can benefit from being separated. Try increasing your stock by dividing your overgrown clumps of plants. If you find any dead irises in your garden, immediately pull up the bulbs. The bulbs will automatically split in you hand, and will likely flower the year after being replanted. Rhizomes should be divided using a knife. Cut the center out of each rhizome but save the pieces. Each piece needs one strong offshoot. Replant them immediately.

TIP! When you’re dealing with a veggie garden, pest control may be difficult. Avoid spraying harsh chemicals on fruits and vegetables destined for your table.

You can keep pests away from your garden by using other plants or natural materials. For example, if you plant onions or marigolds along the edges of your vegetable garden, you can ward off slugs. If you place wood ash around the base portion of a shrub seedling or tree, you will ward off insect pests. These methods are environmentally-friendly and mean you do not have to resort to harsh chemicals.

TIP! When you are gardening out in the sun, wear the proper clothing so that you do not get any type of sun damage. Wear sunglasses and hats with wide brims, and apply sunscreen.

If you are planning on growing peas, start them indoors before putting them outdoors in your garden. Install your plants inside and wait for the seeds to germinate. Seedlings will grow stronger, and withstand attacks from pests and diseases a lot better. You can transplant the seedlings outside after they are sturdy enough.

TIP! I

Create a focal point in your garden with a unique plant. In any good garden design, a focal point will grab the eye and hold it there. Many times, it’s just a plant that differs from the surrounding plants.

TIP! Keep the temperature in your home between 65 and 75 degrees Fahrenheit, if you are keeping or growing any kind of plant in your house. They need this type of warm temperature in order to grow.

An English garden mixes plants of various kinds and sizes close together, which helps to give it a more multi-dimensional feel. A uniform and flat bed is created by using plants that are the same height.

TIP! The lack of pesticides in organic gardens is a major benefit. Of course, organic produce is much healthier, but you should still thoroughly rinse it before consumption.

Indoor plants need an environment that is between 65 and 75 degrees. The plants need this temperature in order to effectively grow. These temperatures may not be comfortable for you, however. As an alternative to keeping your entire home that warm, consider getting heat lamps for your organic plants.

TIP! Rotate the plants that you grow each year by switching up where you plant them. Planting the same plants in the same place each year can promote the growth of disease and fungus.

Do not be in a rush when you plant your seeds. Water the soil first. Lay out your seeds, and make sure that they will have enough room to grow. Seeds should be buried about three times deeper than their own size. There are some varieties of seed that are not planted underground since they require light to grow.

TIP! When you mulch your garden beds with organic material, make sure it’s about three inches deep. Mulch adds nutrients to your soil, prohibits water evaporation, inhibits weeds and creates a finished look to your flower or gardening beds.

In your flower beds and garden, utilize a few inches of organic mulch. This will help to inhibit weed growth, helps to lock in moisture, and adds needed nutrients to your organic garden. Mulch will also improve the general appearance of your flower beds.

TIP! What plants are native to your area? Plan your landscaping based primarily on native bushes, flowers and grasses. If you chose plants that will thrive well in your environment, the need for having to purchase fertilizers and pesticides could be eliminated.

Do you prefer to eliminate weeds without the use of harmful chemicals? A layer of newspaper, several pages thick, placed over the ground will do the trick. Weeds need sunlight to grow. Newspapers placed atop weeds will starve them from light and they will eventually die. Newspapers easily break down over a period of time, and eventually become a portion of the compost. It can look more attractive by adding a mulch layer.

TIP! If you’ve spent even a little time gardening, you’re probably well aware of how beneficial compost can be, but how much do you know about what it contains? Compost is comprised of a mixture of grass clippings, leaves, wood-chips, straw, twigs and produce scraps that have broken down into a kind of soil. Making your own compost is much safer than using commercial fertilizer.

In order to construct your raised beds, make use of untreated brick, stone, wood and other materials. Any wood you use needs to be untreated and resistant to rot. Good choices are cedar, locust and cypress. Never use compost from treated woods in a veggie garden; the chemicals can contaminate your food. If you must use treated wood, create a barrier, such as with plastic sheet.

TIP! Look for high-value crops. Of course, what you value the most might not be worth much to someone else.

As was mentioned earlier in the article, horticulture can be a truly rewarding hobby. The fruits of your time and labors fail to stop yielding, regardless of the dividends are vibrant color outside your windows or fresh foods on your kitchen table. By assimilating what you learned about horticulture into your routine, you can enjoy gardening and all it has to offer.

Finding Time To Garden In Your Busy LIfe

~ craigb

TIP! Choose perennials that are not vulnerable to attack by slugs. Snails and slugs can destroy plants in just one night.

Gardening is a relaxing hobby, and it does not cost a lot of money. A backyard garden can mean hours of quality time together for families, or a peaceful and productive outing for friends. It can be a fun way to teach children how things grow from a seed to something they can eat. Gardening also teaches life lessons and can make you truly appreciate the wonders of nature. The advice in this article will help you to view horticulture as a relaxing hobby rather than a chore, and when you enjoy it yourself, it will be easy to encourage others to join in.

TIP! If you want to cover up your walls or fences, make sure that you specifically use climbing plants. Climbing foliage is a great way to disguise unsightly features on your property, sometimes in the span of just one season.

You will need to properly lay sod. Start by preparing your soil with care. Pull all the weeds and loosen the soil so the new roots can take easily. The next step is compacting your soil and carefully leveling it. The soil should always receive adequate moisture. You should lay your sod staggered, and have the joints offset. Firm the sod down to form a flat, even surface, and fill in any gaps between the sod with a little soil. After two weeks of daily watering, the sod should be rooted; at this time, it is now safe to walk on it.

TIP! Your vegetable plants need about two or three inches of mulch placed around them. When you place mulch around your plants, it keeps the ground more moist.

Having healthy soil in your garden is your number one defense against pests! Healthy plants are naturally more resilient against pests and disease. To give your garden the best chance of yielding the healthiest plants, start with a high-quality soil that has fewer chemicals which over time will accumulate salts.

Baking Soda

TIP! When it comes to harvesting your vegetables, know when the optimal time is to do so. Different veggies have different windows of time in which they should be picked; it is during this period that the vegetable is most flavorful.

Don’t bother with expensive chemicals if your plants start to sport powdery mildew. Combine a bit of liquid soap and some baking soda with water. Once every week, you should spray the mixture on your plants; the mildew will disappear shortly thereafter. Your plants will not be harmed by the baking soda, but the mildew will definitely not like it!

TIP! The nutrients from vegetables can help. If you steam your vegetables, you can pour the remaining water around them.

It is important to choose the right type of soil if you want to achieve the best results. Different types of plants require different soils, so check soil requirements for the ones you choose. It can happen where one artificial area is designated to have just one type of soil.

TIP! Heather can be planted to attract useful insects. Heather is quite alluring to bees; when spring comes along, it provides the bees with a source of nectar early.

Don’t mow your grass too short. If you leave some of the grass when you mow, the roots grow further into the ground, which makes the grass less prone to drying and other hazards. The shorter the grass is, the shorter the roots are, which leads to a dry lawn.

TIP! Let your children be involved in your organic gardening efforts. A garden can teach your children about the joy of rewarding work and nutrition while bonding.

A green garden needs to begin with seeds, not plants. When you grow a new garden, start the environmental way, from seeds. Most nurseries use a lot of plastic that is not recycled. If you want to buy plants, find a nurseries that uses organic methods or grow your plants from seeds.

TIP! To be as efficient as possible in the garden, always have your tools handy. Use a bucket large enough to hold all your equipment or wear pants with multiple pockets.

Interested in using Mother Nature to keep pests at bay the natural way? Plant marigolds or onions around other vegetables to keep slugs away from them. Wood ash used as mulch helps repel pests as well when around shrubs and trees. Natural materials and plants can be just as effective as chemical pesticides at keeping unwanted visitors out of your garden!

TIP! Make gardening efficient. Do not spend half an hour looking everywhere for a tool.

When gardening, avoid the use of strong broad-spectrum pesticides. These kinds of pesticides kill the helpful insects that destroy the pests. Since these pesticides often affect the good bugs more than the bad, using them can actually increase your pest problem. This will leave you using even more pesticides to fix the problem.

TIP! Get the most out of what you have, and your property. Landscaping has a powerful home improvement return.

Keep your pet out of the garden with old perfume or aftershave in the grass. This kind of scent is going to mask the scents your dog is attracted to. If your dog has no interesting smell to follow, the garden will not be a tempting place.

TIP! While organic gardening takes a little extra work, it is healthier and more gratifying than regular gardening. Although the chemicals may claim greater results, using organic methods to tame your garden will do less harm to your body, and the environment.

In the hottest time of the day, most vegetables are less firm; even the act of harvesting the veggies may cause bruising. For vegetables growing on vines, cut them carefully rather than twisting them off to avoid damage to the plant.

TIP! Keep the soil healthy by adding mulch. The mulch will protect the soil underneath it.

Water containing some aspirin helps your plants fight illness. Dissolve one and one-half aspirins into two gallons of cold water, and use it to fortify your plants. You can just spray this on them to fight disease. Use this solution once in every three-week period.

TIP! Any type of gardening can be a fun hobby because it brings you closer to the earth, but creating an organic garden is really good at this. Approaching gardening in this way will enlighten you in the entire process from beginning to end.

Having a garden of perennials can be an easy and quick process. Use a spade to dig into the turf, turn the turf over, then spread the area with approximately three inches of wood chips. Allow for at least 10 days to pass, then plant the perennials that you just purchased.

TIP! Make sure you look at what lies beneath in order to start off on the right foot. Even if the plant looks lush on the upper leaves, the root system can have problems.

Top all your garden beds with several inches of organic mulch. Mulch discourages weeds and helps retain moisture while adding nutrients to your flower bed. It also adds a uniform and cohesive look to the garden.

Pine Needles

TIP! Understand the variety of natural gardening solutions that can be used to tend an organic garden. For example, purchase organic fertilizer rather than chemical fertilizer.

Believe it or not, pine makes great mulch. Many types of plants thrive in soil that has high acid levels. Pine needles are an excellent form of mulch for these types of plants. Sprinkle the pine needles over your beds. As the needles decompose, they add to the acid level in the soil.

TIP! This is a very easy organic gardening tip! Plan your landscaping based primarily on native bushes, flowers and grasses. If you select plants able to thrive in your climate, soil variety and indigenous neighbors, you can cut the amount of fertilizer and pesticide you might need.

Get added value from your property. You can get a very high return from improving your home through landscaping. Some great plants can increase your home value tremendously. Different plants thrive in different environments, so be sure to invest in plants that are low in moisture, and will flourish in your garden.

TIP! If you are going to plant a shrub or a tree in your garden, dig an ugly hole for it to go in. If you place a plant in a hole with glazed sides, the roots will not be able to penetrate the soil properly.

It can be hard at times to grow your own organic garden, yet it is so much more rewarding in the end. Growing organic is healthier and just overall better for you. Make sure you try your best to grow organic as opposed to adding chemicals to your garden.

TIP! Keep the soil healthy for optimum plant health so they can combat disease, and even destruction caused by insects. Pests may still be present, but they will not inflict damage on your plants.

Regardless of whether you plan to garden on your own or in a group, these tips will still be beneficial to you. You’ll find ways here to bring the joy of gardening to friends and family or to learn more in-depth understanding of your garden for yourself.

Easy Ways To Improve Your Garden At Home

~ craigb

TIP! Deciduous shrubs should be protected from the elements. Delicate shrubs that are sitting in pots should be sheltered from the cold weather.

Every gardener dreams of having a thriving garden. For some, this is a reality, for some it isn’t. If you want to achieve your dream of a beautiful garden, there are a few things to learn. There is much fun and much work involved in gardening. Following are a few tips that can make your horticulture time more fun and less work.

TIP! If you would love to have access to fresh and healthy mint leaves from your own back yard, but dread the way the plant spreads so quickly, worry not. You can control their growth by placing them into a pot or container.

If you want to keep your garden free of pests, start with healthy soil! If you are producing healthy plants, they will be stronger and better able to resist bugs and diseases. Start your garden off with a high-quality soil that you can enrich over time.

TIP! An excellent garden shouldn’t begin from plants. They should begin from seeds.

Transfer your favorite plants indoors to rescue them from the winter frosts. You can save the ones you spent the most money on or the ones that are resistant. Dig the plant up without damaging the roots and place it a big enough pot.

TIP! There are natural steps you can take to keep garden pests at bay. Plant marigolds or onions around other vegetables to keep slugs away from them.

Irises should be divided. You can divide those overgrown clumps and increase the amount of irises you have. When the foliage has died off, it is time to harvest the iris bulbs. The bulbs will split up naturally in your hand, and when replanted, will often flower the next year. You can divide rhizomes with a knife. Cut healthy pieces from the root stalk and throw out the dead center. There needs to be a minimum of one healthy offshoot on each of the new sprout sections. You also need to make sure that you replant the new pieces as soon as possible.

TIP! Two items you need to invest in when working in a garden are a wheelbarrow, and a kneeling stool. It can be very uncomfortable on the knees when working so close to the ground, so a light, portable stool makes gardening easier.

A great garden starts from the seeds and not from the plants. It’s better for the environment to begin from seed. The problem is those plastic trays which end up in landfills and are not generally recycled. Plants in organic packagingn or seeds sown in your garden, are fine .

TIP! Know the ideal times to harvest each of the vegetables you plant. There is a specific time to pick every sort of vegetable in order to maximize its taste and cooking utility.

An easy, inexpensive way to give them nutrients is to pour the leftover water from your steamed vegetables into the soil. For gardenias and rhododendrons, try putting your used coffee grounds or tea bags in the soil so they may acquire the acid they need for proper growth. Spray your plants with a 9:1 mixture of water and hydrogen peroxide to eliminate fungus without harming your plants.

TIP! Water your garden regularly and smartly. Use a type of soaker hose so that you don’t need to do individual waterings with the hose nozzle, or be refilling a watering can constantly.

Look for targeted pesticides instead of using popular but damaging broad-spectrum products. It’s true these pesticides kill the pests you don’t want, but they also lay waste to the advantageous insects that make those same pests a regular meal. 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. As a result, gardeners often have to resort to using more toxic pesticides to get rid of garden pests.

TIP! To make a creative English garden, include many different kinds of plants and vary their height in the same garden bed. If you use plants of similar heights, the result will be pretty boring and uniform.

Gardening helps with relaxation. Many hobbies can help you to relax and attain inner peace. One of the best ways to do this is gardening. There are numerous returns based on a very small monetary investment. The best thing you will get out of it is peace and happiness knowing that you can grow your own garden.

TIP! Allow your children to actively participate in planting your organic garden. An organic garden will help your child learn more about plants and insects, and it’s a wonderful bonding time while growing healthy produce.

Choose one stand-out plant to be a focal point. The best garden designers always use a focal point that draws the eye. A perfect example of a focal point is using a plant that doesn’t bear any resemblance to those that surround it.

TIP! For the best results, properly prepare your garden for planting. First, you should loosen the soil, and ensure that it is sufficiently moist.

Your children will enjoy being involved with your organic horticulture endeavors. Horticulture helps your children learn about biological processes and serves as a social activity that helps the family grow closer while eating healthier.

TIP! When planting seeds in containers, remember that the depth should be at least three times bigger than the seed. Some seeds need to be in direct sunlight, though, so you need to know information about each type of seed.

Consider planting strawberries, especially ones that are everbearing, for your garden if you have small children. A lot of children not only love to pick out their own fruit but they also love to learn about it as well.

TIP! Every year, you should plant different things and in different places. Planting your garden in the same area every year will allow fungus to grow there as well.

If you are growing plants organically indoors, you have to consider the light that they are getting. If you want indoor plants, choose specimens that can grow in relatively dark places. If your plants still need more light, there are always artificial light sources that you can use.

Coffee Grounds

TIP! Do some research on the botanical insecticides that are available in your area, many of which are extremely helpful in preventing pests from invading your garden. Oftentimes, natural insecticides work better than synthetically produced pesticides.

Coffee grounds are good for your soil. Coffee grounds have a lot of nutrients that plants can use. Many times, nitrogen is a limiting nutrient in soils. Adding coffee grounds or compost can add nitrogen to your soils will help your plants grow tall and healthy.

TIP! You need to make a bed that is efficient for your plants. You do this by slicing underneath the turf using an appropriate tool.

If you’d like to create a raised bed, use materials like brick, stone, or untreated wood. If you choose to use wood, make sure it is naturally rot resistant and untreated. Optimal wood choices that fit these criteria are locust, cypress, and cedar. Never use compost from treated woods in a veggie garden; the chemicals can contaminate your food. If you have built a bed with treated lumber already, use a barrier such as plastic to line the bed.

TIP! Organic gardening has been made much easier! Try planning your landscape with native flowers, bushes, and grasses. By choosing plants that coexist easily with your soil types, climate and neighboring plants, you will reduce the need for additional fertilizers and natural pesticides.

Though organic farming can present challenges that traditional farming with the use of chemicals does not, harvesting the crops is reward itself for the hard work. Chemical giants claim miracles, but those miracle crops come at a price to whoever eats the produce.

TIP! Plants growing in healthy soil will be healthier than plants growing in soil that is insect ridden and diseased. Pests may still be present, but they will not inflict damage on your plants.

With these tips, you’re better equipped to grow the most beautiful garden you can imagine. In learning how to create your dream garden, you’ll also be growing as a person. That’s because learning how to nurture your plants will not only help you reach the goal of having a great garden, but it will help you learn to nurture yourself.

Tips And Techniques You Should Learn For Organic Gardening

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TIP! Think about planting your seeds in indoor pots and then transplanting them to your garden once they become seedlings. Doing this will increase the survival rate of all your outdoor plants.

Horticulture is an activity that has been enjoyed for thousands of years. Some people do it as a hobby, while others do it to feed their family. This article provides horticulture tips which can help you improve your own garden.

TIP! Turn the handles of tools you have on hand into rulers to make measurements in your garden. Tools with long handles, such as rakes, hoes, and shovels can be converted into handy measuring sticks.

You will need to properly lay sod. The soil requires preparation before sod can be laid. Take out any weeds, then mix up the soil into a tilth that is fine. The next step is compacting your soil and carefully leveling it. Make sure the soil is moist all the way through. Lay the sod down in alternated rows, keeping the joints set off from one another. Make sure the sod is firmly placed to ensure a surface that is sufficiently flat and even. Also, make sure to use soil to fill the areas where there are gaps in the sod. Keep the sod moist and avoid walking on it until it is well-rooted, usually two to three weeks.

TIP! Plant perennials that are slug-proof. Snails and slugs can do irreparable damage to your garden in a single night.

Choose plants that will give you the most yield at harvest time. A plant that is resistant to disease, or one that is tolerant of extreme weather, will deliver a higher yield.

TIP! For the best results, select the right kind of soil. The soil that is already in your garden might need amending, depending on the particular plants that you want to grow.

Don’t bother with expensive chemicals if your plants start to sport powdery mildew. A great home remedy is to mix baking soda with water and a little bit of liquid soap. Then, spray this mixture onto all of your infected plants once each week till the mildew is gone. This solution is perfectly safe for your plants and gently treats mildew in a short amount of time.

TIP! If your soil has a problem with high alkaline levels, mixing in some coffee grounds that have been used is a great solution. Using coffee grounds is a less expensive way to make your soil more acidic than trying to replace your topsoil.

When gardening, be watchful of stink bugs, particularly in the fall. They enjoy tomatoes, peppers, beans, and many different varieties of fruits. If you do not keep them under control, the damage can be excessive, so keep an eye out for them.

TIP! You should divide irises. Try increasing your stock by dividing your overgrown clumps of plants.

When it’s autumn, you know what that means. It’s time to plant fall vegetables! A pumpkin makes a great container, and costs less than a clay pot. To use the pumpkin as a planter, it is important to prevent it from rotting. To do this, you simply spray the entire inside and any edges with a gardening spray called Wilt-Pruf. This is done after you’ve opened the pumpkin at the top and removed the insides. Once this is done, you are ready to plant!

Knee Pads

TIP! If you’re a new gardener, it is vital that you follow the instructions when it comes to your chemicals and tools. If you miss this easy step, you run the risk of harming yourself due to the chemicals that can irritate your skin.

If you have a lot of low-growing plants to take care of in your garden, purchase gardening knee pads. Spending lots of time on your knees while gardening can injure them and create lasting pain. Using a pair of quality knee pads designed for gardening can provide your knees with cushioning and support, preventing any discomfort.

TIP! Consider planting evergreens that produce berries in your yard. This will aid in giving your garden great color, even during the winter when other plants have lost their colors.

The best gardens will evolve from original seeds rather than transplanted items. As a green-friendly gardener, you always want to use seeds to start your new plot. 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.

TIP! Before you start working in your garden, purchase a wheelbarrow and a good kneeling stool. Working in the garden means you’ll be down on the ground a lot.

See to it that you fertilize your garden. Manure is very effective in helping plants grow, although it is important to use a commercially composted product to minimize the risk of pathogens. There are many fertilization methods out there; the type is not quite as important as actually using something.

TIP! Water your garden carefully. To save time, use a soaker type hose so each plant doesn’t need individual watering from the nozzle of a hose or a little watering can.

Pest control is very difficult if you are dealing with your veggie garden. Avoid spraying harsh chemicals on fruits and vegetables destined for your table. The key to keeping garden pests at bay is to be relentless. When you catch a potential infestation early, the solution may be as simple as picking the pests off of your plants with your fingers.

TIP! Heat softens vegetables, so you can damage them immensely by pulling them out of the ground or cutting them off vines when it is too hot outside. Twisting could cause plant damage, so ensure that produce is removed by cutting only.

Are you a parent? If you are, try planting some strawberries like everbearing strawberries in your garden. Kids delight in the idea of growing things and seeing how things change over time. Explain every step to your child and he or she will hang on to your every word.

TIP! If you want a sustainable garden, leave a part of it undisturbed for wildlife to enjoy. This will also benefit your cultivated gardens as it will attract more bugs and birds to pollinate your other plants.

A mixture of aspirin and water can help your ailing plants. Dissolve 1 aspirin per gallon of water for a plant disease fighting solution. The solution can then be used to spray the entire plant, and will offer protection naturally. Apply at three week intervals.

TIP! Make sure any open cuts are completely protected from dirt and chemicals before you go to work in your garden. If dirt and grime get into a cut while gardening, it may become infected.

Take the time needed to plant your seeds. Begin by adding moisture to the soil. Next, you should spread the seeds evenly so they can grow with room. Seeds need to be buried as deep as three times the seed size. There are some varieties of seed that are not planted underground since they require light to grow.

TIP! Create a space perfect for any perennial garden with this easy method. Simply slice into the ground with a spade, flip the top layer of soil, and then cover it with several inches of wood chips.

Once your seeds have germinated they will not need to be kept as warm as before. As your plants grow, move them away from the source of heat. Also, remove plastic coverings from the tops of your growing containers to keep them from becoming too warm or humid. Check on your seeds often so you catch them when they are ready.

TIP! Plastic bags can be kept on hand and reused to slip over your dirty gardening shoes. This allows you to keep going, getting back to your garden quickly.

As previously discussed, gardening has been enjoyed by civilizations for centuries. Many years ago, it was actually a way of sustaining the family. Today, it can be done for fun or to save money on fresh groceries. The ideas, wisdom and knowledge shared with you in this article are sure to enhance your appreciation for horticulture, regardless of your personal motivations for gardening in the first place. Enjoy your garden!