Author: craigb

Looking To Improve Your Garden? Read On For Helpful Tips!

~ craigb

TIP! Before you even place the first plant in your garden, you need to check the composition of your soil. For a tiny fee, a soil analysis may be done, and based on the results, the soil can support a growing garden by you enriching it as necessary.

You are now prepared to embark on the journey of making a garden that is organic and healthy. Now’s the time! This article is packed with tips and inspiration that will allow you to better understand the basics of organic horticulture. Read on!

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.

When gardening in the fall, you need to be watching for stink bugs. Stinkbugs are most prevalent on tomatoes, beans and peppers. If left unattended, your garden could be ravaged by these bugs, so you need to proactively keep their population under control.

TIP! A quality garden must be grown from seeds. Not only is this more of an effective method for gardening, but it’s also more environmentally-friendly.

A set of knee pads is a great investment if your garden has a lot of low-growing plants. Horticulture can really put a lot of pressure on your knees that will leave you cramped and uncomfortable. Using a pair of quality knee pads designed for gardening can provide your knees with cushioning and support, preventing any discomfort.

TIP! Apply organic mulch generously around your vegetable plants. Mulching helps keep moisture in the soil.

There are natural steps you can take to keep garden pests at bay. A border of onions or marigolds around a vegetable garden can repel slug. Insects can be deterred if you use wood ash instead of mulch around trees and shrub seedlings. These are proven methods without having to use harsh chemical pesticides.

TIP! Look for targeted pesticides instead of using popular but damaging broad-spectrum products. This particular type of pesticide will also kill the useful insects that consume the pests.

If you are gardening for the first time ever, read and follow all directions and instructions that come with your chemicals and tools. You might end up damaging your plants or getting a skin irritation. Following instructions for the use of harsh chemicals can keep you safe from serious injury.

TIP! You can create the look and feel of an English garden by mixing different plants of varying heights throughout your flower bed. Using plants of all the same kind or size, can result in a boring, and unoriginal garden.

Think about adding some berry-producing evergreens to your landscaping. The evergreens will add some color to your garden or yard, especially during the winter, when other plants have died or lost color. Some examples of evergreens that produce berries and color in the wintertime are the American Holly, Cranberrybush, the Winterberry and the Common Snowberry.

TIP! Are you a parent? If you are, try planting some strawberries like everbearing strawberries in your garden. 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.

When gardening outdoors, you must always wear sunscreen and appropriate attire; this will help to protect you from sun damage. Make sure you wear a wide brimmed hat along with sunglasses and plenty of sunscreen. When you protect yourself against the sun’s rays, you are more likely to avoid both skin cancer and sunburn.

TIP! If you choose to use organic methods to care for your houseplants, you should bear in mind that certain plants require more sunlight than others. If your windows are small or receive little light due to their positioning, a plant that requires little sunlight will be more comfortable and healthy.

Always completely protect any cuts, or wait until they are healed before attempting any horticulture, as this can introduce dirt or chemicals into the wound. A cut could get infected if it gets in contact with grime and dirt in the garden. The key is to use bandages capable of covering cuts in their entirety.

TIP! Do not plant your seeds in a rush. Begin by adding moisture to the dirt.

It is a great idea to help your garden by ruffling seedlings, either with cardboard or with your own hands, a couple of times each day. This will sound a bit strange. However, it has been proven to cause plants to grow larger.

TIP! Your seeds, once they begin sprouting, don’t need the same amount of warmth as they did before. Take your plants out of the heat once they start to grow.

If plants are inundated with too much water, it becomes more difficult for roots to pull nutrients out of the soil. Don’t go ahead and water your garden if the weather report predicts rain that day. If rain is on its way, you are probably safe to skip watering duties for the day.

TIP! In your flower beds and garden, utilize a few inches of organic mulch. Mulch will minimize weed growth and maximize nutrients and moisture.

Make sure you look at what lies beneath in order to start off on the right foot. 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 lush starts remain on the baby plants for several weeks, crippling their growth until the starts are gone.

TIP! Put coffee grounds in your soil. Plants can use the nitrogenous nutrients found in coffee grounds.

Stagger you vegetable planting so you will have a new harvest every month or so. This staggers your harvest over time. Additionally, if weather or something else ruins one harvest, you still get a second chance to get a good tomato crop.

TIP! Old laundry baskets are handy tools at harvest time. An old laundry basket makes an excellent strainer for cleaning your produce.

Using a soaker hose to water your organic garden is the best method. 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. Instead of hand watering the plants, which can be tiresome, go with a soaker hose that uses less water.

TIP! Ruffle the seedlings carefully with a piece of soft cardboard or your hands twice a day. This may sound strange, but research has proven that doing this will help your plants grow bigger than if they were not petted at all.

Try to use at least three inches of some organic material for mulching trees and flowers. Doing this will benefit the environment, as well as reduce your water bills. The proper amount of mulch also makes for a very attractive appearance.

TIP! Use alcohol to help control the slugs in your garden by fashioning a beer trap. Start by burying a wide-mouth jar in the soil, ensuring that the rim of the jar is just at the soil’s surface.

Make sure your trees are in a location near your house so that they give you a lot of shade. Your energy bills will reflect this maneuver as your home will be naturally cooled by the shade from the tree.

TIP! You can find a lot of information on how to keep any unwanted pests away by researching local botanical insecticides. Natural insecticides can sometimes kill pests more powerfully than synthetic pesticides.

Save your rainwater. It can help you to keep your garden healthy. Use barrels or buckets to catch water for your garden. This way, you don’t need to spend money on water for your garden. One of the few things in life that is both free and plentiful is rainwater! You will find that your plants thrive on rainwater.

Organic Garden

TIP! Be cautious of what you are using on your garden. There are many organic fertilizers and pesticides available which are much better options than chemicals.

Now you know a bit more about what you are doing in starting an organic garden. You have just learned a lot of great information. Use the advice you have been given to make your organic garden bloom like never before.

Grow A Successful Garden By Following These Hints

~ craigb

TIP! Clay is difficult to dig through with a shovel, as it is sticky and compact. Take the hard work out of using a shovel in clay soil by rubbing a light coat of car or floor wax over the surface with a clean cloth and buff the surface.

Growing your own fruits and vegetables is an easy thing to do if you use proper techniques. It shows that you care about taking care of your plants and that you want them to grow up healthy. This is something that is admirable. Improvement to any skill can always be achieved, and this skill set is no different. Below are some tips to help.

TIP! Try using annuals and biennials to add color to your flower beds, and brighten them up. These fast growing flowers let you change how your flower bed looks season to season.

A garden needs the right type of soil to grow properly. An inexpensive soil report can be used to adjust soil nutrients to optimum levels, which will ensure your garden thrives. Many Cooperative Extension offices will provide this service, and it is well worth knowing exactly what the soil needs to avoid ruining a crop or two.

TIP! If you have any mildew on the plants, do not go out and buy anything. All you need to do is mix baking soda with a tiny bit of liquid soap in with some water.

Before you plant seeds, pre-soak them for a night somewhere dark. Place some seeds in your smaller pots and add water almost to the brim. This will keep seeds hydrated and help them to grow faster. The seeds will now have a greater chance of maturing and surviving.

Coffee Grounds

TIP! One way to correct your soil’s alkalinity is by amending your soil with used coffee grounds. Basically, the grounds resupply the soil with acid.

For areas with high alkaline, mix coffee grounds into the soil. Used coffee grounds will add acidity, helping to optimize the soil’s pH. You will discover that your vegetables are more flavorful than ever before.

TIP! Try dousing weeds in your garden with boiling water to get rid of them. Considering that boiling water is rather safe, you don’t have to worry about toxins in your soil or at your dinner table.

The best way to start a garden is from first principles: seeds. Not only is this more of an effective method for gardening, but it’s also more environmentally-friendly. Many of the plastics used for horticulture simply end up going in the trash and clogging land fills. An environmentally-friendly garden is started with seeds or plants grown in organic pots.

TIP! There are natural steps you can take to keep garden pests at bay. For example, slugs can be deterred by the presence of marigolds or onions.

Know when is the best time to harvest your vegetables. There is a specific time to pick every sort of vegetable in order to maximize its taste and cooking utility. 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. Educate yourself about the best time to harvest your veggies.

TIP! A touch of organic mulch will boost the potential of the vegetable plants in your garden. The soil around plants can stay damper through the use of mulch.

When tending a vegetable garden, you might find that pest control is a bit difficult. Avoid using a bunch of harsh chemical pesticides in your garden. Don’t forget you intend on eating these vegetables. There is only one way to effectively control pests in your garden, and that is to stay vigilant in your efforts. In many cases, you can simply remove the pests from your plants by picking them off.

TIP! Scent the grass around your garden with old perfume or discarded aftershave to prevent your dog from wandering into your garden. This will help mask the scents that attract your dog, and will make your garden a less interesting place for your pet to be.

Try to relax with horticulture. There are a variety of ways to achieve a state of inner peace. Gardening is a great way to just kick back, chill out, and enjoy your time with nature. It requires a small monetary investment and has numerous returns. The biggest dividend is the emotional satisfaction of planting and growing greens on your own.

Involve your children in horticulture. Growing a garden is a great way to teach your children about nature while allowing you to have time to bond with them.

TIP! After your seeds have sprouted, heat lamps are not needed. Move your plants away from the heat as they grow.

Make sure you have your gardening tools near you, so you can maximize your gardening efficiency. Use a large bucket, or wear rugged pants with several pockets. If you have your pruning shears, spade, trowel and gloves handy, you will be able to get your gardening chores done much more quickly.

TIP! Top all your garden beds with several inches of organic mulch. Doing this keeps weeds down, keeps the moisture in your plants, and gives more nutrients to the plants.

You should work efficiently, instead of working hard in your garden, to simplify things. Wasting time finding tools is inefficient horticulture. Get all of your tools together before you go into your garden, then place them in a safe spot when you are finished with them. You can use a tool belt for this purpose, or choose pants that contain several large pockets.

TIP! An old laundry basket makes a great way to gather your harvest. You can also use a laundry basket as a strainer.

Pine makes a much better mulch than you might think. Acidic soil is a favorite of garden plants that are high in acidity. There is no better, or easier, way to make your acid-loving plants happy then to use pine needles you already have on your beds. Spread the needles over the beds in a layer that is approximately 2-inches deep. Over time, the needles will begin to decay, supplying the soil with acid as they do.

TIP! A good way to plant seeds is in containers. Plant them three times as deep as their overall size.

Would you like to kill those obnoxious weeds naturally? Try using several newspaper layers to control weeds. Weeds can only grow in sunlight. When you put newspaper over them, they suffocate from lack of sunlight. In time, the newspaper will decompose into the soil. Covering the newspaper with mulch will help your garden to be more pleasing to the eye.

Organic fruits and vegetables grow without being exposed to pesticides and other chemicals. This provides benefits for your family, but you ought to double check for pests.

TIP! One of the best parts about using foods that are organic or from organic gardens is that they do not have any type of pesticides used on them. While this is great, you still need to check your produce for any bugs or other pests.

It only takes a few simple steps to whip up an amazing garden for all of your perennials. Simply use a spade to cut underneath your turf, then flip the turf over and spread a few inches worth of wood chips across the area. In about 2 weeks, you will be able to plant flowers in your new bed.

TIP! A good tip for an organic garden with tomatoes, is to plant an additional set of tomatoes once three weeks have passed since you planted the original ones. The reason is, this will prevent your entire harvest from coming in all at once.

You have the tools, the products, and the skill set to apply those tips to your organic garden. Awesome! These tips should provide you with a good basis for your gardening. Hopefully, this article has provided you with a new technique that you can utilize in your organic garden.

Grow Healthy With These Tips On Growing An Organic Garden

~ craigb

TIP! Start your plants in some pots and plant its seedlings in the garden. This increases the chance that your plants will survive to adulthood.

Growing your own organic fruits and vegetables is a great way to save money and adopt a healthier diet, but it also requires efforts from you. As well, there are a lot of choices when it comes to seeds. Here are a few tips and techniques you can use to get started in your own organic garden.

TIP! Plant perennials that are resistant to slug and snail infestations. Your plants can be destroyed by slugs and snails overnight.

If you work with clay soil, you have probably found using a shovel very frustrating and exhausting. Use a thin coat of floor or car wax on your shovel, then buff it with a nice clean cloth to make dealing with clay soil easier. This will both make the clay fall off of the surface, and prevent the surface from rusting.

TIP! Pre-soak seeds overnight in a dark place. Place some seeds into a small container, then fill it with water until it is almost to the top.

Start your seedlings in pots inside and then transplant them into your garden. Doing this will increase the survival rate of all your outdoor plants. This also enables you to close gaps between planting cycles. Once the fully matured plants are removed, the seedlings can be planted.

Knee Pads

TIP! Fertilizing is an important step in preparing your garden soil. 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.

If your garden contains lots of short plants, purchase some horticulture knee pads. You will spend a lot of time on your knees while gardening, which can result in knee pain. Using a pair of quality knee pads designed for horticulture can provide your knees with cushioning and support, preventing any discomfort.

TIP! Two items you need to invest in when working in a garden are a wheelbarrow, and a kneeling stool. Spending too much time on the ground working can be quite hard on your knees, and a gardening stool can help alleviate this, plus make things more comfortable for you.

If you want an organic way to weed your garden, try “boiling” them. The safest herbicide that you can probably find is a cup of boiling water. Make sure to pour only on the weeds and to stay away from healthy vegetation. Boiling water will actually hurt the roots, and it will prevent the weeds from growing.

TIP! Make sure that you wear appropriate clothing when you garden so as to avoid any sun damage. Make sure you wear a wide brimmed hat along with sunglasses and plenty of sunscreen.

Don’t you hate it how fresh mint leaves take over all of your garden, even though you love them? You can slow their growth rate by planting them in a garden container or large pot instead. You can even plant the container in the ground. That way, the roots won’t be able to escape the container, and the plant won’t overrun your garden.

TIP! To make an interesting English garden, mix various plants and plant heights in the same bed. A uniform and flat bed is created by using plants that are the same height.

Place organic mulch as close to your vegetables as you can. The soil around plants can stay damper through the use of mulch. In addition, it will keep the weeds from growing. That helps you save a great deal of effort and time in weed eradication.

TIP! When your seeds sprout, they will not be in need of the warmth they needed to germinate. You should move your sprouted plants farther from the heat when they are past the sprouting stage.

Think about using evergreens in your yard that produce berries during the year. They add color to your yard, throughout the year. Some evergreens that will provide winter color are the American Holly, Common Snowberry, American Cranberrybush, and the Winterberry.

TIP! Cover your flower beds with two or three inches of compost or organic mulch. This fights weeds, retains moisture, and gives your garden valuable nutrients.

A wheelbarrow and kneeling bench or stool are smart investments for your garden. It can be very uncomfortable on the knees when working so close to the ground, so a light, portable stool makes gardening easier. As well, horticulture can involve some heavy lifting and moving, so a strong wheelbarrow can really make that aspect much more effortless.

TIP! Space is very important when you plant an organic garden. You can underestimate how much space you need when they are growing.

There is always a best time to pick your garden’s vegetables, and you should know them. Each kind of vegetable should be picked at a specific point for maximum flavor. Some vegetables, such as zucchini and baby peas, should be harvested when they are relatively young. Tomatoes, however, should be plucked from the vine the moment they appear ripe. So, learn about the ideal harvest time for your vegetables.

TIP! For container planting, be sure to plant your seeds at a depth around three times the radius of the seed. Certain seeds are an exception to that rule, since they require sunlight to germinate, so they should be barely covered or not at all.

Your children will enjoy being involved with your organic horticulture endeavors. Growing a garden is a great way to teach your children about nature while allowing you to have time to bond with them.

TIP! Organic fruits and vegetables grow without being exposed to pesticides and other chemicals. However, although this is a much healthier alternative, it is important to check surfaces of organic fruits and vegetables thoroughly to be sure that no unwanted pests are living in or on them.

A mixture of aspirin and water can help your ailing plants. One and half tablets of aspirin in a couple gallons of water will be a wonderful help to the plants you have. You can easily spray the plans with this concoction to help them fight of disease. Try spraying your plants with this around every three weeks.

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. Organic gardening allows you learn the entire plant cycle, from the beginning to the end.

When planting seeds, it is wise to take your time. Begin by adding moisture to the dirt. Take the seeds and place them evenly across the gardening area, giving them plenty of space to grow. Bury the seed with a planting depth of about three times its size. There are some varieties of seed that are not planted underground since they require light to grow.

TIP! Research botanical insecticide formulas, as they are often quite effective in eradicating pests. In some cases, natural solutions are much more efficient than the chemicals you can buy.

Brick, stone or untreated wood is great for building raised beds. If you choose to use wood to construct your bed, choose a species that is naturally resistant to rot and avoid treated wood entirely. 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 have already used lumber that is treated, you can line it with plastic or another type of barrier.

TIP! Stagger you vegetable planting so you will have a new harvest every month or so. This allows your harvest to grow in stages.

The importance of organic food in your diet cannot be understated, although achieving this in your own backyard can be challenging. If you use the advice from this guide, you will have a healthy, lush garden in no time at all.

Learning The Tricks Of The Horticulture Trade

~ craigb

You are ready to grow a healthy organic garden. Now’s the time! Listed below are some tips that will help you get started with your organic gardening aspirations.

TIP! If powdery mildew appears on your plants, don’t purchase expensive chemical solutions. Mix plain baking soda with a small bit of liquid soap and water.

Transplanting plants and bringing them indoors can protect them from harsh winters. You may want to save the most beautiful or expensive ones. Dig around roots carefully before transferring to a pot.

TIP! CO2 is essential for growth. A higher level of CO2 will help plants grow better.

Do not mow your lawn too short. By leaving your grass a little higher off the ground, it give the roots a chance to grow deep into the soil which makes the lawn stronger, and that helps keep it from drying out. Leaving the grass short makes it more prone to drying out, which leaves your lawn look really brown and yucky.

Coffee Grounds

TIP! When mowing your lawn, avoid mowing the grass too short. Keeping grass with a little more height makes it healthier.

If your soil has a problem with high alkaline levels, mixing in some coffee grounds that have been used is a great solution. The coffee grounds are an inexpensive way to give some acid back to the dirt. Balanced soil will produce more flavorful, crisp vegetables and greens.

TIP! Deciduous shrubs should be protected from the elements. Cold weather is very hard on these tender shrubs, and potted shrubs should be shielded and protected.

Prior to planting a garden, think through what you want to do. It will be easy to remember where each plant is when sprouts start to shoot up the following spring. In addition, your small plants or groups of plants that are limited in number won’t become lost if you have a large garden.

TIP! Fresh mint is a wonderful addition to a herb garden, but it can quickly take over your entire yard. You should plant the mint in a rather large garden container or pot instead so you can monitor growth.

Do you enjoy fresh mint, but don’t like how they engulf your garden in their growth? You can slow their growth rate by planting them in a garden container or large pot instead. The container will keep the roots from spreading throughout you garden, and prevent the mint leaves from sprouting in other areas.

TIP! There are several all-natural ways to keep pests out of your garden, including certain plants. Onions and marigolds can get rid of pests in the garden.

Place organic mulch as close to your vegetables as you can. Mulch is used to keep extra moisture and provide nutrients for your plants. This also helps reduce the appearance of weeds. You’ll save a ton of time if you don’t have to constantly pull out weeds.

TIP! Chill out by taking time to garden. There are numerous ways to seek personal comfort and peace.

Two items you need to invest in when working in a garden are a wheelbarrow, and a kneeling stool. In order to relieve stress on your knees when horticulture, always use a small garden stool to be more comfortable. There is also a lot of heavy lifting involved with horticulture, so a good wheelbarrow is a great tool to have around.

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

Learn the best harvesting time for each kind of vegetable you plant. Each type of produce has unique time frames for harvesting at the peak of flavor. For instance, for the best flavor, zucchini and baby peas should be picked when they are young. Yet, in reverse, tomatoes must wait for prime-ripeness before they are subject to being picked. So, find out the best time to harvest your vegetables.

TIP! It’s simple to quickly prepare your soil for the planting of a perennial garden. Use your spade in a slicing motion to cut a flap of turf.

Protect yourself from sun overexposure while gardening by wearing the proper clothing. Wear wide-brimmed hats, sunglasses, and sunscreen. Protecting yourself from the sun is the best way to prevent sunburns and skin cancer.

TIP! Take your seedlings and saplings to a cooler spot once they are established. It’s important to move the plants away from any heat source as they grow larger.

When you are organic horticulture, ask your children to lend a hand. Horticulture is a great way for children to learn, and it gives you two a chance to spend some quality time together and produce healthy food.

TIP! Use equal parts dried and green plant material for your own compost. Green plant mulches include everything from fresh grass clippings, to unwanted vegetables, to recently pulled weeds.

If you want to start a small organic garden indoors, evaluate the amount of natural light that is present. If your home does not let in sufficient light, then consider getting plants that thrive in low-light situations. If you do and this does not help, consider investing in some grow-lights.

TIP! Do you want to know how to kill weeds in a natural way? You should layer some newspaper to get weeds under control. Weeds cannot grow without light.

Store a few plastic bags near your garden to slip on over your dirty gardening shoes. Doing this prevents lengthy work interruptions, and allows you to finish the job quickly.

TIP! Build raised beds with untreated stone, brick or wood. When selecting wood, make certain you pick untreated products that have a natural resistance to rot.

Get more value out of 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.

Beer Trap

TIP! The mulch in your organic flowerbeds should be made of organic material and be no shallower than three inches. Doing this will nourish the soil in your garden and improve its ability to retain moisture.

Use a beer trap to capture slugs and stop them from eating your plants. To create a beer trap, dig a hole in your garden that is the depth of a glass jar, leaving the mouth of the jar level with the soil. Next, fill the jar with beer until there is only one inch left below the mouth of the jar. Slugs are attracted to beer. They will crawl into the jar and be trapped.

TIP! You will need to know the correct way to create planting beds if you want to make an organic garden. To do this, slice under the turf with a space.

One way to profitably sell products from your organic garden is to be a credible organic gardener. Get organically certified. This should boost your sales while proving to your customers that they are getting healthy products.

Organic foods don’t contain any chemical pesticides. Although this is better for your health, you do need to check organic produce for infestation of bugs before eating it.

TIP! Horde rainwater for your garden. You can collect rainwater in any number of containers and use this for your organic garden.

Consider using botanical pesticides to keep the pest that plague your garden under control. You can find more power from natural insecticides, as opposed to engineered synthetic pesticides. Natural products will not damage your plants and will disappear quickly. This means you might have to apply your insecticides more often.

TIP! A great way to obtain fertilizer for your garden is by making your own compost. One entertaining method of doing this is to start a worm composting bin.

Healthy soil doesn’t harbor disease and can be of tremendous benefit in helping your plants be as healthy as possible. Even though the insects remain there, you will prevent them from damaging your garden, keeping everyone happy.

TIP! When planning your organic garden, consider creating small ditches between your rows of plants. This will assist the water in flowing straight to the plants so that you will not have to water them quite as often.

You will now be better prepared as you start pursuing organic horticulture. You have just learned a lot of great information. The tips above should have given you some advice and a few ideas, so that you can begin an organic gardening adventure in your own backyard.

Planting A Perennial Garden That Is Low Maintenance

~ craigb

TIP! Select plants that produce a relatively high yield. Hybrids are usually hardier in terms of disease and weather resistance, and are designed to produce more.

One of the tenets of organic gardening is to focus on the garden and to tend it well. Gardeners need to use all the information they can to create and tend to their organic garden. This advice will help you create happier, healthier and tastier produce. Utilize these tips to create a garden that stands out as an organic mecca of beauty.

TIP! Grow some wheat grass or catnip for your cat to eat instead. You could also place something that will cause your cat to go away from your plants, such as citrus peels or mothballs.

Trying to shovel through clay soil can be extremely difficult and tiresome. To ease the digging, apply some car wax or floor wax to the head of the shovel and buff. The clay won’t stick to it, and the end will not rust as an added bonus.

Flower Beds

TIP! Apply organic mulch generously around your vegetable plants. Mulch will keep soil moist for longer.

Brighten up your flower beds with annuals and biennials. Your flower beds will look different from one season to another. Use these beautiful flowers to line your driveway, surround trees and shrubs, and for decorative hanging baskets. Notable collections include sunflower, marigold, hollyhock, rudbeckia, cosmos, and petunia.

TIP! Plan your garden to provide some fall color. It doesn’t have to be that way! When it comes to vibrant color, the bright foliage of fall beats all the other seasons.

When powdery mildew appears on your plants, you should not rush out to purchase a costly chemical treatment. Mix a little liquid soap and baking soda in water. Once a week, spray this on plants to eliminate the mildew. Baking soda is not harmful to your plants and will take care of the issue as well as any other treatment.

TIP! Make sure to water your garden properly. You can save time by using soaker hoses when watering plants.

Cover fences and walls with lots of climbers. Climbing plants can cover a wall after one growing season only. 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 varieties of these plants will have to be tethered to some sort of support, but other varieties will be able to attach to the medium they are climbing. Honeysuckle and jasmine are very beautiful varieties of such climbers.

Transfer your favorite plants inside so they survive the winter. Think about saving your resistant plants or the expensive ones. Dig around roots carefully before transferring to a pot.

TIP! You don’t want to pick vegetables during the day when it is hot, as that is when they are prone to damage due to them being softer. Do not twist the vegetable to remove it from the vine; instead, cut the stem to avoid damaging the plant.

Plants need ample amounts of CO2 to reach their maximum growth. A high level of CO2 provides an optimum environment for growth. A greenhouse has the best levels available. Higher CO2 levels can provide optimal conditions for growing plants.

TIP! Include your kids in growing an organic garden. Helping a garden grow is an excellent learning experience for kids, and it allows your family to spend time together while creating healthy, nutritious foods.

To give them a helping hand, pour the water you obtain after steaming vegetables over your plants. In order to help acidify the soil for plants like gardenias and rhododendrons, you can use coffee and tea grounds. Some types of plant fungus problems can be solved by sprinkling with chamomile tea.

TIP! It is important to allow cuts to completely heal before you do any gardening in order to protect the cut from exposure to dirt or chemicals. Your cut could get infected if you’re dealing with grime and dirt when gardening.

Don’t use broad-spectrum pesticidal products anywhere in your horticulture area. 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. 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. This will leave you using even more pesticides to fix the problem.

TIP! After seeds have sprouted, they require less warmth than they did prior to sprouting. Move your plants away from the heat as they grow.

Have one plant be the most interesting eye-grabber in your garden. Any great garden design involves using a focal point to grab someone’s attention and keep it there. The best focal points are those plants that really stand out from those that are adjacent.

TIP! Use approximately two or three inches of natural, organic material as some mulch in every single flower bed. Covering the beds with mulch serves multiple purposes; it helps the flowers by retaining moisture and adding nutrients, and it discourages the growth of unwanted plants.

Young children will love it if you plant strawberries that bear continually, and organic gardens are the perfect place to do it. Strawberries are a favorite of children due to their sweetness. And since they’re so easy and fun to pick, it’s also a healthy, productive, safe activity that children can assist adults with.

TIP! When you want to harvest the produce in your organic garden, always have an old laundry basket to hand. An old laundry basket makes an excellent strainer for cleaning your produce.

Before planting any perennials, you have to make the ground ready. Slice under the grass with a spade, flip the layer you have lifted over, and spread three inches of wood chips on top. Give this area at least a few weeks, then you can dig into the area and plant the new perennials.

TIP! Looking for a natural way to kill weeds in your garden? You will need many layers of newspapers. Like any other plant, weeds need to be exposed to the sun.

You should add a two to three inch layer of organic mulch to your flower bed. Not only will you be adding nutrients, but weeds will be less likely to grow and moisture will be retained more easily. By adding mulch, you can give your flower beds a finished appearance.

TIP! Adjust your watering according to season and current climate. The level of necessary watering turns on the type of water you use, the kind of soil in your garden and the amount of direct sunlight you have.

When working in the garden, try to work as efficiently as possible. One of the biggest time wasters is not keeping track of your tools and having to look for them every time you need them. Get all of your tools together before you go into your garden, then place them in a safe spot when you are finished with them. You can use a tool belt, or you may want to wear pants with extra pockets.

TIP! Grow garlic that is organic. Garlic cloves should be planted in the spring or fall.

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. While you are with your pet outside, pull some weeds while the pet does its business.

Organic horticulture will help you create a truly fresh and nutritious garden. While it is labor and time intensive, your garden will be quite amazing as a result.

How To Succeed At Growing An Organic Garden

~ craigb

TIP! Turn the handles of tools you have on hand into rulers to make measurements in your garden. You can use shovels or rakes as measuring sticks.

Learning how to implement organic methods into your horticulture will express your concern for your health and the environment. Your caring skills will shine through in the quality of your garden. It is quite admirable. With anything else you can always improve. Here are some suggestions that can help.

TIP! You do not need store-bought chemical treatments for plant mildew. A great home remedy is to mix baking soda with water and a little bit of liquid soap.

Make sure to lay the sod properly. You will need to prepare your lawn soil before laying the sod. Remove the weeds, then break up the soil into fine tilth. Compress the soil lightly yet firmly, and make certain it’s flat. Water the soil until it is saturated. Staggered rows with offset joints is the best way for the sod to be laid out. Pat your sod to form an even and flat surface, fill any gaps with some soil. Sod must be watered every day for about two weeks, and then it will have rooted and be completely ready to be walked on.

TIP! If you want your garden full of flowers spring through summer, plant bulbs. Bulbs are usually very hearty and very easy to grow, and bulbs will grow year after year.

Clay soil can be a real pain to work with as it often sticks to the end of the shovel. Rubbing wax on the shovel prior to digging can kick this challenge to the curb. By waxing the shovel head, the clay will not be able to adhere to the surface.

TIP! Mix the grounds of coffee in soil that has a lot of alkaline. This is an easy and inexpensive method to increase the acidity of your soil.

Choose plant strains that will give you the best harvest with the biggest yield. Many times, hybrid plants tend to resist disease, and tolerate the cold weather better than their traditional counterparts, resulting in higher yields.

TIP! Prior to planting a garden, think through what you want to do. This way, you will remember the places you planted your seeds when they start sprouting.

Utilize your garden tool handles as convenient makeshift rulers. Tools that have long handles such as rakes, hoes and shovels can be used in place of a measuring stick. Lay the handles onto the floor and place a measuring tape beside them. Use a permanent marker to label distances. When the need arises to measure something while in your garden, the measuring tool you need will literally be “on hand,” sketched into the handles of your tools.

Flower Beds

TIP! One natural method of weed removal is called “boiling”. Considering that boiling water is rather safe, you don’t have to worry about toxins in your soil or at your dinner table.

Use biennials and annuals to add color to your flower beds. Annuals and biennials that grow quickly can really wake up your flower beds, and they allow you to have a new garden look every season or every year, if you choose to. These kinds of flowers are also excellent for filling in gaps between shrubs and perennials in sunny areas. Some excellent choices include rudbeckia, hollyhock, sunflower, cosmos, petunia and marigold.

TIP! Keep your plants dry and aerated daily. Parasites and pests are attracted to excess moisture on the plants.

Ensure you have the proper soil for the plants you have selected. Depending on what type of plants you have, your soil may or may not be adapted. You can also make an artificial plot with just one type of soil.

TIP! Mint leaves are wonderful, but don’t you despise how quickly they can take over a garden due to rapid growth? That’s why it’s better to place mint in containers rather than letting it have free rein in your garden. If you prefer, you can even place the container in the ground, but the pot’s walls will prevent the mint from spreading and being a nuisance in your garden.

CO2 is essential for growth. Plants are more likely to thrive in environments where high levels of CO2 are present. Greenhouses typically provide plants with high levels of CO2. Higher CO2 levels can provide optimal conditions for growing plants.

TIP! Think about putting some berry-producing evergreens into your landscape. They offer terrific color during the dreariest times of the year when nothing else you have planted has any hue remaining.

Always take the time to get the weeds out of your garden. If you have weeds in your garden, it will not be as nice as it could be. To do this, think about using white vinegar. Weeds can be killed by white vinegar! By placing a white vinegar solution in a spray bottle, you can spray the weeds away instead of having to pull them out manually.

TIP! You can help your plants resist disease by spraying them with aspirin water. Dissolve one aspirin and a half for 2 gallons of water.

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. This is the optimum temperature to ensure strong growth. If you aren’t wanting your house to be this warm in the winter, you can use a heat lamp on the plants.

TIP! Have your gardening tools near you to minimize the time spent searching for them. For example, you could use an over-sized tote bag or an apron with multiple pockets.

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 are living in a place that does not have a lot of natural sunlight, think about cultivating plants that do well in lower lighting situations. If you have a different type of plant, extra lighting can always help.

TIP! Make sure you don’t let your chores pile up when it comes to your garden There are certain little things to help you keep up with your garden, even if you don’t have the necessary time each day to do everything. For example, if you have a dog, pull a few weeds while you are outdoors with the dog.

As the seeds sprout, they’ll need less warmth. Remove plants from the heated environment once they begin growing. Also take any plastic films off of your containers, so you can keep the warmth and humidity out. Check on your seeds periodically to make sure you know when to remove the films.

Laundry Basket

TIP! Create raised beds with stone, brick or untreated wood. If you use wood, be sure that it is untreated and naturally rot resistant.

When it is time to gather your produce, you should use an older laundry basket. The basket will make a great strainer when you wash your vegetables. The produce can be rinsed off as it sits in the laundry basket, and extra water will drain out through the sides.

TIP! To become a great organic gardener, you need to look under the surface! When buying tomato seedlings for the garden, keep an eye on lush green starts with root systems that are bad. 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.

Research the local botanical insecticides which can be useful in deterring the pest population. Natural insecticides are often more powerful than ones that have chemicals in them. However, botanical insecticides may not last as long because of their biological makeups, which makes them disappear more quickly.

TIP! Grow some crops that have a high value! The values of individual types of plants do vary by person, though. If you grow plants that cost more to buy at the market, growing them will be a cost savings for you in the long run.

After you plant tomatoes in your garden, plant another set three weeks later. This allows your harvest to grow in stages. If one crop is ruined for some reason, the next one will be healthy.

TIP! Know your organic garden and when the plants are needing water. Test out a soaker hose in your garden.

Spread three inches of organic material on your garden for mulch. The mulch retains moisture, enriches the soil, and prevents weeds from growing. Mulch also makes your garden appear neat and well cared for.

Organic Garden

TIP! Though you can often place houseplants into new pots, some varieties will not do well if you disrupt the roots. To see whether a plant needs more growing room, first remove it from its pot by turning it upside down and gently sliding it loose.

You probably already have the skills, the tools and the products needed to utilize the above tips to create your own thriving organic garden. That’s awesome! Learning is a never-ending process. The tips you have read above, of course, cover just the basics. Now, you can apply this new information to make your organic garden function better and become a more enjoyable endeavor.

The Best Information About Horticulture That Exists

~ craigb

TIP! Shoveling clay is very difficult and lots of work because the clay is hard and sticks to the shovel, making it tough to handle. Simplify the process by putting a bit of wax onto the shovel.

Gardening is well known for its therapeutic benefits and ability to completely relax and rejuvenate those who enjoy taking care of one. A lot of gardeners ask questions like what kind of equipment they should buy, what kind of soil should they purchase, or when they should plant seeds. Here you will find some helpful tips for the garden.

TIP! Turn the handles of your garden tools into measuring rulers. Large handled tools like rakes, hoes or shovels may be used like measuring sticks.

Consider planting slug-proof perennials. Snails and slugs can quickly wreak havoc on a garden. These pests prefer plants with thin smooth leaves. Plant some helleborus or euphorbias along with your other perennials. There are, however, certain types of perennials that slugs and snails hate. Most of these varieties either have tough leaves or taste unappealing. Some of these plants include achillea, campanula, euphorbia, hellaborus, and heuchera.

TIP! Plant vines like ivy to cover fences and dividing walls. These climbing plants will help beautify an old fence, and they are fast workers too.

Starting a garden with the best soil is a great defense mechanism against pests. Healthy and well-nourished plants will be hardier and therefore better able to prevent pests from taking hold. If you want to get the best plants, begin with a soil that has hardly any chemicals, and that will bring salts.

Baking Soda

TIP! Tempt your cat away from the plants he has been bothering by planting catnip or wheat grass near them. Offensive smells also work to repel cats and other pesky animals from eating your plants.

If you start to notice some powdery mildew growing on your plants, there is no need to waste money on expensive chemicals. Mix some baking soda and a very small amount of liquid soap into water. Once a week, spray this solution on your plants and your mildew should disappear in no time. Baking soda won’t harm your plants, and takes care of the mildew efficiently and gently.

TIP! Do not mow your lawn close to the bottom. If you leave a bit more height, the grass roots will get deeper, making your lawn stronger.

It is important to choose the right type of soil if you want to achieve the best results. You should choose your soil depending on the plants that you are going to plant. You can also make an artificial plot with just one type of soil.

TIP! Your plants need to be kept dry, but sill receiving a good amount of air. Moisture on your plants is a sure way to attract parasites and disease.

Stinkbugs can be a nuisance in the garden. These bugs are known to be proliferate in the cooler fall months. These destructive pests enjoy many kinds of fruit, as well as beans, peppers and tomatoes. Stink bugs may get out of hand and do significant damage in your garden. It is important to take steps to eliminate them from that area.

TIP! Do you like mint, but not how they ruin your garden? Rein their growth; you can do this simply by planting mint inside a larger garden container or pot. This container can be placed in the soil if you prefer the look of mint in your garden, and it will continue to contain the roots of your mint and prevent it from taking over.

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. If you neglect this, it is likely that you will notice slow growth and reduced quality in your vegetables This holds true for some types of flowers.

TIP! You should make sure to divide your irises. You can create additional irises by splitting up irises that are growing into each other’s space.

Start your garden by planting seed in small pots. It’s better for the environment to begin from seed. The plastics used in nurseries are rarely recycled and ends up in landfills, so it is best to start with the seeds or buy from nurseries who use organic materials in packaging their plants.

Pectrum Pesticides

TIP! Working in your garden is an excellent way to relax yourself. There are countless ways that people find to relax.

Avoid using broad-spectrum pesticides in your garden. While broad-spectrum pesticides will kill most pests, they will also kill helpful insects. Good bugs are often more sensitive to pesticides than their bad counterparts, so if the population of good bugs goes down, the pest problem can grow. In the end, you may resort to using even more pesticides in order to erase the problem.

TIP! Be careful how you water your garden. Put down the watering can or garden hose, and spread out a time-saving soaker hose instead.

Choose one plant and make it the focal point of your garden. Any great garden design involves using a focal point to grab someone’s attention and keep it there. Usually this focal point is a luscious plant that is distinctly different from the plants and scrubs that surround it.

TIP! Vegetables are softest during the warmest hours of each day, so picking them then, no matter how gently, runs the risk of damage. Do not twist the vegetable to remove it from the vine; instead, cut the stem to avoid damaging the plant.

If you pick vegetables around high noon when it is very hot, you are likely to damage them. Cut them with a tool rather than pulling or twisting, otherwise you could damage the plant itself.

TIP! Make sure you work in your garden every day. You do not have the time to spend an hour looking for each tool you need.

You must always take care of your knees when working in the garden. Most people can’t bend over while standing up for a long period of time. 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! Old laundry baskets are handy tools at harvest time. A laundry basket will act as a strainer for your produce.

When helping organic plants flourish inside, it is vital to keep in mind how much light is reaching them. If your residential space has limited sunlight, it will be best that you grow plants that are ideal for this type of environment. You could also consider using grow-lights for this exact purpose.

TIP! Organic fruits and vegetables grow without being exposed to pesticides and other chemicals. Although this is great for your health, you need to make sure that you check all the produce careful for any bugs or pests before consuming.

In order to maximize the efficiency of your gardening, ensure your horticulture tools are kept close by you. Put them into a basket you carry with you, or use an apron with many pockets and hanging loops. Have shears, a trowel, gloves and other commonly used garden tools portable and easy to access.

TIP! When planting tomatoes in your organic garden, a great tip is to plant another set of tomatoes after three weeks of planting the original ones. The reason for this is because it helps to prevent the entire harvest from producing all at once.

Horticulture is very rewarding, but only after one has the tools and know-how to do it effectively. As long as you implement the tips and tricks that you learn, you will have great results. If you follow the advice given in this article, you will soon enjoy your own beautiful garden.

How To Increase Your Crop Yields In Your Garden

~ craigb

TIP! Use pots to start your plants, then transfer them to a garden when they become seedlings. This raises the chances of the plants growing until adulthood.

Growing your own fruits and vegetables is an easy thing to do if you use proper techniques. It presents the fact that you are concerned about your plants and you want them to thrive. It is quite admirable. As with any other useful skill, there is always more to learn. The following tips are given to help you with this.

TIP! Get a slug-proof variety of perennials. A particularly vulnerable plant can be killed by snails and slugs overnight.

Choose plant strains that will give you the best harvest with the biggest yield. Many times, hybrid plants tend to resist disease, and tolerate the cold weather better than their traditional counterparts, resulting in higher yields.

TIP! You do not need store-bought chemical treatments for plant mildew. Put a little baking soda and some dish soap in water.

If you’re planning on gardening, carefully watch for stink bugs! You should be particularly careful during Autumn. They like to feast on all kinds of fruits, as well as peppers, tomatoes, and beans. If left unattended, your garden could be ravaged by these bugs, so you need to proactively keep their population under control.

TIP! Climbing plants make a strong addition to walls, fences or other free-standing structures. Climbers have many different uses and spread quickly.

Fill your garden with bulbs if you want to enjoy beautiful flowers through the spring and into summer. Typically, bulbs are simple to grow, and they’ll grow every single year. Include a variety of plantings to get a full season of flowers, from early bloomers to late-season varieties.

TIP! When gardening, be sure to look closely for stink bug infestation, especially during Autumn. Stinkbugs are most prevalent on tomatoes, beans and peppers.

If you’re growing veggies in the garden, they need to be in a spot that lets them get about six hours of sun daily. Many of the vegetables need a lot of sun, so they can grow right and at a faster pace. Some flowers are especially sun-loving as well.

TIP! Fall edibles are a wonderful addition to your garden. Instead of a clay pot, show some fall spirit by using a hollow pumpkin to plant your lettuce or kale in.

Tender deciduous shrubs are very fragile, so protect them. If you have some tender shrubs that are in planters, you need to protect them from cold weather. Tie the tops of the canes together; then take a sheet and cover the wigwam loosely. This tactic is better than utilizing plastic, because it will allow air to circulate.

TIP! Vegetables should be placed in a spot in your garden that will get about six hours of sun every day. If you neglect this, it is likely that you will notice slow growth and reduced quality in your vegetables It’s also the same for some types of flowers.

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. Instead of planting mint in your garden, keep it in a large container or pot to prevent it from spreading. If you prefer, you can even place the container in the ground, but the pot’s walls will prevent the mint from spreading and being a nuisance in your garden.

TIP! Balance your alkaline soil with the acid found in used coffee grounds. This is an easy and inexpensive method to increase the acidity of your soil.

Know when to harvest your vegetables at precisely the right time. Each variety of vegetable has a specific time to be harvested so that you may enjoy its fullest flavor. Some vegetables are best when fully ripe and others taste better when harvested early in their development. The opposite is true of tomatoes. They taste their best if you allow them to ripen on the vine as long as possible. Research the best time to pick your produce.

TIP! Know the ideal times to harvest each of the vegetables you plant. Each variety needs a slightly different amount of growing time to produce the most flavorful vegetable.

If you have a problem with your dog disturbing your garden, you can repel him by spraying perfume or other scents on the grass near the edge. This will mask any scents that might attract your dog and make your garden less interesting to him.

TIP! Plant heather to attract beneficial insects. Bees will go straight for these plants in the spring.

Take care of your knees when you’re gardening. Many people experience back pain and stiffness from bending over and working in the garden for extended amounts of time. Kneeling down on the ground is a more comfortable way for many people to tend to their horticulture chores. You can purchase an inexpensive kneeling pad for horticulture in order to protect your knees.

TIP! To be more efficient when working in your organic garden, have your tools close at hand. You can make use of a bucket, or wear pants that have plenty of pockets.

It’s simple to lay a new perennial bed. Use a spade to dig up some soil, flip the soil over, and finally, sprinkle around 3-4 inches of wood chips on the soil. Give the area a couple of weeks, then dig into it and plant your new perennials.

Coffee Grounds

TIP! When you are planning on growing a garden, you should think about the space you will need to provide a healthy growing area for your plants. Do not underestimate the space that plants need to develop their root systems.

Coffee grounds are good for your soil. Coffee grounds have nitrogen that plants will utilize. The coffee grounds act as a powerful nitrogen source that will help your plants bloom much quicker.

TIP! Use a beer trap to get rid of unwanted pests, like slugs. First, place a glass canning jar in the soil, burying it until the mouth is even with the surface of the soil.

When planting seeds into a container, the depth of your planting should be three times bigger than the seed. There are exceptions, however. Some types of seeds require more direct sunlight than others, and as such they should not be fully covered. Petunias and ageratum are two examples of seeds that require sunlight. If you are unsure if your seeds should be covered, refer to the seed packet, or if that is not available, look for information online.

TIP! Grow garlic. Plant individual garlic cloves early in the spring or fall.

If slugs are problematic in your garden, you can use an all-natural beer trap to do away with them. Place a container in the ground so that the lip is even with the soil surface. Pour beer into the jar until it’s almost full. Leave an inch of space between the beer and the jar top. The scent of the beer will bait the slugs into the jar and they will become trapped.

TIP! Making beds is one of the most important skills you need to acquire. To begin this process, cut under the turf and leave a space open.

Try to use untreated wood, brick or stone and make a raised bed. If you choose wood, ensure that it has not been treated with a sealant or other chemicals. Good choices are cedar, locust and cypress. In order to avoid toxic substances from getting into the ground and perhaps into your vegetables, avoid using treated wood to enclose or demarcate different sections of your vegetable garden. If you have used treated lumber, line your beds with plastic.

TIP! Plants are bound to be healthier if placed in healthier soil, therefore they will be able to avoid diseases as well as damage that can be caused by insects. Though insects may still be in the garden, they will be unable to destroy the plants.

Now you know how you can use these ideas in your own garden. You are ready to start your own garden. The basic tips provided here will give you a good start in building your own body of knowledge as you work. You might find some new techniques that you can test out in your garden.

Top Organic Gardening Advice From The Experts

~ craigb

TIP! Keeping your garden soil rich and healthy is the best way to discourage garden pests. Healthy soil leads to healthy plants with more strength to deflect those insects and various diseases.

Growing an organic garden is a very pleasant and rewarding activity. Starting to garden can be intimidating at first. The question is, what can a beginner do to become knowledgeable on organic gardening? Reviewing the advice that follows would be a good place to begin!

TIP! Bulbs are a great option for people who want to enjoy spring and summer flowers. Not only are bulbs hearty and easy to grow, but they’ll continue to grow as time goes on.

It is very important to keep the weeds from taking over in your garden. Weeds steal nutrients from plants, robbing a garden of its potential harvest. A simple tool that is useful in removing weeds is white vinegar. White vinegar kills weeds. If you’re annoyed with pulling up weeds manually, douse them with a white vinegar solution.

TIP! Soak seeds overnight, preferably in a cool, dark place. Soak the seeds by placing them in a container where they are covered with water.

If you want your garden to sport flowers in the spring as well as summer, plant bulbs. Bulbs will grow every year and are easier to take care of than seeds. If you choose your plants carefully, you could have flowers in blossom from the first weeks of spring to the end of the summer.

Knee Pads

TIP! One way to correct your soil’s alkalinity is by amending your soil with used coffee grounds. Coffee grounds are an affordable means of adding acid to the soil so that it is pH-balanced.

Knee pads are absolute miracle accessories if you work in a garden with plenty of low-growing plants. If you spend a large portion of your gardening session on your knees, it could create pain over time. Having a pair of excellent knee pads for horticulture can help cushion the knees to provide additional comfort.

TIP! Boiling away unwanted weeds is an odd, but productive method used in many gardens. This is a safe way to eliminate weeds, as this will not damage the soil.

Your plants need to be kept dry, but sill receiving a good amount of air. Moisture can be a magnet for disease and parasites on your plants. One parasite you have to watch out for in particular is fungi. To control fungi, use a fungicide spray on the area before you notice any problems.

TIP! Using natural materials in the garden will keep pests away. Plant marigolds or onions around other vegetables to keep slugs away from them.

There are natural steps you can take to keep garden pests at bay. Slugs stay away from marigolds and onions when they are planted in a garden. Mulch around the bottom of trees and shrub seedlings with wood ash to reduce unwanted infestation of pests. These are methods you can use to get rid of the need to use pesticides.

TIP! You should think about adding evergreen plants that yield berries into your yard space. These evergreens will color your lawn, even when other flowers are not blooming.

Heather can bring you beneficial insects. Bees like it because it gives them nectar in the springtime. Beds of heather are largely undisturbed and make a perfect living space for spiders, beetles and a variety of other beneficial tenants. With this knowledge at hand, it is in your best interest to wear gloves when tending the heather.

TIP! Controlling pests can be quite challenging when trying to grow a healthy, hardy vegetable garden. You can’t use chemicals as they’re the last thing you want to be eating when you enjoy the fruits of your labor.

Asprin will actually help your plants out by killing diseases. Dissolve 1 aspirin per gallon of water for a plant disease fighting solution. You can easily spray the plans with this concoction to help them fight of disease. The spray ought to be applied approximately every three weeks.

TIP! Let your children be involved in your organic gardening efforts. Gardens are a wonderful place for kids to learn, and working side by side with them can strengthen the bond that you have.

Having a garden of perennials can be an easy and quick process. Use your spade in a slicing motion to cut a flap of turf. Carefully turn the flap over, then cover the area with a three-inch layer of untreated wood chips. Allow for at least 10 days to pass, then plant the perennials that you just purchased.

TIP! Are you a parent? If you are, try planting some strawberries like everbearing strawberries in your garden. Kids really enjoy plucking snacks directly from the ground, and may have greater enthusiasm for the work if they see the results of their labor right away.

Have all of your tools available to you as you garden to increase efficiency. Put them into a basket you carry with you, or use an apron with many pockets and hanging loops. Have gloves, shears, a trowel and anything else you need handy for quick use.

TIP! 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.

It is possible to control weeds with natural methods. Take layers of newspapers and use them for weed control. Weeds require sunlight to continue growing. When you put newspaper on top of weeds they will suffocate because they are not getting enough light. Newsprint also breaks down well, incorporating itself into the compost. One way to enhance the appearance of your garden if you are using newspapers is to add an additional layer of mulch.

TIP! It’s important to let your cuts heal prior to doing any gardening without gloves. It is possible for a cut to become extremely infected if it comes into contact with dirt and grime while gardening.

A useful technique for organic horticulture, is to gently disturb your seedlings by using your fingers or a piece of cardboard one or two times daily. Believe it or not, aerating the soil in this manner can actually make your seedlings grow larger.

TIP! Use plastic bags to cover muddy gardening shoes. This helps the flow keep going so that you can get into the garden quickly to finish what you’re doing.

An organic garden is a benefit to you and everyone else who consumes the food that grows there. Chemicals are extremely efficient, but the organic method is the best way to get healthy produce.

Tomato Seedlings

TIP! Lightly ruffle your seeds by hand or with cardboard, twice daily in your organic garden. You may think it odd, but studies show that this action results in plant growth that is more substantial than would otherwise be achieved.

Look closely at the seedlings you purchase. If you’re buying some tomato seedlings to use in your garden, keep a look out for starts that are lush and green, but have poor root systems. These starts can stay on the tomato seedlings for a long time, and the seedling won’t start to grow until these starts have gone.

TIP! Adjust your watering to the season and climate. The amount of water needed will change based on time of the day, the content of your municipal water and what your soil make-up is.

When it’s time to dig a hole for a shrub or a tree in an organic garden, make the hole super ugly-looking. If the hole that you create for them has any “glazed” sides that were caused by a shovel, then it may restrict the root from penetrating into the nearby soil.

TIP! When planting tomatoes in your organic garden, a great tip is to plant another set of tomatoes after three weeks of planting the original ones. This way you will not have to harvest all of your crops at once.

You should put a lot of thought into selecting the plants that will go in your all-natural garden. Keep this in mind when you are purchasing annuals, biennials, and perennials. It is important to purchase those with buds that don’t have any blooms. This way, they’ll able to develop a strong root system within your own garden.

TIP! When mulching around trees and flowers, the depth of the organic material should be at least 3 inches. This aids in environmental conservation and also saves you serious money on water each month.

An important tip for organic gardeners is to raise crops that are expensive to purchase. The value of plants will differ from person to person. If you grow veggie plants that cost a lot at the supermarket, you can save a lot of money. Plant vegetable plants that you love to eat.

TIP! Know which plants to buy for your organic garden. This is true especially when you purchase perennials or annuals.

If you plant things in your organic garden during the winter, construct a garden tent using materials you can find around the house. Find a few bean poles, and use them at each end of your garden bed by sticking them into the ground. Next, lay old sheets or lightweight blankets over the poles to make the tent. Use bricks or cinder blocks to hold the edges of the sheets on the ground. Even though it is cheap and simple, it is also an effective way of saving your crops during the cold season.

TIP! You can add richness to your compost heap by mixing in the dead leaves that you have raked in your yard. Leaves decompose, therefore creating an organic compost that is very healthy and nutrient rich for your plants.

By now you probably are beginning to understand why so many people enjoy working in their gardens. Horticulture can be an immensely rewarding hobby. Use these tips to get your organic garden up and running in no time.

Organic Horticulture Made Simple Through These Tips

~ craigb

TIP! Learn how to properly lay sod. You will need to prepare your lawn soil before laying the sod.

Why not learn something new about becoming a better gardener? Here you will find out the basic equipment and general techniques that are used in gardening so that your efforts are effective and efficient.

TIP! Clay soil is hard and will also stick to a shovel, making it difficult to work with. Rubbing wax on the shovel prior to digging can kick this challenge to the curb.

Try to plan a variety of perennials that are slug-proof. Snails and slugs can destroy plants in just one night. These pests are particularly fond of young perennials and those varieties with leaves that are tender, smooth, and thin. Perennials that have tough or hairy leaves are often times unappetizing to snails and slugs. Some perennial families that snails and slugs won’t eat include achillea, campanula, and helleborus.

TIP! When winter comes around, save some plants by putting them in the house. You should probably save the most resistant or expensive plants.

If you want a strange, yet successful, green answer to getting rid of weeds, boil them to death. A pot of boiling hot water can be one of the most safe weed destroyers. Pour boiling water on any weeds, but be careful not to spill it on plants you want to keep. The water will kill the weeds by destroying the roots and if poured directly on the weeds, will prevent them from growing back.

TIP! Make sure to be weary of stink bugs whenever you garden, particularly during the fall months. These bugs like to eat beans, peppers, tomatoes, and many kinds of fruits.

Be vigilant about keeping moisture off your plants. Excess moisture creates an appealing environment for disease and parasites. A common parasite found in the plant kingdom is fungi. It is possible to control fungi by using fungicide sprays. However, these sprays should be used before issues become apparent.

TIP! Before you plant a garden you should plan it out. Planning gives you a map of your garden.

Start a new garden from seeds. The most “green” way to create a new garden is starting from seeds. 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! Protect your delicate shrubs from harsh, wintry elements. If you have some tender shrubs that are in planters, you need to protect them from cold weather.

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 miss this easy step, you run the risk of harming yourself due to the chemicals that can irritate your skin. So make sure you take precautions, follow the simple directions and be safe.

TIP! Try and maintain daily aerated and dried plants. If your plants are moist, this can attract disease and parasites.

Try placing evergreens that grow berries around your garden. These year-round berries will give the rest of your yard a much-needed pop of color, especially in the winter. Plants that provide instant winter color include Holly, Winterberry, American Cranberrybush, and the American Holly.

TIP! Novice gardeners should read the manuals on all gardening tools and chemicals prior to using them. Garden chemicals can cause skin irritation and eye injury.

Before you start working in your garden, purchase a wheelbarrow and a good kneeling stool. Gardening 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. Gardening also usually requires that you transport heavy loads, such as dirt or mulch, and a wheelbarrow will make this much easier to do.

TIP! Do some research to find out the best time for harvesting your vegetables. Each veggie has its own prime time for harvesting.

You can keep your dog away from your garden by spraying perfume or aftershave in the grass. Your dog will be less attracted to your garden when these scents overpower compost scents and other smells dogs like.

TIP! Plan your garden, and plant with fall colors in mind. That doesn’t have to be way it is though! The foliage of autumn makes for perhaps the most colorful season of the year.

When gardening outdoors, you must always wear sunscreen and appropriate attire; this will help to protect you from sun damage. Choose hats with overlapping brims, don those sunglasses and smear on the sunscreen. 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! Use gardening to relax. Peace and relaxation can be found through several different avenues.

To make a creative English garden, include many different kinds of plants and vary their height in the same garden bed. Using plants that all grow the same height result in a flat and uniform looking bed.

TIP! Irrigate your garden efficiently. A soaker hose is a great way to water all of the plants at once, and will save you a lot of time.

Aspirin water has disease-prevention properties that can protect plants. Dissolve 1 aspirin per gallon of water for a plant disease fighting solution. Help your plants to fight disease by spraying them with the aspirin water. Be sure to repeat this process every two or three weeks.

TIP! Spray fragrances such as old perfume or aftershave on grass around your garden to help keep your dog away from the plants. This will mask any scents that might attract your dog and make your garden less interesting to him.

If sustainability and organic gardening are appealing to you, leave a portion of the property you own undeveloped to give wildlife a place to thrive. Most likely, you will find your organic garden producing better once your property is home to the insects, birds, and other wildlife that plants rely on for pollination and the production and dispersal of seeds.

TIP! To attract the right kind of insects, plant heather. Bees are naturally attracted to heather for its nectar.

Pine is a mulch that is great. Some plants do better in soil with high acidity as they are highly acidic themselves. If that’s the case, the easiest thing to do is use pine needles for beds. Go ahead and cover the beds you have with needles a couple of inches and while they decompose, they actually disperse some acid into the soil.

TIP! As you are working in your garden, you must take care to protect both knees. Many people experience back pain and stiffness from bending over and working in the garden for extended amounts of time.

Don’t let all the little chores in your organic garden build up. While you may not be able to spend a lot of time every day in your garden, even little items done daily will stop the mountain of work from growing. While you are with your pet outside, pull some weeds while the pet does its business.

TIP! Make sure any open cuts are completely protected from dirt and chemicals before you go to work in your garden. If an open wound is not protected while you are working in the garden, dirt and bacteria may cause the cut to become infected.

If slugs are disrupting the balance of your garden, you can diminish their population by using a beer trap. Take a glass jar and bury it in your garden, making sure that the lip of the jar is even with the soil. Fill this jar up with beer almost entirely. The beer will attract the slugs and they will be trapped in the jar.

TIP! Keep your plants in a warm, moist environment, if possible. This level of heat is required in order for plants to grow.

Certification is important in order to be considered a legitimate organic gardener. That way, you will realize greater sales volume and demonstrate the value of your produce to potential and returning customers.

TIP! Working in the garden doesn’t have to be grueling; learn to work more efficiently. You do not have the time to spend an hour looking for each tool you need.

It is more rewarding to have an organic garden even though it is often more work. Even though the claims of the chemicals may be astounding, the organic way is always going to provide the best reward to you and whoever is eating your crops.

TIP! Build raised beds with untreated stone, brick or wood. If you choose to use wood, see to it that it’s untreated and that it can resist rotting.

Throughout the year and in different climates, it may be necessary to vary your watering schedule. Knowing how much to water your plants can be a difficult task. You will want to look into various things, such as time of day, quality of water and type of soil. For example, if your climate is humid and warm, you should not water the leaves because it will encourage leaf fungus. Instead, water the root system well.

Research, hard work, and some dedication are the main requirements. This work will show when you see all of your plants grow!