Organic gardening requires a green thumb and a lot of patience. This pastime should yield amazing and healthy foods, free of pesticides and other chemicals found in store bought produce. Does this seem to be easier said than done? The following hints and tips can help you grow your own organic garden easily and successfully.
When choosing plants, pick those that produce a high yield. Many times, a cold-tolerant or disease-resistant hybrid can have a higher yield versus traditional ones.
While working in your garden during the fall season, watch out for those stink bugs! These bugs like to eat beans, peppers, tomatoes, and many kinds of fruits. Decrease their presence as much as possible to avoid them wreaking havoc in your garden.
When fall arrives, it’s time to plant your autumn vegetables. Try using a pumpkin as a natural plant pot. You can plant fall vegetables such as lettuce in an empty pumpkin shell. After cutting an opening and removing the meat and seeds from inside the pumpkin, use Wilt-Pruf, sprayed throughout the inside and cut edges, and prevent rot from occurring. When you finish this, you can plant!
When you go to mow your lawn, make sure you don’t mow it too closely to the ground. If you leave a bit more height, the grass roots will get deeper, making your lawn stronger. Short grass leads to more shallow roots and will result in more brown, dried-out patches.
Irises should be divided. If you split up clumps of them, you will eventually have more of this flower. When the foliage dies, take the bulbous irises and lift them. They will literally split in your hand, flowering the next year after replanting. Rhizomes should be divided using a knife. Discard the center and cut pieces from the exterior. Each piece should have at least one strong offshoot. Replant immediately.
Fertilizing is an important step in preparing your garden soil. Manure is probably the best fertilizer. Choose a commercial product to reduce the risks of pathogen exposure. There are many fertilizer options available, though in reality, whatever type you choose will do the job as long as you are using something.
Place organic mulch as close to your vegetables as you can. The mulch will help keep the soil moist for longer periods of time. This method will also prevent weeds. This could save you lots of weed-pulling time.
If you want the best tasting vegetables, learn about the optimum time to harvest them. Every vegetable has a proper time to be picked in order to capture the perfect flavor. Baby peas, for example have much better flavor if they are harvested early in the ripening process, as does zucchini. Tomatoes, though, are tastiest when they have been allowed to ripen on the vine as long as possible. You should know the proper time to pick vegetables.
You don’t have to plant just for spring and summer. Consider what are often beautiful colors in the fall. That doesn’t have to be way it is though! In the fall, the foliage displays every color of the rainbow. You can find beautiful maple and beech trees in many different fall colors. When you choose shrubbery, try hydrangea, barberry, or cotoneaster.
Choose a plant as a focal point. When you design your garden, think of a great focal point that will grab attention and add interest. A perfect example of a focal point is using a plant that doesn’t bear any resemblance to those that surround it.
When horticulture, remember to take care of your knees! Not everyone has the ability to remain standing in a bent position for an extended time. To get down to plant level without pain, try kneeling instead. For extra comfort, purchase a knee pad for use as a cushion between your knees and the ground.
Organic Garden
One way to create a great organic garden is to allow for a portion of your yard to be undeveloped for wildlife. 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.
Space is important to remember when planting an organic garden. Many people underestimate the space needed for plants to grow to their full size. You will need to provide this space to provide ample room and because you need air circulating to your garden. If necessary, use a ruler to measure the distance between each plant.
Don’t let all the little chores in your organic garden build up. Even if you are too busy to tend to your gardens needs every day, you can try little things that will prevent you from having a lot of work when you return to your garden. While you are with your pet outside, pull some weeds while the pet does its business.
Use equal parts dried and green plant material for your own compost. Green plant material consists of spent flowers, veggie and fruit waste, leaves, weeds, and grass clippings. Dried plant matter, on the other hand, includes shredded paper, used wood chips and straw. Avoid using ashes, charcoal, diseased plants and meat-eating animal manure.
Water demands from plants will depend on the season and the climate in your area. Depending upon whether it is morning, noon or night, the chemical composition of your local water supply and soil type may determine your water usage needs. An example would be that if you live in a humid and warm climate, then you’ll want to avoid watering the plant’s leaves as this will cause fungus to grow on your plants. Rather, see to it that you water the root system well.
If you are wanting to create a new flower bed for your perennials, you just have to follow a few steps. Lift the top layer of turf with your spade, flip it, then cover the exposed soil with three or more inches of mulch. Wait a few weeks and then plant your perennials into the brand new bed.
An organic gardener enjoys the benefits of working with nature, producing wonderful food through hard work and patience. It is a hobby that uses the land to grow something delicious. All it takes is a little studying and practice to become a successful organic gardener.