Organic gardening can really be an intelligent move for having a healthier diet. You will have to put in some time and energy to be successful in this venture, however. This can leave you wondering where to start when it comes to organic gardening.
Fight pests before you even plant, by getting your soil in shape. Healthy soil encourages vigorous plant growth and makes your garden more resistant to common diseases and insects. So if you want your garden to provide plants that are as healthy as possible, you need a good quality soil that contains few chemicals and that can accumulate salts over time.
When horticulture, beware of stink bugs and other insects, particularly in the autumn. These destructive pests enjoy many kinds of fruit, as well as beans, peppers and tomatoes. If you don’t take care of them, they can decimate your garden, so it’s best to do all you can to get rid of them.
You can plant wheat grass or cat grass near the plants that the cat eats. Additionally, use your cat’s keen sense of smell to your advantage. Citrus fruit peels and mothballs both smell horrible to cats, so put them on the soil near the plants your cat likes to eat.
Always make sure to mow your lawn to the appropriate length, always making sure that the cut is not too close. 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. The shorter the grass, the shallower the roots, which makes the lawn more likely to develop brown patches.
Do you ever wish that your fresh mint leaves would not grow as quickly and overcome your garden? Instead of planting mint in your garden, keep it in a large container or pot to prevent it from spreading. You can plant the container into the soil if you want to, but the container will restrict the roots, and make sure that the plant doesn’t run rampant in your garden.
Split up your irises. Overgrown clumps of irises can be divided up to increase your numbers of this lovely flower. When foliage is dead, lift bulbous irises. The bulbs, when harvested, should easily split by hand – allowing you to replant them for even more blooms next spring. You should split up rhizomes by utilizing a blade. Cut healthy pieces from the root stalk and throw out the dead center. Be sure to retain a sturdy offshoot on every piece that you intend to plant. You also need to make sure that you replant the new pieces as soon as possible.
Peas have a better chance of survival when their seeds are started indoors as opposed to outside, exposed to the elements. When you plant the seeds indoors, your seeds will start to germinate better. Give the seeds enough time to get stronger: growing indoors will make it easier for your plants to resist diseases and the pesky bugs. Once they are strong enough, you can transplant them outside.
Try planting berry-bearing evergreens in your yard. These plants will look good year-round, even during the winter, when your other plants have lost their bloom. Other plants that boast of winter berries include: Holly, Snowberry and Winterberry.
Know when is the best time to harvest your vegetables. Different vegetables have different, ideal times that they should be picked for best flavor. For example, baby peas and zucchini taste best when they are picked young. On the other hand, tomatoes taste best when they are as ripe as possible from the vine. Take some time to learn about the best harvest time for the vegetables that you have growing.
Have all of your tools available to you as you garden to increase efficiency. Keep the tools in a big bucket, or store them in strong pockets in your pants. Keep your gloves, pruning shears, a hand spade and your other tools handy to quickly and easily do your garden maintenance.
Store a few plastic bags near your garden to slip on over your dirty gardening shoes. This helps you stay in the zone so that you can continue horticulture when you have completed your tasks in the house.
Enhance your property value and beauty with horticulture and landscaping. You can get a very high return from improving your home through landscaping. Strategic landscaping can increase the resale value of your home up to 20%, if you choose the right plants. You should purchase plants that are well-suited to your landscape and environmental conditions.
One of the most wonderful things about buying food that is organic is that they don’t contain pesticides. While this is great for your loved ones’ health, still check for pests and bugs.
You need to be very specific about what organic plants you plan to grow in the garden. Not all varieties of flowers and produce are suited to the same type of environment. As an example, take the beautiful rose bush. There are hundreds of variances available and while some will do well in your garden, others won’t. So make certain that you are picking the distinct varieties of plants that are able to call your garden home.
As you have read, a lot of hard work and homework go into producing a plentiful organic garden. For the best results, you need to be dedicated to the work. If you keep all these suggestions in mind, you have taken the right steps towards becoming a successful organic gardener.