You are committed to the idea of planting a garden that works well with the environment. Congratulations on making the right decision. Keep reading for tips any beginner will find useful.
Baking Soda
If mildew is forming on your plants, you should not purchase an expensive chemical. Mix plain baking soda with a small bit of liquid soap and water. Spray this mix on your plants every week and the mildew should go away. Baking soda is not harmful to your plants and will take care of the issue as well as any other treatment.
During winter, you should take your favorite plants inside. Find out which plants will be able to thrive despite the transplanting and different indoor conditions. Carefully dig near the roots and transfer those plants into a flower pot.
If you’re like many gardeners, autumn means that it’s time to get some delicious fall edibles growing in your garden. Try something different by planing kale or lettuce inside a pumpkin, instead of using the planter pots you traditionally use. 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. Once you’ve done that, you can plant!
Soak seeds overnight, preferably in a cool, dark place. Place some seeds into a small container, then fill it with water until it is almost to the top. This way, your seeds are well-hydrated and can start growing with a head start. Seeds that are cultivated this way are more likely to survive and mature properly.
Irises should be divided. Divide any overgrown clumps to increase your stock. After foliage is no longer alive, remove the flowers with bulbs. These bulbs will divide into several parts naturally when you pick them up. You can then replant them, and watch them flower the following year. Rhizomes, however, need to be divided by using a gardening knife. Cut out new pieces from outside the bulb and throw away the old center. Each piece needs one strong offshoot. Do this cutting beside your garden bed, so that you can place your new groupings into the ground immediately.
Be consistent with garden fertilization. Manure can help grow plants, but to eliminate risk of pathogens, try using a type of commercially composted product. There are numerous types of fertilizers available. What type you select is less of a concern; any kind of fertilizer is better than none.
There are several all-natural ways to keep pests out of your garden, including certain plants. Slugs are repelled by bordering your vegetable garden with either onions or marigolds. Keep insects away from shrub and tree seedlings with mulch containing wood ash. With these natural methods, there is no need to purchase expensive, harsh pesticides.
You should purchase a wheelbarrow, as well as a kneeling stool to help you garden. Get a portable stool if you want to garden comfortably without damaging your knees. Also having a garden usually requires moving heavy dirt and objects, so investing in a wheelbarrow is a very sound investment.
Beautiful insects are attracted to heather when you plant it. Bees like heather, and they get their nectar from it early in the spring. Heather doesn’t usually require a lot of tending, so spiders, ground beetles and other good bugs like to call it home. With this in mind, be sure to prune your heather while wearing horticulture gloves.
It’s crucial for you to protect knees when doing gardening work. Bending over while horticulture can be painful and unhealthy for your back. You should kneel while tending to your plants for the sake of reducing stress to your spine. For extra comfort, purchase a knee pad for use as a cushion between your knees and the ground.
Have plastic bags on hand to put over dirty gardening shoes. When you do this, your flow stays going, and you can just get right back out to your garden and finish quick.
When planting your organic garden, spacing is an important thing to keep in mind. It’s common to not think about how much space a plant will need once it’s full grown, and you don’t want to crowd your garden. Space is necessary for the plants, but air circulation is also important. It is, therefore, important for you to plan accordingly and allow for enough room between your seed rows.
When planting seeds in containers, remember that the depth should be at least three times bigger than the seed. Some seeds need sunlight and should not be buried. Petunias and ageratum are two examples of seeds that require sunlight. If you are unsure as to whether or not your seeds should be covered or not, try to read the package or find the answer online.
While horticulture organically requires more work than horticulture with the help of chemicals, the rewards are worth it. Chemicals can be beneficial, but a chemical free organic garden will always produce the best results.
Throughout the year and in different climates, it may be necessary to vary your watering schedule. 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. Gardeners in warm, moist climates should avoid watering leafy plants as this makes them more vulnerable to fungal growths. Instead, water the root system well.
Overall, a layer of mulch is beneficial for the soil. The soil will be efficiently protected. On hot days, mulch will offer protection to a plant’s root system by cooling the soil. The layer of mulch will also minimize evaporation, reducing your need to water as frequently as you would a garden without mulch. Mulch is also excellent for keeping weeds at bay.
With these tips still fresh in your mind, you should be feeling more confident about your knowledge of organic horticulture methods. By reading and applying the information you have learned, you can go from a novice gardener to an expert-level organic gardener in no time at all. Remember to apply these tips as you plan and take care of your garden.