avoid damaging

Great Guide When It Comes To Organic Gardening

~ craigb

TIP! Try planting seeds in pots, and then transferring the seedlings to your garden. This raises the chances of the plants growing until adulthood.

Many people are interested in organic horticulture but are unsure how to get started. It can seem like a daunting task to learn all that it takes to have a successful garden the natural way. Peruse the following article to discover some very useful advice that will prepare you for success in this most enjoyable pastime of organic gardening.

TIP! Give your flower beds a boost by introducing annuals and biennials. 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.

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

TIP! If you’re planning on gardening, carefully watch for stink bugs! You should be particularly careful during Autumn. Stink bugs are attracted to tomatoes, beans and most fruits.

Always have a plan for the garden prior to the start of planting it. Doing so means you can remember where each particular plant is when you start seeing sprouts arise from the earth. It can also keep you from planting any of your garden favorites too close to each other.

TIP! Remove your garden’s weeds! A vibrant garden will be overrun with weeds if they are left alone. White vinegar is one option you can use in your routine weed removal.

For weeds that aren’t in the middle of your plants, use boiling water to kill their roots. Boiling water is an excellent, organic substance for use against weeds. Although this method is organic, it does pose a danger to your plants. This can cause enough damage to the roots of any plant to kill it.

TIP! Bulbs are the best solution to get flowers in spring and in summer. A hardy perennial addition to your garden, bulbs will continue to delight every year.

Consider planting evergreens in your garden that produce berries. They add color to your yard, throughout the year. These plants can help you get some color during the winter months: Winterberry, Common Snowberry, American Holly, and American Cranberrybush.

TIP! Try growing some cat grass or wheat grass in the vicinity of the plants that your cat likes to eat. You can also try to offend the cats sense of smell with orange rinds or mothballs.

Learn the ideal times for harvesting your vegetables. Every type of vegetable has a different moment of ripeness. Harvesting zucchini is best done when they are small and baby peas should be harvested when they are young. On the other hand, tomatoes taste best when they are as ripe as possible from the vine. So, make sure you do some research, and find out when the best time to harvest your vegetables is.

TIP! Divide your irises. The more you divide clusters of irises, the more your irises will multiply.

Efficiently water your garden. A soaker hose can save valuable time by watering all of your plants simultaneously, removing the need for hauling a watering can or hose around to each plant. To avoid damaging delicate plants, you should water them with low pressure. Keep the water turned on for about two hours; while your plants are being watered, you will have time for other activities.

TIP! The best gardens will evolve from original seeds rather than transplanted items. When you begin a garden, it’s most eco friendly to do so with seed.

During the day, when the weather is hot, vegetables tend to be softer, which causes them to be damaged even if you gently pick them. Use garden shears to remove your vegetables from the vine to avoid damaging the plant.

TIP! Fertilizer in the garden is a must. Manure can help grow plants, but to eliminate risk of pathogens, try using a type of commercially composted product.

To draw good insects to your garden, plant heather. Bees are drawn to heather, as heather is an early provider of spring nectar. Heather beds are also attractive to bugs such as spiders and ground beetles that will kill pests. Keep this in mind and always wear gloves when you prune your heather!

TIP! Broad-spectrum pesticides are really not the optimal choice for pest control in your garden. Besides killing the insects you don’t want, this type of pesticide will also kill beneficial insects.

The ideal temperature to set your thermostat for indoor plants is between 65-75 degrees Fahrenheit during the daylight hours. The temperature needs to be this warm so they are able to grow. Another option is the use heat lamps that will protect your organic plants.

TIP! Take the necessary time when planting seeds. You should start by moisturizing the soil.

Before planting any perennials, you have to make the ground ready. 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. Let the area sit for a couple weeks, then begin digging into it and planting your new perennials.

TIP! To be most efficient in your gardening, always keep your tools close at hand. For example, you could use an over-sized tote bag or an apron with multiple pockets.

Try to work in your garden at least a short time each day. No matter what your schedule is like, you should be able to fit in small things that will help you avoid having an overwhelming amount of work all at once. For example, pull a few weeds if you’re outside and waiting for your dog to finish his business.

TIP! Avoid allowing chores in your organic garden stack up. Sometimes it might prove difficult to get in a little gardening time every day.

One odd but apparently useful tip for growing organic plants, is to lightly brush your plants with your fingers or a piece of cardboard 1-2 times a day. Even though it sounds strange, it will help plants get bigger.

Beer Trap

TIP! Make sure you look at what lies beneath in order to start off on the right foot. When you are purchasing tomato seedlings for your organic garden, you should watch out for lush green starts with bad root systems.

If slugs are problematic in your garden, you can use an all-natural beer trap to do away with them. 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. Pour beer into the jar until it’s almost full. Leave an inch of space between the beer and the jar top. The slugs will be attracted to the beer, and will then become trapped within the jar.

TIP! Botanical pesticides that are from your local area can be incredibly effective on pests. All insecticides are strong, including botanical ones.

Though organic farming can present challenges that traditional farming with the use of chemicals does not, harvesting the crops is reward itself for the hard work. Growing organic is healthier and just overall better for you. Make sure you try your best to grow organic as opposed to adding chemicals to your garden.

TIP! You must be sure to mulch your garden or flowerbed with about three inches of materials that are organic. This can help you add nourishment to your soil, retain moisture and inhibit weed growth.

Consider the climate and season when watering your plants. 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 focus on watering the root system.

TIP! Water your organic garden using a soaker hose. These hoses let water out slowly at a regular rate.

When you keep in mind the tips, tricks and advice in this article, the prospect of organic horticulture should not seem so fearful. By using the information you have learned from the tips above, you can start to grow the organic garden that you’ve always wanted.

Solid Advice To Make Your Organic Garden A Success

~ craigb

TIP! The handles on your gardening tools can be used as a convenient measuring instrument. Tools with long handles, such as rakes, hoes, and shovels can be converted into handy measuring sticks.

The rewards of an organic garden to your health and eating pleasure are innumerable. Taking care of a garden does require effort in order to make things grow. Knowing where to start when planning an organic garden can be a little confusing.

TIP! Keep your plants thriving through the winter by bringing them inside. Perhaps you can save your most expensive or resistant plants.

You can alleviate this problem by planting grasses that your cat will naturally gravitate towards. Alternatively, you can try putting mothballs, citrus peel or anything else with an odor that cats find distasteful in the soil surrounding the plants.

TIP! All plants need an adequate supply of carbon dioxide in order to thrive. With a high level of CO2 plants will grow much better.

If your garden includes vegetables, make sure you plant them in a location whether they are exposed to sunlight for a minimum of six hours each day. Many vegetables need about this much sun to grow quickly. The same can be said for some flowers.

TIP! Be sure to get rid of the weeds growing in your garden. Weeds can turn a beautiful garden into an eyesore.

Using natural materials in the garden will keep pests away. Slugs are repelled by bordering your vegetable garden with either onions or marigolds. You can also mulch around trees and shrubs with wood ash, which drives away insects. By utilizing these methods, you will not have to apply chemical pesticides on your vegetation.

Organic Mulch

TIP! Take the time to spread around five centimeters of organic mulch near your vegetable plants. Mulch helps the soil surrounding the plants remain moister for a longer time.

Place organic mulch as close to your vegetables as you can. The organic mulch will keep moisture in the soil for a little longer. In addition, mulch will help you to prevent weeds. Every gardener can appreciate pulling fewer weeds.

TIP! Pest control is tough when you have a veggie garden. Do not spray harsh chemicals on the vegetables you are going to eat.

Pest control is very difficult if you are dealing with your veggie garden. One major benefit of growing your own produce is knowing that they haven’t been treated with pesticides and other harsh chemicals. There is only one way to effectively control pests in your garden, and that is to stay vigilant in your efforts. When you see bugs, remove them by hand before they have a chance of spreading.

TIP! Choose plants that will provide color in autumn. That doesn’t have to be it though.

Use common sense when watering your garden. Soaker hoses save time by watering all of your plants at once, rather than individually with a standard hose or watering can. To avoid damaging delicate plants, you should water them with low pressure. Just use it on your foliage for a few hours.

TIP! You can attract the insects you need by planting heather. Bees will go straight for these plants in the spring.

If you pick vegetables around high noon when it is very hot, you are likely to damage them. Do not twist the vegetable to remove it from the vine; instead, cut the stem to avoid damaging the plant.

TIP! If you are growing plants organically indoors, you have to consider the light that they are getting. If your apartment or home does not receive a huge amount of sunlight, you might want to grow plants that adapt to medium and low light environments instead.

When growing plants inside of the house, you should ensure the thermostat is set at around 65-75 degrees in the daytime. Plants need to be in an environment that is neither too warm nor too cool for them to grow. If you wish to keep your house cooler than that, you may want to use a heat lamp just for the plants.

TIP! Create a space perfect for any perennial garden with this easy method. Using a garden spade, dig underneath the turf and flip it.

After your seeds sprout, the containers do not need to stay as warm as they once did. Remove plants from the heated environment once they begin growing. Plastic films should be removed on the containers, as that helps to keep out humidity and warmth. Watch the seeds so you can know when you do this.

TIP! When mulching your flower beds, aim for anywhere between two or three inches of mulch. This is a good way to keep weed growth at bay and add nutrients that you need in your garden.

Store a few plastic bags near your garden to slip on over your dirty horticulture shoes. You’ll be able to keep your momentum going without needing to take off your shoes, and stay on track with your horticulture project.

Compost Pile

TIP! You should always take spacing into account when placing plants in your organic garden. 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.

Your compost pile should contain green plants and dried ones in equal amounts. Examples of good green material to use for compost include grass clippings, flowers, leaves, and weeds. Dried materials are things like hay, wood shavings, cardboard and paper. Your compost pile should never contain meat, ashes or charcoal.

TIP! Have you ever given any thought to using organic gardening methods to grow garlic? Plant garlic cloves individually. Do this in early spring or during the fall in moist and well drained soils.

If you are starting your seedlings out in small containers, you should use a layer of potting soil that is three times as deep as the size of a single seed. Some seeds need sunlight and should not be buried. This is true of popular flowers like petunias and zinnias. If you do now know how to plant your seed, consult the information that came with the seed when you bought it or check online for helpful information.

TIP! Look up local botanical insecticides; they can be very useful in keeping the pest population at bay. Sometimes natural insecticides are more efficient than the synthetic pesticides you can buy.

A beer trap can help to eradicate slugs. Take a glass jar and bury it in your garden, making sure that the lip of the jar is even with the soil. Next, fill up the jar with beer until there is around one inch between the liquid level and the jar top. Slugs are attracted to beer. They will crawl into the jar and be trapped.

TIP! You need to be very specific about what organic plants you plan to grow in the garden. Different plants require different sorts of environments.

You should use wood that is untreated, brick or stone when building the raised bed. If you choose wood, ensure that it has not been treated with a sealant or other chemicals. Some good woods are locust, cedar and cypress. Treated wood has chemicals that can be harmful to a vegetable garden. If you have already used lumber that is treated, you can line it with plastic or another type of barrier.

Organic Horticulture

TIP! If you’ve spent even a little time gardening, you’re probably well aware of how beneficial compost can be, but how much do you know about what it contains? Compost is actually a mixture of grass clippings, wood-chips, leaves, produce scraps, twigs, and straw which all breaks down to “psuedo-soil”. It is recommended that you use this compost in place of commercial fertilizer on your organic garden.

As has been outlined in the above article, you need to research all about organic horticulture, and know that it will take a lot of work and effort in order to grow organic plants of your own. In addition, it’s true that you must be consistent if you want to see results. With the advice from this article, you are now ready to begin a successful organic horticulture adventure.

Healthy Living: Tips For Growing An Organic Garden Of Your Own

~ craigb

TIP! Starting a garden with the best soil is a great defense mechanism against pests. Healthier plants are greater in strength and resistance to illness and insects.

There are a great deal of benefits to horticulture, and it’s a very enjoyable hobby. Whether you grow vegetables or flowers, growing and caring for plants is very soothing and rewarding. This guide can give you insight and pointers that you will need for gardening.

Choose higher yield plant varieties. Frequently, a hybrid that is able to deal with extreme temperatures will bring higher yields than the more traditional variety of a plant.

TIP! To help young plants, try pouring boiling water on top of nearby weeds. Boiling water is a safe herbicide which won’t damage your garden or your body.

Plant bulbs if you want spring and summer flowers. Bulbs will grow every year and are easier to take care of than seeds. Choose from the variety of bulbs that bloom at various times of the growing season for a garden of color all spring and summer long.

TIP! If you would love to have access to fresh and healthy mint leaves from your own back yard, but dread the way the plant spreads so quickly, worry not. That’s why it’s better to place mint in containers rather than letting it have free rein in your garden.

When mowing your lawn do not cut it as short as possible. If you leave your grass kind of high, your roots will be deeper and your lawn will be stronger and not dry out. If you have short grass, you will have short roots and you will dry out your grass.

TIP! In order to rid your garden of pests, take advantage of plant materials and other organic matter. Slugs can be kept at bay with a patch of marigolds or pungent vegetables.

Make a plan for your garden. It will be a while before things start to sprout and visually remind you of what was planted where, so a written record can be helpful. This is important, because different plants require different care.

TIP! Think about putting some berry-producing evergreens into your landscape. This will keep your garden colorful, even during those months when other plants are not growing.

You could try to boil weeds if you are trying to remain organic. Boiling water is a very safe alternative to other potent herbicides. Just pour boiling water directly on top of the weeds cautiously to avoid damaging your plants. Boiling water kills weeds by destroying their roots. Weeds won’t be able to survive, never mind grow, with damaged weeds.

TIP! Put money into a quality wheelbarrow and kneeling stool if you plan to do garden work often. Get a portable stool if you want to garden comfortably without damaging your knees.

A good fertilizer is important to add nutrients to your soil. Manure is an excellent fertilizer, but it needs to be combined with a synthetic compost to stop diseases from infecting your plants. It is important that you use some sort of fertilizer, although it doesn’t really matter which variety you choose.

TIP! Pest control is one of the hardest things about growing a 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.

An easy, inexpensive way to give them nutrients is to pour the leftover water from your steamed vegetables into the soil. For gardenias and rhododendrons, try putting your used coffee grounds or tea bags in the soil so they may acquire the acid they need for proper growth. Chamomile tea is a natural way to rid your plants of a persistent fungus.

Beneficial Bugs

TIP! You never want to do any gardening with open wounds, so make sure everything is completely healed up before you begin; otherwise, you run the risk of your cut being exposed to dangerous chemicals and dirt. A cut may become badly infected if it’s exposed to a lot of dirt or grime when you garden.

When gardening, avoid the use of strong broad-spectrum pesticides. If your pesticide has too wide a range of targets, it can kill off useful insects that fight off other pests. Beneficial bugs usually have more sensitivity towards pesticides than bad ones. Therefore, if the number of beneficial bugs drops, the problem with pests can get bigger. If you respond to the growing pest problem with more broad-spectrum pesticide, you only continue the harmful cycle.

TIP! You should use wood that is untreated, brick or stone when building the raised bed. If you choose to use wood, make sure it is naturally rot resistant and untreated.

Irrigate your garden efficiently. Use a hose with a soaker attachment to save you time, so the garden can get watered while you are doing other tasks. Use a low water pressure to avoid damaging tender plants. Let the soaker hose do its thing for a couple hours, and your plants are watered.

TIP! Use a soaker hose to water your garden. These hoses let water out slowly at a regular rate.

The flesh of vegetables gets soft in the heat of the day, making them especially vulnerable to inadvertent damage with even the gentlest picking. See to it that you cut their connection to the vine as opposed to twisting them, because twisting could hurt the plant.

TIP! If you are wanting to start your own organic garden, it is crucial that you know how to properly make beds. One way to achieve this is to use a garden tool to carve out a small slice of earth.

Strawberries are a great plant to grow in any organic garden, especially if you happen to have kids or any strawberry lover in your home. 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.

TIP! Open your mind to the diverse environments that can be created in your garden space. You will notice more wildlife if you have diverse plants.

Add aspirin to your plants to help them fight sickness. Dissolve one and one-half aspirins into two gallons of cold water, and use it to fortify your plants. The solution can then be used to spray the entire plant, and will offer protection naturally. Apply at three week intervals.

TIP! Organic gardening is simple and effective! One of the best techniques is to plant native flowers, grasses and bushes to your landscape. Plants that are already pre-programmed to exist peacefully with one another in similar climates and conditions, will prevent the need for a lot of “special measures” that eat up time and money.

If you cut your hand, you can use a glove to protect it from germs and chemicals until it heals. A cut will likely become infected if it is exposed to dirt when horticulture. You can get bandages that can completely seal your cut.

TIP! Make a shade garden out of your organic garden. These gardens are low maintenance, which is very appealing to people.

Learn to work efficiently. Don’t waste time searching for lost tools. Have all of tools you will need for the day before you head out your garden. When you are finished, put them away neatly for the next time. You can use a tool belt for this purpose, or choose pants that contain several large pockets.

Pine Needles

TIP! When making your own compost, a very cost-effective technique is to utilize fruit peelings and other leftover pieces of fruit. These food products contribute to a terrific natural compost for your garden, helping your plants grow beautifully and healthfully at nearly no extra cost to you.

For some plants, pine needles makes an ideal mulch. There are many types of plants with a high acidity, which means they thrive in acidic soil. If you are growing these types of plants, simply gather up fallen pine needles for use in your garden. 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! You should think about digging small trenches between rows of plants if you are planting an organic garden. This works to help water flow to the plants themselves, and it reduces the frequency with which you will need to water them yourself.

As has been noted above, there are many rewards inherent in gardening. The benefits of gardening can be seen in every flower or vegetable that grows. You can advance your horticulture skills greatly by just using the advice in this article.