Depending on the effort you put into it, an organic garden can be a great pleasure or a great pain. The advice in this piece is sure to pave the way to organic horticulture success.
In order not to shock your plants, you have to gradually accustom them to the change of temperature and conditions. Leave them outside in sunlight for a couple of hours on the initial day. Then over the next week, gradually increase the time they are in their new habitat. After one week, the plants should be fully acclimated and ready to move outside.
Plant slug-proof perennials. Snails and slugs can quickly wreak havoc on a garden. Certain perennials that don’t have tough leaves are especially tasty to snails and slugs. Some perennials are not preferred meals for snails and slugs, especially if their foliage is hairy and tough, or tastes bad. Consider planting these varieties of perennials to discourage slugs and snails from eating your flowers. Euphorbia and achillea are examples of slug-proof perennials.
Baking Soda
There’s no need for chemical intervention if you discover powdery mildew on leaves. All you need to do is mix baking soda with a tiny bit of liquid soap in with some water. Once a week, spray this on plants to eliminate the mildew. Do not worry about your plants; the baking soda cannot harm them.
Cover fences and walls with climbing plants. Known commonly as climbers, these plants are very versatile, easy to grow, and they will quickly spread out to cover up walls and fences within a single season. They can cover an arbor, or grow through trees and shrubs. A number of climbers need to be attached to a support, but others just take care of their own attachments via tendrils and stems that twine. Wisteria, jasmine, honeysuckle, clematis and some rose varieties are good choices for climbers.
In the cold winter months, you can salvage certain plants by bringing them into the house. Perhaps save the most resistant or expensive plants. Dig around roots carefully before transferring to a pot.
Do a soil analysis prior to planting. Have a soil analysis completed so you can know what you need to add to have soil which will fully support your garden. There are numerous places to find this service, such as your local Cooperative Extension office. The cost is well worth it to avoid a potentially ruined crop.
When you decide to add vegetables into your garden space, be aware that they must be placed where they will receive direct sunlight for a minimum of six hours daily. Most vegetables need this amount of sunlight to grow the right way at a faster pace. This is true of some flowers.
Coffee Grounds
Consider adding coffee grounds to your soil if it contains high levels of alkaline. The coffee grounds provide a cheap way to re-supply needed acid to the dirt. When you use them, you will start to notice that your vegetables are tastier and more vibrant in color.
Irises can be easily divided. Increase your iris stocks by dividing your overgrown clumps. If you notice a dead foliage, lift the bulb. The bulbs will automatically split in you hand, and will likely flower the year after being replanted. Rhizomes may need to be divided by using a knife. Cut several new pieces out of the outside and get rid of the old center. Each piece needs one strong offshoot. Replant them immediately.
Create your own garden from scratch with seeds, rather than plants. When you begin a garden, it’s most eco friendly to do so with 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.
See to it that you fertilize your garden. Manure can be very helpful in growing plants, but it is essential to use a commercial product that has been composted, in order to minimize pathogen risk. There are many fertilization methods out there; the type is not quite as important as actually using something.
Do some research to find out the best time for harvesting your vegetables. Every type of vegetable has a different moment of ripeness. As an example, zucchini and baby peas both have the best flavor when they are harvested at a young age. By contrast, it’s best to wait until tomatoes are fully ripe before picking them. So, make sure you do some research, and find out when the best time to harvest your vegetables is.
Choose one plant and make it the focal point of your garden. A focal point can help direct a viewers gaze. Usually this is a big plant that is somewhat different from the other plants in the garden.
Dress to protect your skin from sun damage when you garden. Wear sunscreen, wide-brimmed hats and sunglasses. By protecting yourself from the sun’s rays, you lower your risk of getting sunburns or skin cancer.
Now that you’ve read this article, you can see that there is much more to do with organic gardening than meets the eye. Doing it successfully entails a good amount of patience and dedication, but achieving a productive organic garden is a worthwhile endeavor indeed. By using the tips and techniques found here, you can have a healthy, productive garden in no time.