What You Need To Learn About Organic Horticulture

~ craigb

TIP! Choose the varieties of plants that will produce a higher yield. Hybrids are usually hardier in terms of disease and weather resistance, and are designed to produce more.

Organic horticulture is wonderfully therapeutic and anyone can enjoy it. But for someone just starting out it can seem very overwhelming, and even a little bit intimidating. How then should someone who does not have any experience start getting involved with organic horticulture? Keep reading to discover some useful tips and tactics.

TIP! Choose perennials that are not vulnerable to attack by slugs. Snails and slugs can quickly wreak havoc on a garden.

Turn your tool handles into convenient rulers. Tools with long handles, such as rakes, hoes, and shovels can be converted into handy measuring sticks. Place the handles on the floor to measure the distance between them. Paying close attention to the measurements, use a black marker to establish each interval along the handle’s side in a clearly visible manner. Next time you are working in the garden, you will have a large ruler at your fingertips!

TIP! It is important to choose the right type of soil if you want to achieve the best results. The kind of plants you want in your garden should let you know what kind of soil you need to get.

Insects and various garden pests can be avoided by making your soil healthy. If your plants are healthy, they can more easily resist insects and disease. Use a high-quality organic soil and as few chemicals as possible.

TIP! Check your soil before you begin planting your garden. You can get a soil analysis, and if you find your soil needs a supplement, do it! There are numerous places to find this service, such as your local Cooperative Extension office.

Grow wheat or cat grass in the area around the plants that your cat is eating. It may also work to add citrus peelings or mothballs to the soil of the plants, because the odor is unpleasant to cats.

TIP! Use bulbs to ensure continuous flowers throughout the spring and summer. Most bulbs are hardy and require little to no care in order to develop into beautiful perennials that will reappear each and every year.

Be sure to split the irises. Divide any overgrown clumps to increase your stock. You can do this by simply picking up bulbous irises once the foliage has withered. The bulbs, when harvested, should easily split by hand – allowing you to replant them for even more blooms next spring. You can divide rhizomes with a knife. Cut new outside pieces and dispose of the center. Each piece should retain a minimum of one sturdy offshoot capable of spurting new growth. Replant your pieces right away.

TIP! If your soil has high alkaline amounts, mix some coffee grounds into it. Used coffee grounds will add acidity, helping to optimize the soil’s pH.

Fertilize your garden. Manure can be effective, though you should use products which minimize pathogens. There are many fertilizer options available, though in reality, whatever type you choose will do the job as long as you are using something.

TIP! Deciduous shrubs and young trees need to be protected. If you have tender shrubs in pots, they need to be protected in the cold weather.

Pick one plant to serve as your garden’s focal point. Your focal point will be the main center of attention for anyone who sees your garden. Mostly it is a distinctive plant that sets it apart from the neighboring plants and flowers.

TIP! Fertilize your garden regularly. Manure can help grow plants, but to eliminate risk of pathogens, try using a type of commercially composted product.

Vegetables get softer as the temperature goes up, so you could damage your vegetables if you pick them during the hottest hours. You can also protect both your vegetables and the plant they grow on by cutting them off instead of twisting them off.

Get your children interested in helping with your organic garden. They will enjoy learning about nature and bonding with you.

TIP! If you want to keep dogs our of your garden, take some aftershave, old perfume, or any other scented item and spray the grass around the area. This covers up the smells that bring dogs to gardens in the first place, which means dogs are less likely to enter the garden.

Use approximately two or three inches of natural, organic material as some mulch in every single flower bed. This will help to inhibit weed growth, helps to lock in moisture, and adds needed nutrients to your organic garden. This will also make your flowers appear beautiful and finished all year long.

TIP! Always dress appropriately when gardening in order to protect yourself from the harmful effects of the sun. Wear a hat, sunglasses and sunscreen to protect your skin from the damaging effects of the sun.

Work efficiently in your garden. It’s frustrating to search for a tool for a half hour. In addition to keeping your horticulture tools in one location, you should also clean your tools after each use. It may be necessary to don a tool belt or cargo pants with extra pockets.

TIP! If you plant heather in your garden, you will attract insects that are beneficial. Bees are attracted to heather, and they can bring a source of nectar early in the spring.

Plastic bags are great to cover gardening shoes when they get muddy. This way, you can maintain your momentum and head right back to your garden so that you can finish what you were doing.

Laundry Basket

TIP! Organic material piled three inches deep is an effective mulch in your flower gardens. Not only will you be adding nutrients, but weeds will be less likely to grow and moisture will be retained more easily.

When it is harvest time, use a laundry basket. The laundry basket can be used as a colander for your produce. When you put your produce in a basket, you can then rinse it off and let it strain any excess water through the laundry basket holes.

TIP! Use an old laundry basket to gather your vegetables and fruits. The laundry basket is a perfect strainer for any produce run off.

Overall, a layer of mulch is beneficial for the soil. The mulch will protect the soil underneath it. The soil will stay cool in high heat, preventing damage to the roots. This retains moisture for extended periods by reducing the rate at which water evaporates. It also doubles as weed control.

TIP! Certification is important in order to be considered a legitimate organic gardener. Having certification will increase your sales and verify to your customers that what you are selling is the best produce available.

Over-watering can essentially drown the roots of plants, making them unable to grow well. Always be sure to check the weather and keep a tight watering schedule. It’s important that your plants do not take on too much water. Depending on what the weather is going to be like, you might not want to water your plants for the day.

TIP! Organic gardening is harder than relying on chemicals, but the results are worth it. Chemical giants claim miracles, but those miracle crops come at a price to whoever eats the produce.

Creating a new bed for your perennials is easy. Use a spade to cut and flip over your turf, then cover the new bed with wood chips. Let it sit for a few weeks, and then plant your new perennials.

TIP! Rotate the plants that you grow each year by switching up where you plant them. If the types of plants that you grow are consistent from one year to the next, they may be more prone to diseases and plant fungus.

Adding some biodiversity to your garden, can really help you get the most from your gardening efforts. Increasing your plant variety will draw further variety in the wildlife around. Adding a variety of plants to your garden will mimic the look of a natural environment. If you do this, you can create a naturally relaxing atmosphere, and have satisfaction from helping the environment yourself.

TIP! Make garden beds correctly, if you want to create an organic garden. Begin by slicing beneath the turf using a spade.

Find crops that are of a high value to grow in your garden. Certainly, different people place different ranges of values on various types of plants. If you can grow plants that are costly in-store, there will be a savings. So start planting and enjoying those savings.

TIP! What plants are native to your area? Stick to native plants, grasses, flowers and bushes when you plan out your landscape. If you choose groups of plants that all mesh with each other in terms of optimal soil conditions, weather requirements and plant interaction, you won’t need to do as much work to get the plants to coexist peacefully.

Now you should be able to see why organic horticulture can be such an enjoyable activity to participate in. Growing a garden the right way is a rewarding and relaxing experience. By using the tips in this article, you will soon be enjoying the fruits of your labor!