Natural, environmentally-friendly living is catching hold among legions of individuals, as is a preference for organic produce. Many people who choose to live this lifestyle grow their own plants and herbs, so they can benefit from them. Read on into the following paragraphs for organic tips you can use.
Using a shovel in clay soil is a lot of work, not only is the clay hard, but it will stick to the shovel and make it twice as hard to handle. Simplify the process by putting a bit of wax onto the shovel. The clay won’t stick then. The shovel will glide through the clay and as a bonus, your shovel will be resistant to rust.
Use your tool handles as rulers in the garden. Large handled tools like rakes, hoes or shovels may be used like measuring sticks. All you have to do is lay them on the floor then use a measuring tape to measure their length. A permanent marker can be used to label distances. This modified ruler will serve you well as you begin working in your garden.
Brighten up your flower beds with annuals and biennials. You can use biennial and annual flowers to brighten the bed, and let you change how it looks. In addition, you might need something to fill empty spaces in your flower garden. Fill gaps with annuals or biennials. Just make sure the flowers will get enough sun to thrive. Some varieties are hollyhocks, petunias and sunflowers.
Before you plant anything in your garden, have the soil checked. A soil analysis report can be acquired for a nominal fee. You can then use the results of that report to determine if the soil needs to be modified before you begin planting. It is worth having this information so that crops do not get ruined. Most Cooperative Extension offices provide this service.
While caring for your garden in the fall, you will want to keep a lookout for stinkbugs. Fruits, peppers and tomatoes are among the foods they love to eat. If not taken care of, these pests can damage the garden, so take steps to cut down their population.
Gardening Knee Pads
Get some gardening knee pads if you find yourself kneeling on the ground a lot to do your horticulture. Your knees will take a beating if you spend a great deal of time on the ground while tending your garden. A pair of good gardening knee pads can cushion your knees for more comfort.
Your children will enjoy being involved with your organic gardening endeavors. You can provide a good learning experience that your children can appreciate the more they learn on how to grow healthy produce.
When you plant the seeds in containers, be sure the planting’s depth is three times bigger than the seed. However, you should always know that some seeds cannot be covered, even the slightest bit, because they need to be in direct sunlight. Two of the common examples are petunias and ageratum. Always be sure to check online or with the company you’re purchasing the seeds from as to their sunlight needs.
It is more rewarding to have an organic garden even though it is often more work. While chemicals offer an easy solution to many common horticulture problems, the organic method is far healthier for you and everyone you share your food with.
An easy to grow plant to grow in your organic garden is garlic. Garlic cloves should be planted in the spring or fall. They require soil that is well-drained and moist. Your goal is to place them around 1 to 2 inches deep, and you want them pointed up, then 4 inches apart. Green garlic shoots, which can be cut while growing, can substitute nicely for scallions or chives. When the tops of the bulbs turn brown, they’re ready to harvest. Allow the skin to harden by letting your bulbs sit out in the sun. You can then store the bulbs loosely or gathered into bunches in a cool location.
Make sure you actually take a look under the surface of the dirt at the roots of your plants before you transplant anything into your garden. Oftentimes, tomato seedlings that show verdant green starts have poor roots. As time goes by, the starts will begin to fall off, but you shouldn’t transplant your seedlings until this happens.
Plant your tomatoes in intervals of three weeks, starting from the original strain and they will grow in a more organized structure. This way you will not have to harvest all of your crops at once. If you have something go wrong during a single harvest, it will prevent all of your tomatoes from being ruined.
It only takes a few steps to create a new garden area for perennials. Cut beneath the turf using a spade, then flip it over. Finish by covering the entire area using several inches worth of wood chips. Once a couple of weeks have passed, you can then dig into the new garden bed and plant some of your favorite perennials.
Keep the soil healthy for optimum plant health so they can combat disease, and even destruction caused by insects. Although the insects might still be present, you will be able to avoid their damage, which is what makes everyone happy.
Organic horticulture is simpler if you have knowledge on the subject. Don’t forget that this advice is just the beginning.
