Taking your hobby of gardening an extra step and using organic materials, can be beneficial for the plants you grow, as well as, the environment! Instead of using pesticides and toxic weed-killing solutions, use natural alternatives like vinegar and soapy water. Read this article for more tips on organic gardening.
You can save time by using soaker hoses. Instead of standing with a hose for a long time or having to refill a container, set your water pressure on low and let your hose sit next to the plant that needs to be watered. Do not forget to turn the water off later.
Calculate how much water your plants truly need. Thinner plants generally need more water; they contain larger surface area with less capacity to store water. Plants with large, thick waxy leaves are often more suited for water-starved environments. Over-watering may also cause problems with the plant due to microbial growth on their roots.
If you plan on beginning an organic gardener, a great tip is to make you cover your seeds with glass or a plastic wrap. This is needed so that your seeds will stay warm because most seeds need a temperature of around 70 degrees Fahrenheit in order to properly germinate.
You can get rid of slugs with a simple beer trap. Take a glass jar and bury it in your garden, making sure that the lip of the jar is even with the soil. Fill that with beer just under an inch from the top of your jar. Slugs will be attracted to the beer and fall into the jar.
Change how much you water your plants with the changing of the seasons. You should also adjust your watering habits if the temperature or amount of rainfall changes dramatically. 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. In a warm and humid climate you should avoid watering the plant itself. Wet leaves promote the growth of leaf fungi. A better method is to water the root system only.
When you start your organic garden, start a garden journal at the same time. Make note of when you planted seeds, how successful they were, any pests that you noticed, and what tricks proved to be effective. This information will be very helpful when you plant your garden in the following years.
If you are new to organic gardening, start with disease resistant plants. Some plants are just hardier than others and because of this they will require less maintenance. A plant that survives well on its own will encourage you in continuing your organic gardening practices. Ask at your local garden store, as different varieties are hardy in different areas of the country.
Plant geraniums near tomatoes. Many bugs hate the chemicals in geraniums and will avoid them, so if you plant geraniums around your tomato patch and sparsely in your garden, the caterpillars and worms will have a tough time getting into the tomato plants. This is especially true if you have your garden enclosed.
You need to manage the pests in your garden without using pesticides or insecticides. One of the most important steps in pest management is to have healthy soil. It will help produce much healthier plants; plants that are stronger and can better withstand many kinds of disease and damage caused by insects.
Think carefully about any product you buy to use in your garden. Try using organic substitutes for the typical chemical fertilizers. Compost works great for this. One advantage to using organic gardening methods as opposed to non-organic methods is that non-organic methods have a small chance of reducing soil quality or poisoning the water table.
Take some time to build your own garden. Plan out how everything should look and where you want to grow certain plants. Try landscaping your own yard. It can also help return so much of your original investment, along with being an great way to make sure your plants have a proper place to grow.
Get to know the local weather patterns in your geographic region. When you know your climate and how it influences the growth of your garden, you can predict how your garden will grow. You can make your garden more productive by monitoring local weather forecasts and planning your gardening activities accordingly.
Take some time to carefully plan the items to include in your organic garden. Each plant needs a specific environment to blossom. Even with roses, the varieties available will mean that you may not be successful with any one type. Be sure to pick the varieties that will work in your environment.
A well-contained garden environment minimizes the need for intervention in the form of fertilizers, pesticides, and soil displacements. One of the easiest ways to create a more controlled garden is to try your hand at container gardening. This is an especially effective idea for organic gardeners who live in apartments or dorms, or who have very small plots of land to work with.
Don’t use chemicals near a water source. If you have a pond in your garden, or live near a creek or stream, never apply chemicals to plants. They can leach into the soil and make their way into the local water source. Even if you think you are applying the chemical topically, it will make its way into the soil via the roots.
Be aware that some plants are poisonous. If you are going to have kids and pets in your garden, you may want to avoid plants that have toxic properties. Some of these are foxglove, sweet pea, datum, iris, oleander, amaryllis, lupine, clematis, poinsettia, and lanthanum. Plant only if you can be sure they will not be disturbed.
You can maintain a garden without spending a lot of money on store-bought mulch or using pesticides on your plants. Anything that used to be alive is a great source for mulch, like leaves or kitchen waste. Remember the tips in this article, in order to maintain a great organic garden, without spending too much money!
If you’re looking to get into vegetable gardening, or are just looking for some tips on how to make your current garden better, then you’ve come to the right place! My name is Ethel and I have been gardening for years. In this blog, I’m going to share with you some of my best tips on how to create a successful vegetable garden.
