An organic garden requires time, effort and patience to yield amazing results. In order to get good results in an organic garden, you need to use smart horticulture techniques. While the garden itself is important, your real goal is to grow great tasting produce that is healthy and does no harm to the environment or the consumer. Follow these tips to make your organic garden stand out above the rest.
Learn how to properly lay sod. Before the sod can be laid, you should prepare the soil. Remove weeds and break your soil until all the clumps are gone. Compact the soil lightly and firmly, and be sure to create a flat surface. Thoroughly moisten the soil. Lay the sod down in alternated rows, keeping the joints set off from one another. Sod should be firm and have an even, flat surface without gaps. Sod must be watered every day for about two weeks, and then it will have rooted and be completely ready to be walked on.
You need to consider beginning the plants into pots. Then, you can plant the seedlings into your garden. Your plants will be more likely to mature this way. This is also a good way to tighten up your planting schedule. The seedlings are reading for planting immediately after you remove older plants.
The first thing you can do to ward off garden pests is to ensure you are using healthy soil in your garden. The hearty plants that will grow in a garden with rich soil can resist the bugs and diseases that weak plants can't withstand. If you start with balanced soil, your garden will produce healthy plants with the best yield. Refrain from using chemicals since these will increase the salt content of the soil.
If you have any mildew on the plants, do not go out and buy anything. Mix some baking soda and a very small amount of liquid soap into water. You just need to spray your plants with this solution once every five days until the mildew is no longer visible. This is a natural solution for ridding your plants of mildew safely.
When winter arrives, transfer a few plants into the house for safe storage during the cold weather. Find out which plants will be able to thrive despite the transplanting and different indoor conditions. Cautiously avoid the roots while digging, and put your plant into a perfectly sized pot.
Prior to planting anything in your garden, check your soil. Many nurseries offer a soil analysis service, which will tell you what nutrients your soil is lacking and what you can do about it. 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.
Stink Bugs
When horticulture in the fall, you need to be watching for stink bugs. They love to inhabit peppers, beans, tomatoes and all kinds of fruit varieties. If they go unnoticed, they can cause large amounts of harm to your garden, so remember to take protective measures to reduce the population of stink bugs there.
Do you ever wish that your fresh mint leaves would not grow as quickly and overcome your garden? You can slow down this growth by planting them inside a pot or container! You can bury the container so the top is flush with the ground if desired, but the container's walls will prevent the roots from spreading so that the plant won't take over your entire garden.
It is possible to use natural materials as well as other plants to help keep pests away from your garden. Slugs who want to enter a vegetable garden, for example, can be repelled by a simple border of marigolds and onions. Wood ash can be used as mulch, and if put on the base of shrub and tree seedlings, will keep insects away. Natural remedies, like the ones listed, will help reduce the need and usage of harsh chemical pesticides.
If you are planning on growing peas, start them indoors before putting them outdoors in your garden. When the plants are started inside, the seeds will have an easier time germinating. Seeds grown indoors are much more resistant to diseases and damage done by pests. Transplant them outside when they are fully established and able to thrive.
Learn the proper way to handle chemicals, and the right way to use garden tools. Failing to heed this simple advice can mean skin irritation that you are going to remember, and not pleasantly at that. Ensure that your body is protected by always following instructions.
Choose one stand-out plant to be a focal point. A focal point can help direct a viewers gaze. Usually, the focal point will be a plant that is unique from the plants around it.
If you know that you'll be in the garden for an extended period of time, protect yourself from the sun with proper attire. Make sure you wear a wide brimmed hat along with sunglasses and plenty of sunscreen. Proper protection from the sun means a lower chance of sunburn, as well as a decreased risk of skin cancer.
Beautiful insects are attracted to heather when you plant it. Heather is very attractive to bees, and when bees first emerge in the spring, it is an early source of nectar. Beds of heather are largely undisturbed and make a perfect living space for spiders, beetles and a variety of other beneficial tenants. Bearing this in mind, it is always a good idea to wear horticulture gloves when pruning your heather!
As you now know, the taste and quality of your produce can be greatly enhanced from utilizing the method of organic horticulture. It requires a good work ethic, but an organic garden is indeed worth the effort.