Many people turn to organic gardening because they are worried about the long-term toxic effects of the many commercial fertilizers and pesticides, on both their health and the environment. Also, most methods of organic gardening are fairly inexpensive. Below are some great tips to assist you grow to be the organic gardener that you hope to be.
Sod should be laid correctly. Make sure you prepare your soil before you lay any sod down. Be sure to get rid of any weeds, and then proceed to break up the soil to get it ready to use. Lightly, but firmly compress the soil, making certain it is flat. You then will want to thoroughly wet the soil. Be sure to stagger the rows of sod. The joints should be offset like bricks in a wall. Even out the surface of the sod by firming it down flat, filling any available gaps with a handful of dirt. Water your sod daily for a fortnight, which is enough time for it to root and be able to withstand foot traffic.
To keep your plants from getting shocked, you need to gradually introduce them to changes in temperature and conditions. When starting the transition, leave the plants in the sun for just 1-2 hours. As you continue the first week of the project, gradually extend the duration of sun exposure. After a week's time, the plants should be fine staying outside.
Clay is naturally hard, and can can stick to a shovel making it frustrating to work with. To ease the digging, apply some car wax or floor wax to the head of the shovel and buff. This will keep the soil from sticking, and prevent rusting of the tool.
Create useful rulers from your tool handles. Tools with long handles, such as rakes, hoes, and shovels can be converted into handy measuring sticks. Just run some measuring tape right on the floor next to the handles. Label the distances on the handle with a marker pen that will not smear or fade away. When you decide to work in the garden again, you will now have a ruler at your disposal.
Your first and best line of defense against pests is having healthy soil. Healthy and well-nourished plants will be hardier and therefore better able to prevent pests from taking hold. So if you want your garden to provide plants that are as healthy as possible, you need a good quality soil that contains few chemicals and that can accumulate salts over time.
Use both annuals and biennials to add a splash of color to your flower beds. These flowers grow quickly and can be planted at any time during the year. If you want to maintain a flower garden all year or you want to add new flowers to reflect the changing seasons, annuals and biennials are for you. You can fill any spaces between shrubs and perennials when they are in the sun. There are many different varieties to choose from such as daisies, marigolds, impatiens, and lantana.
You may be able to re-pot some plants to bring indoors for the winter. Perhaps you can save your most expensive or resistant plants. Be careful not to damage the root system as you dig up the plant, and place it in a pot.
Putting the advice you just learned to use in your organic garden will help you realize several benefits, including having healthy plants and a reduction in toxins. You should expect to see more wildlife inhabiting your garden as your garden works more with nature.