Organic gardening is relaxing, enjoyable, and produces tasty results. With the advice this article contains, you can begin your own organic gardening adventure and create a thriving oasis that all your family can enjoy. Use these tricks and tips to get the best results.
Flower Garden
Plant a variety of flowers to keep your flower garden colorful and interesting. Annuals and biennials can add excitement and interest to your flower garden every season. Your flower beds will look different from one season to another. Use these beautiful flowers to line your driveway, surround trees and shrubs, and for decorative hanging baskets. The most popular varieties to use include petunia, zinnia, cosmos, snapdragon, marigold, hollyhock, and sunflower.
Cover the fences and walls with climbers. You can hide an unsightly wall or fence, in as little as one growing season, with the right selection of climbing plant. They can grow through shrubs and trees, or even cover an arbor. There are those that have to be fixed to a support, but others will find a surface to cling to all on their own through twining stems or tendrils. Reliable varieties include wisteria, honeysuckle, climbing roses, clematis, and jasmine.
Check your soil before you begin planting your garden. For a small fee, a soil analysis can be obtained – based on that report – the soil can be properly enriched to support a vibrant garden. Many Cooperative Extension offices will provide this service, and it is well worth knowing exactly what the soil needs to avoid ruining a crop or two.
Be diligent in your efforts to banishing weeds! Weeds steal nutrients from plants, robbing a garden of its potential harvest. White vinegar can be used as a natural herbicide. The acid in white vinegar kills weeds. You may also be using plants that need that very same acid. Use a spray bottle full of white vinegar and you won’t have to use your hands.
Pre-soak seeds overnight in a dark place. Put some seeds (a small amount) in a container that isn’t too large for the plant you’ll be growing. Fill that container with water, almost to the top. That way, the seeds will have sufficient hydration and will have the best start possible. The young plants will survive better, and get a boost toward maturity.
Keep your plants dry and aerated daily. Moisture on plants is sure to attract disease and parasites. A fungus is one of the most important and debilitating parasites for plants. It is possible to get rid of fungi after it appears with anti-fungal sprays, but it’s better to spray at-risk areas before fungi appear.
Fertilizing is an important step in preparing your garden soil. While a lot of people use manure, it is better to choose fertilizer from a reputable company, as this will reduce the risk of any pathogens getting into your soil. You have the ability to choose from quite a large array of fertilizer, however there is not a great difference between them. It is just crucial that you use something.
Place a two inch layer of organic mulch at the base of your tall vegetable plants. Mulch will retain water so that you won’t have to water your plants as often. An added benefit is that it also inhibits weed growth. This will save you time, money, and effort in your lovely garden.
Beneficial Bugs
When gardening, try not to use broad-spectrum pesticides. Besides killing the insects you don’t want, this type of pesticide will also kill beneficial insects. Beneficial bugs usually have more sensitivity towards pesticides than bad ones. Therefore, if the number of beneficial bugs drops, the problem with pests can get bigger. This might result in you having to use even more pesticides to get rid of the pests.
Choose a plant as a focal point. Gardens are like art; you need to give the piece (or garden) an initial focal point. It is usually a type of plant that stands out from the plants surrounding it.
Avoid damage from the sun by dressing correctly when you garden. Clothing should keep your skin covered, and don’t forget to wear a hat, sunglasses and sunscreen. If you shield your skin from the sun correctly, your risk of sunburn and cancers will go down.
Organic Garden
As you are now well aware, cultivating the perfect organic garden requires patience, effort and time. Start utilizing the advice provided in this article today, and your organic garden will eventually become truly magnificent. Regardless of which organic crops you choose to grow, these tips will help you enjoy a bountiful harvest.