Organic horticulture may seem to be a very complicated matter when examined closely. This is especially true if you want to garden naturally. You may need to learn everything from soil pH to controlling pests without chemicals. Organic horticulture is way harder than traditional gardening for beginners. To succeed, you must learn as much as possible about organic gardening principles. For valuable advice, keep reading.
Clay Soil
Clay soil is hard and will also stick to a shovel, making it difficult to work with. Take the hard work out of using a shovel in clay soil by rubbing a light coat of car or floor wax over the surface with a clean cloth and buff the surface. The clay will slide off of its surface and it will prevent rust.
The approach of fall means you need to start planting autumn goodies. Clay pots are boring, so replace those ordinary lettuce and kale pots with pumpkins. Once you cut an opening at the top of the pumpkin and scoop out the insides, spray the inside and edges with Wilt-Pruf to keep the pumpkin from rotting. Once you’ve done this, you can plant.
If you decide to grow peas, think about planting them indoors when you first start them off, as opposed to planting them outdoors. Seeds will always germinate much better when you first plant them indoors initially. This will also make the seedlings hardier, which will help them resist diseases and pests. Once they grow a bit bigger, the seedlings can be easily transplanted to an outdoor garden.
Learn the best harvest time for each vegetable. Each kind of vegetable should be picked at a specific point for maximum flavor. Baby peas, for example have much better flavor if they are harvested early in the ripening process, as does zucchini. At the opposite end of the spectrum, tomatoes are at their best when mature. So, make sure you do some research, and find out when the best time to harvest your vegetables is.
If you have a vegetable garden, it can be quite difficult to decide what to do about pest control. You can’t use chemicals as they’re the last thing you want to be eating when you enjoy the fruits of your labor. Instead of resorting to these harmful chemicals, you can keep garden pests at bay simply by paying close attention. By noticing them at an early stage, you can simply pluck them away from your plants with your fingers.
Vegetables are softer when they are warmer, increasing the risk that you will damage them. Use garden shears to remove your vegetables from the vine to avoid damaging the plant.
Now, you shouldn’t get your hopes up and believe that a few tips are going to turn you into an instant professional gardener. However, these tips are a great starting point if you do plan to grow organically. As you implement these tips and hone your skills, you’ll be a professional green-thumb-holder in no time.
Originally posted 2013-07-06 05:54:33.
