Organic gardening requires a green thumb and a lot of patience. This pastime should yield amazing and healthy foods, free of pesticides and other chemicals found in store bought produce. This particular hobby may not be as easy as it sounds. The following hints and tips can help you grow your own organic garden easily and successfully.
Shoveling soil that is mostly clay can be difficult because of the hardness of the soil, and because it sticks to the shovel. To make the clay soft so you aren’t working as hard, take floor or car wax and rub a light coat on the surface of the shovel using a clean cloth, then buff the surface. This causes the clay to slide rather than stick, and prevents rust as a side effect.
Plant perennials that are slug-proof. It is alarming to see how quickly slugs, and their cousin snails, can annihilate a plant. Certain perennials that don’t have tough leaves are especially tasty to snails and slugs. Perennials that are unappetizing in taste, or that have hardened and hairy leaves, are not a favorite of slugs or snails. Some perennial families that snails and slugs won’t eat include achillea, campanula, and helleborus.
The first thing you should do when planning a garden is test the soil. A soil analysis is inexpensive and can be used to figure out which nutrients should be added to provide a healthy garden environment. Before you ruin any crops, make sure you do this. Soil can be analyzed at a lot of cooperative extension offices, so make sure you plan accordingly.
Garden vegetables should be planted in areas of the ground that receive a minimum of six hours of daily sunlight. Almost all vegetables need this much sunlight, so that they can grow correctly and in a shorter amount of time. Some flowers also have the same needs.
Natural Materials
There are natural materials, and you can also use other plants to help keep pests away from your garden. For example, if you plant onions or marigolds along the edges of your vegetable garden, you can ward off slugs. Keep insects away from shrub and tree seedlings with mulch containing wood ash. Natural materials and plants can be just as effective as chemical pesticides at keeping unwanted visitors out of your garden!
Think about starting your peas indoors rather than planting them directly in the garden. The seeds will grow better in your home if planted there first. The seedling may also be hardier, which means that they can better resist disease and attacks from pests. After the seedlings get mature enough, transplant them to your outdoor garden.
Know the perfect time to harvest the vegetables in your garden. Each variety of vegetable has a specific time to be harvested so that you may enjoy its fullest flavor. For instance, for the best flavor, zucchini and baby peas should be picked when they are young. Tomatoes, however, should be plucked from the vine the moment they appear ripe. Remember that the vegetables will taste best if you harvest them at the proper time.
An eye-catching plant makes an attractive focal point for your garden or flowerbed. To create an attractive garden design, arrange a focal point to draw attention. The best focal points are those plants that really stand out from those that are adjacent.
Spray fragrances such as old perfume or aftershave on grass around your garden to help keep your dog away from the plants. Using this will cover up the odors that your dog likes and will cut down on the intrigue of your landscaping for your furry friend.
Organic Gardener
An organic gardener enjoys the benefits of working with nature, producing wonderful food through hard work and patience. It’s an activity that lets you get in touch with nature while growing something very tasty. All it takes is a little studying and practice to become a successful organic gardener.
Originally posted 2013-08-27 00:53:07.
