You may find organic gardening to either be a source of great relaxation, or a frustratingly difficult enterprise. This list of tips should help you become a successful organic gardener.
Controlling pests is essential to a high yield garden. There are a variety of products available on the market that will kill any invasive pest in the garden. Many organic pest controls have been perfected over the years that work very well, although they can be more expensive than chemical alternatives. With a quick internet search one can find many safe home remedies for pest control too.
For gardeners in colder climates who want to get their plants started in the outdoor garden a little early, use plastic milk jugs for mini-greenhouses. Cut the bottom off of a milk jug and place over the plant, pushing the jug into the ground enough to keep it in place. Remove the milk jug cap during sunny, but still somewhat chilly days to allow for some air circulation and replace the cap at night to keep the warmth in. When the days are a bit warmer, remove the jug during the day, only replacing it at night, and slowly let your plant acclimate to the weather.
If you want your garden to be successful, focus on your soil. In order to protect your plants from unwanted pests, it is essential to have healthy soil. It will nourish your vegetation and help them grow into strong plants that are able to fight off disease and damage from bugs.
Use fertilizers that are free for the taking. Using chemical free grass clippings or human urine for a nutrient rich and free fertilizer. Twenty parts water with one part urine is an excellent fertilizer for seedlings, or steep the grass clippings in water to make a tea for watering and fertilizing the plants. So don’t spend a lot on the garden when the fertilizers can be had for free.
Improve the health of your soil before your plant your crops and seed. Three or four weeks beforehand use organic compounds like mulch, fertilizer, and compost to increase the nutrient value and retention of your soil. It will also improve the retention of water, create a soil buffer, and more.
Make sure to protect your hands when working in your yard. Dirt and chemicals can be very harsh on your skin. However, the solution to this problem is very easy: gardening gloves. Gloves range from cheaper cottons (that wear easily) to more durable leather (which are more expensive). Look around your local garden supply center to find a pair of gloves that you feel comfortable working with to save your hands.
Water new plants daily or every other day. When you first start plants in new soil, you need to tend to them very carefully. Plants experience a shock when they are in a new environment. Making sure they have enough water will go far in giving them the best chance to thrive in your garden.
Plant for fall color. A lot of gardeners see fall as the time to wind things down in the garden, but with some plants the opposite is true. Certain trees and shrubs really ‘come alive’ in the fall, offering vivid displays of color through their foliage. Trees and shrubs for fall color include maple, cornus, gingko, dogwood, sumac and viburnum.
Now that you’ve read this article, you can see that there is much more to do with organic gardening than meets the eye. Organic gardening demands hard work and perseverance in the face of adversity, but your sacrifices will be rewarded when you can look out of your bedroom window and see a stunning organic garden in your own backyard, that you created with your own bare hands. By following the above tips, you are well on your way to increasing your organic gardening skills.
