Depending on the effort you put into it, an organic garden can be a great pleasure or a great pain. Use the tips presented here to make the most out of your earth friendly organic garden.
Slowly acclimatize your plants to the outside environment to keep from shocking them. Put them outdoors in the sun for no more than two hours the first day. As the week progresses, gradually increase their exposure to the outdoors. After one week, the plants should be fully acclimated and ready to move outside.
Select plant varieties capable of producing large yields. In many cases, a disease-resistant or cold-tolerant hybrid will produce a higher yield than a traditional variety.
Try planting your plants in flower pots first, then transferring them to your garden once they have had a bit of time to grow. Doing this betters your odds of your plants making it to adulthood. The period between plantings will also be shorter. The seedlings are reading for planting immediately after you remove older plants.
Check the soil before you plant anything in 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. A lot of extension offices will offer this service and it is worth it so you know what your soil needs.
Bulbs planted in the spring can flower all the way into summer. Typically, bulbs are simple to grow, and they’ll grow every single year. Different bulbs will bloom during different time periods. Therefore, if you select your bulbs correctly, you could have blooms in your garden for all of spring and summer.
Soak your seeds in a dark spot during the overnight hours. Simply place a handful of seeds in a container, cover the seeds up with water, and stash it away. When you do this, you hydrate your seeds and they can start growing. This gives the seeds a better chance of flourishing.
Always have a plan for the garden prior to the start of planting it. This will assist you in recognizing your tiny plants when they start to pop up. In addition, some plants are so small you might forget you planted them once all your plants sprout. Planning stops these plants from getting lost in the crowd.
Take extra care of any fragile shrubs that are known to drop their leaves in the autumn. If you have a few potted shrubs, they should be shielded from the wintry weather. Fasten the tops of the canes together, and cover this wigwam loosely with a cloth. Doing this is a lot more effective than wrapping up the plant with plastic because it lets air circulate, which could avoid any rotting.
To help young plants, try pouring boiling water on top of nearby weeds. Water is cheaper than chemical herbicides, and less hazardous to humans and soil. Pour boiling water on any weeds, but be careful not to spill it on plants you want to keep. The boiling water will damage the roots of the weeds and will usually prevent further growth.
When you water your garden, do it with care. A soaker hose will save you time because you won’t have to individually water each plant, like you do with a regular nozzle, or a can that you need to constantly refill. Make sure that your water pressure is set to low, so that no harm will come to any tender plants. Letting the soaker hose do the work frees you up to turn your attention elsewhere.
Protect yourself from sun overexposure while horticulture by wearing the proper clothing. Clothing should keep your skin covered, and don’t forget to wear a hat, sunglasses and sunscreen. If you cover up from the sun, you are less likely to become burned or get skin cancer.
Get your children interested in helping with your organic garden. They will enjoy learning about nature and bonding with you.
Try to work in your garden at least a short time each day. No matter what your schedule is like, you should be able to fit in small things that will help you avoid having an overwhelming amount of work all at once. If you’re outside with your pet, try to remove weeds when your pet is doing his business.
In your compost, use green and dried plants in equal parts. Green plant material can include items such as leftover produce waste, grass clippings and leaves. Dried plant materials are things like shredded newspaper, cardboard, sawdust, straw, and any cut up wood materials. Avoid meat, ashes, charcoal, plants with diseases and manure from carnivores.
Over-watering plants is counterproductive, as too much water reduces plants’ ability to absorb nutrients from the surrounding soil. Before watering plants outdoors, check with some weather stations to find out if it will rain anytime during the day. If it is going to be a wet day, you don’t need to water the plants yourself.
As illustrated above, there is more to becoming a successful organic gardener than most people first imagine. While it takes quite a bit of effort and lots of patience, your pay off in the end will be a fantastic organic garden. By applying the advice of the preceding paragraphs, you’ll set sail for a beautiful organic gardening horizon.