More and more people are becoming interested in organic gardening as a safe alternative to store bought produce, which can contain all kinds of dangerous chemicals and may even present unforeseen threats with untested methods of genetic engineering. Another benefit is that organic gardening techniques are often cost little-to-nothing. Read on for some advice about how to work in your organic garden.
Flower Garden
Use both annuals and biennials to add a splash of color to your flower beds. Using a variety of flowers allows your flower garden to have a different look each season. In addition, you might need something to fill empty spaces in your flower garden. Fill gaps with annuals or biennials. Just make sure the flowers will get enough sun to thrive. Notable varieties include cosmos, rudbeckia, petunia, hollyhock, marigold and sunflower.
Use the correct type of soil for best results. Dependent on the type of plants you are choosing for the garden, the soil may not be right for them. You can designate one area of your garden to use one specific type of soil.
If your landscape includes low-growing plants, you should invest in a set of knee pads specifically designed for gardening. Kneeling on the ground as you garden will eventually cause serious discomfort for your knees. Cushion your knees with a pair of horticulture knee pads.
Instead of leaving clumps of irises intact, divide them so that your flowers can grow in a more healthy manner. The more you divide clusters of irises, the more your irises will multiply. After the foliage dies, pick up bulbous irises. The bulbs should split up normally in the hand, and should flower when replanted for the next year. Use a knife to divide the rhizomes. Cut new pieces from the outside and discard the old center. At the least, each piece will need to have one strong offshoot. The quicker you can replant your cuttings, the better chances they will reappear next season.
You can prevent pests from invading your garden with certain plants and natural materials. A border of marigolds or onions around your veggies can prevent slugs. Insect pests will stay away from seedlings and trees if you use wood ash around the base as a mulch. You can avoid using pesticides that contain harsh chemicals if you employ these techniques.
If you want the best tasting vegetables, learn about the optimum time to harvest them. Each kind of vegetable should be picked at a specific point for maximum flavor. For instance, zucchini and baby peas will taste a lot better if you pick them when they are young. Tomatoes, however, should be plucked from the vine the moment they appear ripe. So, it is good to learn about the best time to harvest your vegetables.
If you have problems keeping the dog out of the garden, spray things like aftershave, perfume or other scents on the grass surrounding the garden. This can make scents that dogs are attracted to, and make your garden less interesting in general for pets.
Laundry Basket
Use an aged laundry basket when you want to collect your produce. An old laundry basket makes an excellent strainer for cleaning your produce. Rinse the product off whilst it’s in the basket so that any extra water can strain through the laundry basket’s holes.
Within your composting heap, ensure that there is an equal split of dried and green plant materials. Examples of good green material to use for compost include grass clippings, flowers, leaves, and weeds. Dried materials are things like hay, wood shavings, cardboard and paper. Avoid ashes, meat, charcoal and diseased plants in your compost.
When planting seeds in containers, plant the seed roughly three times deeper than the seed’s size. Some seeds need to be in direct sunlight, though, so you need to know information about each type of seed. Some of these seeds are petunias and ageratum. If you do now know how to plant your seed, consult the information that came with the seed when you bought it or check online for helpful information.
In order to construct your raised beds, make use of untreated brick, stone, wood and other materials. Choose wood that is naturally resistant to rot and is untreated. Some good choices include locust, cypress, and cedar. If you use your garden to grow vegetables, avoid using wood that has been treated with chemicals. These toxic chemicals may seep into the soil, damaging your crops. If you are already using treated lumber, you can use plastic liners, or a different barrier, in order to protect your garden.
Utilizing the advice provided in this article in your organic gardening efforts will produce great results. You will quickly see your garden becoming more productive and healthy, while being free of toxins. As your garden starts to become more attuned with nature, you will also see it attracting more wildlife.