One of the tenets of organic horticulture is to focus on the garden and to tend it well. Smart organic horticulture can com in handy here. This will make the fruits and vegetables in your garden healthier and taste better. Use this advice to take your organic garden to the next level.
Clay soil can be a real pain to work with as it often sticks to the end of the shovel. To make your digging project easier, apply a coat of automobile wax to your shovel first and then buff it lightly. This causes the clay to slide rather than stick, and prevents rust as a side effect.
As fall arrives, it is the time to prepare for planting fall edibles. Why not plant lettuce and kale inside a hollowed-out pumpkin? First, cut out the pumpkin’s top layer and remove the seeds. Then, spray some Wilt-Pruf on the insides to prevent the rot that would follow otherwise. Now you can use the pumpkin as a planter.
Do not mow your lawn close to the bottom. If you leave some of the grass when you mow, the roots grow further into the ground, which makes the grass less prone to drying and other hazards. If you have short grass, you will have short roots and you will dry out your grass.
Start peas inside in a container, rather than planting the seeds outdoors. If you were to plant them inside first, the seeds should germinate better. This method also results in hardier seedlings that can better resist insects and disease. Once they grow a bit bigger, the seedlings can be easily transplanted to an outdoor garden.
Carefully read and follow the instructions that come with your chemicals and tools, especially when you’re just starting to garden. If you do not do this very simple step, you can end up causing skin irritation problems that are very painful. For your own safety, take the time to read and follow the instructions.
Try to relax with horticulture. A plethora of paths to individual relaxation and inner peace exist. Gardening is an excellent choice for calming your mind and soul. It is not prohibitively expensive, and has numerous benefits. The best return on your investment is the feeling of happiness and tranquility from growing your own greenery.
Take care of your knees when you’re horticulture. Many people experience back pain and stiffness from bending over and working in the garden for extended amounts of time. Due to this, most people choose to garden while on their knees, which also makes it easier to tend to plants. Get knee pads or a small mat you can use to kneel on if the ground is too hard.
Add three inches of mulch to your flower beds. Mulch discourages weeds and helps retain moisture while adding nutrients to your flower bed. This will also make your flowers appear beautiful and finished all year long.
Coffee Grounds
Mix used coffee grounds into your soil. The grounds contain essential nitrogen, which will benefit your plants in many ways. Nitrogen is a nutrient that will help your plants grow taller and bloom faster, so use those coffee grounds, extra compost, or diluted urea to make this happen.
Keep your compost pile balanced with a combination of dried and green plant mulch. Green means plant cuttings including grass, produce and weeds. Dried material includes straw, shredded paper, and cardboard. Diseased plants, meat and fire-waste like charcoal or ashes should not be placed in your compost pile.
A beer trap is an effective way of of dealing with any slugs that invade your organic garden. Bury a glass jar in your garden so that its open mouth is level with the top of the soil. Now, fill the jar with beer to approximately an inch below the lip. Slugs are attracted to the beer and become trapped in the container.
Brick, stone or untreated wood is great for building raised beds. Make sure the wood you use is untreated and rot resistant. Good choices are cedar, locust and cypress. It is particular important that you don’t use treated wood for vegetable beds, as the chemicals and toxins on the wood could leach into the soil and be absorbed by food plants. If you already have treated lumber in use, line it with some plastic and replace the soil near it.
One way to profitably sell products from your organic garden is to be a credible organic gardener. Get organically certified. This will increase your sales, and it will prove to your customers that they have quality products.
Organic gardening will help you create a truly fresh and nutritious garden. It takes tons of patience and work, but it’s worth it for a great garden.