You probably have friends who claim to eat only organic, or maybe you’ve seen these items in the store. It’s usually easy to distinguish the organic items from the others. These foods are not packaged the same and tend to cost much more. Continue on for some great organic gardening tips, so you can learn how to grow one at home.
Keep the temperature in your home between 65 and 75 degrees Fahrenheit, if you are keeping or growing any kind of plant in your house. The temperature needs to remain steady and warm so the plants can grow. If you think it would not be comfortable to keep your residence that warm in the winter, consider purchasing a heat lamp to use on the plants.
To be as efficient as possible in the garden, always have your tools handy. You can wear an apron or pants that have a lot of pockets, or use a big bucket or can. If you have your pruning shears, spade, trowel and gloves handy, you will be able to get your gardening chores done much more quickly.
If you plan to raise organic plants inside, you need to think about how much light they will get. If your dwelling does not enjoy a great deal of natural sunlight, it makes sense to grow only those varieties meant to thrive in such environments. You can also try using artificial lighting to help.
Sprouting seeds need less warmth than before. After growth begins, you can remove plants from any excessive heat sources. If you used plastic wrap to insulate your seedlings, you should now remove it. Watch the seeds so you can know when you do this.
Use about two to three inches of organic material as mulch in all of your flower beds. Mulching is the perfect way to lock in moisture, nourish soil, and to keep away weeds. This will also give a nice, professional appearance to your garden all year.
Pine mulch can be highly effective under the right conditions. Certain plants are acidic, and thrive in acidic soil. If your garden contains plants like this, there are few things simpler than spreading some pine needles across your beds. Cover the surface of the ground with a two-inch layer of the pine needles; as the needles break down, they will release acid into the soil and nourish your plants.
It never hurts to keep a few bags around the house to protect your floors from dirty gardening shoes. This keeps your flow going, so you can get back out to the garden quickly and finish your work.
Spacing is one important factor in gardening. You must think of how much room the plants will take up as they grow, and it easy to underestimate this. The plants will inevitably need to unfurl and spread, but they also need the circulation of air from open spaces. Make sure your seeds have a good amount of space between each other for optimal growth.
Remember to plan for adequate spacing when you first lay out an organic garden. Leave a little more space than you think your full grown plant will need to make up for overgrowth. You need to take into account the plant’s size when it is fully grown, as well as allowing space for air circulation between each plant. Think ahead and give each plant room for expansion, by properly spacing the seeds.
Tend your organic garden on a regular schedule. Sometimes it might prove difficult to get in a little gardening time every day. However, you shouldn’t fret, as there are a few things you can do that can minimize the time you spend gardening when you do manage to get to it. If you put the dog outside, weed a few spots in the garden while your dog goes to the bathroom.
Tend your organic garden on a regular schedule. While you may not be able to spend a lot of time every day in your garden, even little items done daily will stop the mountain of work from growing. While you are with your pet outside, pull some weeds while the pet does its business.
In your compost, use green and dried plants in equal parts. Add grass clippings, waste from fruits and vegetables, leaves, and weeds for the green materials in your compost pile. The leaves you rake in the fall, straw, sawdust and the like are dry material. Do not include charcoal, ashes, meat, carnivorous animal manure or diseased plants.
When you run your personal organic garden, try ruffling seedlings using your hands or cardboard one or two times daily. This will make your plants grow faster and they will get bigger than they would have without this practice.
Want to kill weeds naturally? Put down old newspapers in several layers for controlling weeds. Weeds cannot grow without light. The layers of newspaper will kill the weeds because they no longer receive any sunlight. Newspapers also break down over time, becoming part of your compost. Cover the newspaper with a thick layer of mulch for a more attractive look.
If you’d like to create a raised bed, use materials like brick, stone, or untreated wood. If you use wood, be sure that it is untreated and naturally rot resistant. Excellent choices are cedar, locust and cypress. Treated wood can leach chemicals into any soil it rests against, so don’t use it in a garden with vegetables. If you must use treated wood, create a barrier, such as with plastic sheet.
Try using a beer trap to naturally eradicate slugs from your organic garden. Use a glass jar buried in the soil so the rim of the jar is at ground level. Now, fill the jar with beer to approximately an inch below the lip. Slugs are attracted by the beer and won’t be able to exit the jar once they enter.
Organic gardening is more difficult than gardening with chemicals, but you will reap a greater reward. While chemical claims are wondrous, growing organically is a great reward to whomever eats your produce.
Untreated Wood
Adjust your watering to the season and climate. You will need to water differently depending on what time it is or what kind of soil you are using. In warm climates with high humidity, for instance, plants often develop fungal infections when water is applied to the leaves. Instead, the roots should be thoroughly watered.
Brick, stone or untreated wood is great for building raised beds. If you choose wood, ensure that it has not been treated with a sealant or other chemicals. Examples of good woods include cedar, cypress, and locust. Using untreated wood is especially important for veggie gardens, because chemicals from treated wood could leach into the soil, affecting your food. If you must use treated wood, consider using a liner to keep chemicals out of the soil.
Soil health can be improved by adding mulch. The right amount of mulch in a garden also works to protect the soil underneath. It keeps the soil cool on very hot days, thus protecting the roots in the ground. Mulch acts like a barrier that ultimately decreases the rate of evaporation. It can also help alleviate any weed issues.
Growing your garden at home might not be the most convenient thing for you, but you will save a lot of money and always have the confidence that what you’re eating and feeding your family is as fresh and as healthy as possible. Use the tips you’ve learned here and get started on your garden today.
Take a look below the surface to get a start. When you are buying seedlings for tomatoes, look at the roots as well as the green parts. You want to take note of this because starts like this will prohibit seedling growth.