Organic horticulture is the alternative to using toxic products such as fertilizers or pesticides on the food you are going to eat and the environment you live in. Another benefit of organic gardening is that it is relatively inexpensive. Here are some essential tips to help you become an expert organic gardener.
Brighten your garden with biennials and annuals. These fast growth plants make flower beds vibrant, and they let you alter the appearance seasonally and annually. Sunny areas in the middle of shrubs and perennials can be filled in nicely with these plants. Some flowers you can use are rudbekia, petunias, cosmos, marigolds, or sunflowers.
Do a soil analysis prior to planting. You can get a soil analysis, and if you find your soil needs a supplement, do it! It can avoid ruined vegetables and flowers, so check with places, such as a cooperative extension department to see where you can obtain the analysis.
When you decide to add vegetables into your garden space, be aware that they must be placed where they will receive direct sunlight for a minimum of six hours daily. Most members of the vegetable family need this minimum of light for proper growth. This is true of some flowers.
A set of comfortable knee pads makes a great investment if your garden is full of plant material that stays low to the ground. Excessive time spent kneeling often results in significant stiffness and pain. Your knees can get supported with a decent pair of gardening knee pads.
Take the time to place organic mulch in the area around your vegetable plants. The mulch will help keep the dirt around the plants more moist. It also keeps weeds from growing. You will save time by not pulling weeds.
If you are new to gardening, make sure you read and follow all the directions on any tool or chemical you use. If you don’t pay good attention, you could wind up with skin irritations or other issues. Directions, especially safety rules, are there for your own good, so make sure you follow instructions on your tools and chemicals to the letter.
When horticulture, try not to use broad-spectrum pesticides. These pesticides will kill every type of pest in your garden, including beneficial bugs that eat garden pests. In fact, beneficial insects are more likely to die than pests if you spray these types of pesticides. As the population of “good” bugs dwindles, your garden may become overrun with pests. If you respond to the growing pest problem with more broad-spectrum pesticide, you only continue the harmful cycle.
To draw good insects to your garden, plant heather. Bees love heather, and it is a favorite stop when they emerge in early spring.
If your heather bed is undisturbed, as it would be in nature, many beneficial insects will make it their home. Keep this in mind and always wear gloves when you prune your heather!
Using aspirin water will help your plants fight diseases. An aspirin and a half, combined with a couple of gallons of water, will do amazing things for your plants. The solution can then be used to spray the entire plant, and will offer protection naturally. Spraying should be one time every three weeks.
If you are looking at creating an endurable organic garden, you should think about keeping some of your property vacant so that wildlife may flourish there. Wildlife can help the plants in your garden to thrive, as insects support plant reproduction, while the excrement of many species contains nutrients which can help to fertilize your soil.
For the best results, properly prepare your garden for planting. Begin by adding moisture to the dirt. Spread the seeds, and leave them enough room to grow. Bury your seeds about three times deeper than the size that they are. There are some varieties of seed that are not planted underground since they require light to grow.
Organic gardening is healthier. You won’t be exposing your plants – and yourself to toxins or chemicals. Use the tips you just read to help you start planting your organic garden. When your garden works with nature, you will also be able to notice an increase in the number of wildlife inhabiting your garden.
