Many people are finding out how great it is to have an organic garden. Read this article to find out what you need to do to get started. Just use these ideas and follow through with them.
Transform the handles of your tools into convenient measuring devices. You can convert any large handle tool, such as a hoe, shovel, or rake into a measuring tool. Place the handles on the ground and measure them. Mark your distances with a permanent marker. You will never find yourself looking for a ruler thanks to this simple tip.
Plant perennials that are resistant to slug and snail infestations. Snails and slugs can quickly wreak havoc on a garden. These pests normally go after plants with thin little leaves and plants that have yet to fully mature. Perennials that have thick, furry leaves and unpleasant tastes are less likely to attract slugs and snails. Selecting an unappetizing perennial, such as campanula or heuchera, will help stop them from being eaten.
You can make your flower beds brighter with biennials and annuals. These types of flowers grow at high speed, which gives you more flexibility in changing the look of your flower beds as the seasons change. In an area that is sunny, they make good plants to place in the gaps found between shrubs and perennials. Attention-getting options exist such as sunflowers and petunias.
Don’t bother with expensive chemicals if your plants start to sport powdery mildew. Plain water with a bit of liquid soap and baking soda will do the trick. Spray this on the plants once per week until that mildew goes away. Baking soda will bring no damage to your plants, and will treat the mildew in a gentle and efficient manner.
Pull all the weeds in your garden. Weeds can truly ruin a good garden. A clever way to accomplish this is with the help of some white vinegar. White vinegar is a weed killer! Spray white vinegar onto those troubling weeds.
One way to correct your soil’s alkalinity is by amending your soil with used coffee grounds. This is a simple way to replenish your soil with acid. The right soil will make your vegetables taste better and make your flowers more vibrant and aromatic.
To keep pests away, you can use plants in the garden or other natural materials. Planting marigolds or onions around the border of your vegetable garden will help repel slugs. Insect pests will stay away from seedlings and trees if you use wood ash around the base as a mulch. Natural remedies, like the ones listed, will help reduce the need and usage of harsh chemical pesticides.
Your garden can really benefit from evergreens featuring berries. They offer terrific color during the dreariest times of the year when nothing else you have planted has any hue remaining. Some evergreens that will provide winter color are the American Holly, Common Snowberry, American Cranberrybush, and the Winterberry.
Every good gardener knows when the best time is to begin harvesting one vegetable or the other. Different veggies have different windows of time in which they should be picked; it is during this period that the vegetable is most flavorful. Baby peas, for example have much better flavor if they are harvested early in the ripening process, as does zucchini. Tomatoes, however, are best picked from the vine later when they are very ripe. To get the most out of your horticulture efforts, find out when to harvest your crops.
Dress to protect your skin from sun damage when you garden. Wear sunglasses, wide-brimmed hats, and sunblock. Utilizing the correct sun protection makes it less likely that sunburn will occur and decreases the chance that skin cancer will develop.
As you are now well aware, cultivating the perfect organic garden requires patience, effort and time. Following the suggestions outlined above should help you get your organic garden off the ground more effectively. It doesn’t matter what you’re trying to grow, the tips you learned can help you be successful.
