Planting an organic garden gives you easy access to a source of healthy food, but buying what you need and getting it set up can be tough for a first-timer. Organic horticulture also involves choosing from a large variety of different seeds as well. Here are a few tips and techniques you can use to get started in your own organic garden.
Your plants will respond better to gradual changes of environment. Leave them outside in sunlight for a couple of hours on the initial day. As the week progresses, gradually increase their exposure to the outdoors. After a few more days, your plants will be more resistant and ready to stay outside all the time.
When winter arrives, transfer some plants into the house to save them. You might want to transplant your most valuable varieties. Remember to be gentle when digging up your plants; carefully dig away from the roots and gently place the plant into a container.
Prior to planting anything in your garden, check your soil. You can obtain a soil analysis for a nominal fee. Using that report, you can amend your soil as needed for a thriving garden. Several Cooperative Extension locations offer this service, and it’s advantageous for you to know what type of soil you have, in order to avoid growing faulty crops.
A set of comfortable knee pads makes a great investment if your garden is full of plant material that stays low to the ground. Kneeling on the ground as you garden will eventually cause serious discomfort for your knees. Having a pair of excellent knee pads for gardening can help cushion the knees to provide additional comfort.
To keep your dog out of your garden, spray old perfume, aftershave, or other scented items in the grass around it. This will mask any scents that might attract your dog and make your garden less interesting to him.
If you can’t wait for a cut to heal before digging in the dirt, then at least protect your cuts from exposure. The dirt and grime you come into contact with while gardening can cause even a small cut to become seriously infected. It is possible now to get bandages that will completely seal the cut.
Indoor plants need an environment that is between 65 and 75 degrees. Plants need to be in an environment that is neither too warm nor too cool for them to grow. If you do not want to keep your home that warm during the winter months, you can get a heat lamp for the organic plants instead.
Keep your gardening tools close by to maximize gardening efficiency. Keep the tools in a big bucket, or store them in strong pockets in your pants. Keep common tools such as your gloves or your pruning shears within reach so that you can quickly and easily maintain your garden whenever you need to.
Working in the garden doesn’t have to be grueling; learn to work more efficiently. Don’t waste time searching for lost tools. Have all of your tools gathered and prepared for use before you work in the garden, and make sure to put them away neatly. Invest in a tool belt or wear pants that have lots of pockets.
Make sure you don’t let your chores pile up when it comes to your garden Even doing just a few small things each day can keep chores from piling up and eventually becoming unmanageable. This will save you a lot of time in the long run. If you put the dog outside, weed a few spots in the garden while your dog goes to the bathroom.
Use equal parts of green and dried plant material in your compost pile. Examples of good green material to use for compost include grass clippings, flowers, leaves, and weeds. Dried plant material, however, can include items such as cardboard, sawdust and shredded paper. Materials to avoid during composting include diseased plants, meat, ashes and charcoal.
Construct raised flower beds of brick, stone, or wood. If you choose to use wood, see to it that it’s untreated and that it can resist rotting. Cypress, cedar or locust wood are appropriate selections. In a veggie garden, don’t use treated wood since its chemicals can leech into the food crops and soil. If you have used treated lumber, line your beds with plastic.
The importance of organic food in your diet cannot be understated, although achieving this in your own backyard can be challenging. The tips you’ve found above are sure to help you get off to a good start on growing chemical-free healthy food.