Many people select organic gardening to avoid using pesticides or commercial fertilizers on their garden for fear of long-term damage to their health and the environment. Organic horticulture is also cheaper; you don’t have to spend as much money on tools and equipment. These tips will get you right into the swing of organic gardening and improve your skill in no time.
If you work with clay soil, you have probably found using a shovel very frustrating and exhausting. Simplify the process by putting a bit of wax onto the shovel. The clay won’t stick then. The wax will prevent any rusting, and the shovel will cut through the soil with great ease.
Slug-proof your garden with smart perennial choices. If slugs or snails find their favorite perennials in your garden, they’ll snack all night. When you wake up in the morning, there will be very little left of your plants. These pests are especially attracted to tender sprouts and to delicate, soft leaves. Some perennials, however, leave a bad taste in slugs’ mouths or are difficult to chew through because their leaves aren’t tender. Good choices in this category are plants such as achillea, campanula, and euphorbia. Heuchera and helleborus also work well.
For the best results, select the right kind of soil. The kind of plants you want in your garden should let you know what kind of soil you need to get. It is also possible to make an artificial area using only one type of soil.
Let your new seeds soak in a dark spot overnight. You then want to place a small amount of seeds in a container that’s smaller and then fill it up with water to the top. That way, the seeds will have sufficient hydration and will have the best start possible. This gives the seeds a better chance of flourishing.
If you want to grow vegetables in you backyard, it is vital that you place them in an area where they could get roughly six hours of sun on a daily basis. Almost all vegetables need this much sunlight, so that they can grow correctly and in a shorter amount of time. Some flowers also need six hours of daily direct sun in order to grow and blossom well.
It is best to aerate and dry your plants daily. Moisture on plants is sure to attract disease and parasites. A fungus is one of the most important and debilitating parasites for plants. You can rid your garden of fungi with fungicidal sprays. However, it is best to treat your garden before there are problems.
Fertilizer is important when you garden. Manure is probably the best fertilizer. Choose a commercial product to reduce the risks of pathogen exposure. You must be sure to use some kind of fertilizer. There are many different combinations available for different uses.
Give peas a head start by sprouting them indoors. Pea seeds germinate better indoors. Seedlings will grow stronger, and withstand attacks from pests and diseases a lot better. After the seedlings have grown strong indoors, it will be time for you to transplant them to outdoor beds.
Consider planting evergreens that produce berries in your yard. 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 add life to your yard in the wintertime are the American Cranberrybush, Common Snowberry, Winterberry, and American holly.
Pest control is tough when you have a veggie garden. It’s wise to avoid harsh insecticides if you plan on consuming your fresh fruits and vegetables. So to help you control the pests that may invade your garden, you will want to stay vigilant. If you catch them when there are only a few around, you can actually pick them off the plants by hand.
Start using these tips right away, and you will be able to enjoy all of the benefits of a healthy, pollutant free organic garden in no time. Keep in mind that you can expect to see increase in wildlife when your garden begins to grow and work with nature.