Organic gardening will require some extra research and active avoidance of chemicals. You will need to take closer care of your garden if you choose to grow organically, but there are many tools to help you. It can be hard for a rookie to grow organic. Be successful by using the following tips.
Healthy Soil
Your first and best line of defense against pests is having healthy soil. Healthy soil encourages vigorous plant growth and makes your garden more resistant to common diseases and insects. For healthy plants, start with healthy soil that is properly amended and free of chemicals in order to avoid salt accumulation.
For proper optimum growth, plants require sufficient amounts of carbon dioxide (CO2). In general, higher amounts of CO2 are related to better plant growth. The best method to obtain a high amount is to get access to a greenhouse. The levels need to be kept high for optimum greenery growth.
A good but unusual organic solution for weeding your plants is try “boiling” your weeds way. Boiling water can be considered as an herbicide, and it is a safe one. One simple layer across the weeds with a pot of boiling water will take care of the problem, but you have to remember the same applies to your plants, as well. This can cause enough damage to the roots of any plant to kill it.
Keep your plants dry and aerated daily. If your plants are moist, this can attract disease and parasites. Fungi is the most common parasite for plants. It is possible to get rid of fungi after it appears with anti-fungal sprays, but it’s better to spray at-risk areas before fungi appear.
Two items you need to invest in when working in a garden are a wheelbarrow, and a kneeling stool. It’s rough on your knees to spend lots of time on the ground kneeling or squatting. That’s why it’s a good idea to have a portable, lightweight garden stool on hand. Horticulture involves moving heavy objects and dirt, so a wheelbarrow makes for a wise investment.
Spectrum Pesticides
When horticulture, don’t use any broad-spectrum pesticides. Broad spectrum pesticides don’t only kill the offending pests, but the beneficial ones also. Many times good bugs will be more sensitive to harmful pesticides than the ones you are trying to get rid of. If your good bug population goes down, your problem will only get worse. This can cause you to use an additional amount of pesticides in order to attempt to fix this problem.
Allow your children to actively participate in planting your organic garden. Children will benefit from the fresh air while bonding with you in your efforts to provide healthier food alternatives for them.
Horticulture can be hard on your knees. Many people experience back pain and stiffness from bending over and working in the garden for extended amounts of time. To get down to plant level without pain, try kneeling instead. To protect your knees while horticulture, you should get a pad to kneel on or at least use a folded up towel.
If you have recently suffered a cut, discontinue horticulture until the cut has healed completely. Open wounds can easily get infected while horticulture because you’re exposing yourself to dirt, bacteria and germs. You can now purchase bandages to seal the cut completely.
Now, you shouldn’t get your hopes up and believe that a few tips are going to turn you into an instant professional gardener. However, these tips are a great starting point if you do plan to grow organically. As you implement these tips and hone your skills, you’ll be a professional green-thumb-holder in no time.
Originally posted 2013-07-31 07:06:04.
