Organic gardening may seem to be a very complicated matter when examined closely. Once you have decided to garden organically, you need to learn about your soil’s pH balance, as well as things like natural pesticides. However, growing organic food can be difficult for those who have not done it before. Read on to find some tips to make horticulture in a clean, organic fashion a little easier and more fun to do!
Properly put down your sod. Before laying sod, you have to make sure the soil is accurately prepared. Pull any weeds and break up any clods of soil. Using a light but firm touch, compact the soil until it is flat. Moisten the soil thoroughly. Lay the sod down in alternated rows, keeping the joints set off from one another. Pat down the sod and fill any gaps with soil. Water the sod each day for two weeks so it will become well-rooted and ready for foot traffic.
Flower Beds
Use biennials and annuals to add color to your flower beds. These usually grow quickly, and provide an easy-to-change solution to making your flower beds bright and beautiful. They allow you to select different flowers from one year or season to the next. You can also use these flowers to fill gaps between shrubs or perennials. The most popular varieties to use include petunia, zinnia, cosmos, snapdragon, marigold, hollyhock, and sunflower.
If your plants have a powdery mildew, don’t use expensive chemicals on them. Mix a little liquid soap and baking soda in water. Use a spray bottle to apply to your plants weekly until the issue clears up. This method is not going to cause any damages to your plants and the mildew will go away slowly.
Grow some wheat grass or catnip for your cat to eat instead. You can also put something on top of the soil around the plants that has an offensive smell to cats, such as mothballs or citrus peel.
The best gardens start with seeds, as opposed to plants. This is a more sustainable way to start a garden. Many nurseries use plastic growing pots that are very seldom recycled. Try buying from organic nurseries and farms so your garden is not using anti-environmental products.
There are natural materials, and you can also use other plants to help keep pests away from your garden. Planting marigolds or onions around the border of your vegetable garden will help repel slugs. Wood ash, when used as mulch, can help keep insects away from trees and shrubs. These are methods you can use to get rid of the need to use pesticides.
Pest control is one of the hardest things about growing a vegetable garden. Don’t spray any harsh chemicals on your vegetables because you will be eating them later on. Instead of resorting to these harmful chemicals, you can keep garden pests at bay simply by paying close attention. If you catch pests right away, the easiest way to eradicate them is to pick them off plants by hand.
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 2013-11-29 00:57:13.
