Horticulture can be very complicated, when you look at it more 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. If you are a beginner, take things slowly. Read on to find some tips to make gardening in a clean, organic fashion a little easier and more fun to do!
Do a soil analysis prior to planting. Many nurseries offer a soil analysis service, which will tell you what nutrients your soil is lacking and what you can do about it. 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.
When the fall season arrives, it is time to plant your fall edibles. This time, use a pumpkin for the container for your lettuce and kale, instead of plain clay pots. Simply carve open the top of a pumpkin so you can remove the innards, and then spray inside and out with something like Wilt-Pruf to prevent pumpkin rotting. You are prepared to plant after this is done.
Your vegetable garden should get at least six hours of sun daily. Pretty much any vegetable you plant in your garden requires sunshine for this duration. It allows them to grow in the proper manner and also much faster. This is the same for many varieties of flowers.
Knee Pads
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. Pick up a good pair of gardening knee pads to help cushion your knees.
Place a two inch layer of organic mulch at the base of your tall vegetable plants. The mulch help keeps the soil that is around the plants much more moist for much longer. This is also efficient in preventing weeds from growing. You will save time by not pulling weeds.
If you are new to horticulture, make sure you read and follow all the directions on any tool or chemical you use. Failing to heed this simple advice can mean skin irritation that you are going to remember, and not pleasantly at that. For your own safety, take the time to read and follow the instructions.
If you have a vegetable garden, it can be quite difficult to decide what to do about pest control. While chemicals can help with pest control, you should avoid using overly harsh ones, as veggies you grow in your garden are meant for eating. If you remain vigilant, you can control your garden pest population. If you catch pests right away, the easiest way to eradicate them is to pick them off plants by hand.
Be careful how you water your garden. Soaker hoses save time by watering all of your plants at once, rather than individually with a standard hose or watering can. Turn the water on at low pressure so your delicate plants will not be damaged by the soaker hose. This allows you to leave the hose running as you go about your business.
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 2014-05-09 13:53:14.
