It's always the right time of year to grow produce if you know how to develop that proverbial green thumb. Whether you're trying to grow basil in your window or corn out in your back yard, here are some quick and easy organic gardening tips you can use to ensure you always have a plentiful harvest.
If you have a vegetable garden and plan on eating the vegetables, you should inspect them carefully every week. Look for bugs and worms or traces of disease and damages. Do not eat a vegetable that does not look healthy. Make sure you wash your vegetables carefully before you cook them.
A key element to having a great garden is to fertilize it. There are many different types of fertilizers available at most home stores, but what works for different types of gardens varies. Manure is a great choice, but it does smell. A commercially produced manure will have no pathogens to contaminate the vegetables in the garden. Some people swear by chemical fertilizers, yet they are not an organic way to grow.
Divide large clumps of perennials. Some perennial plants lose vigor and flower less well if the clump becomes too large. Plants like Shasta daisies, bearded irises, phlox, chrysanthemum and coneflower benefit from being divided every three years. Without division they become congested, and the center of the clump will begin to die out. Simply dig the entire plant out, keeping the root ball intact, and divide it into pieces using a shovel. By doing this, you will have at least two or three new plants!
If space is an issue, try vertical gardening. Even with the limited space of condos and townhouses, many people have thriving gardens in the small area they have using vertical gardening. By using trellised gardens one can grow pole beans, tomatoes, and cucumbers in a small place during the summer, and in the fall a wide variety of greens can be grown in the same space.
To avoid injuring yourself while gardening, be sure to do some warm-up stretches before starting your project. Most people may not think of gardening as exercise, but injuries like pulled muscles frequently occur in the garden. You should also be sure to move around and not stay in one position for a long period of time.
If you do not have a lot of square footage for gardening, try using trellises or posts in your garden. Allowing certain vegetables to grow up a trellis or post rather than spreading out along the ground will allow you to grow more per square foot. You can do this with tomatoes, peas, and climbing beans.
Save the water when you cook pasta for use in your garden. If you have ever boiled pasta in water, you have seen the cloudy state of the water when you drain the pasta. This water is loaded with starch, which is quite nutritious for plants. Make sure to let the water cool thoroughly, as hot water can damage and even kill plant roots.
So you have finally decided you want to plant a garden. One of the first things you will want to do is to find out if you have good or bad soil. The only sure way you will know this is to have the soil tested. Many nurseries will test your soil for a nominal fee. Soil with poor health will produce yellow, sickly-looking plants. By having your soil tested, you will know if your soil needs nutrients added or if you need to make adjustments to the pH of the soil.
To make a garden complete do not forget points of interest. Section off and divide a large yard into several different areas by using points of interest such as benches, water features, and yard art. It will enhance an already wholesome atmosphere and making it the outdoor room of your home.
Be sure that you have earthworms in your soil. Earthworms are vital to good organic gardening, because they aerate the soil. Also, the by-products of earthworm digestion are actually great plant food. Earthworms encourage soil bacteria that provide needed nutrients to your plants while competing with harmful insect pests, reducing the need for chemical pesticides and fertilizers.
It is important to wear a mask when gardening, if you are an asthmatic. Breathing can already be difficult for you and the pollen that is in the air could make it worse. Wearing a mask is a great and inexpensive way to lessen your chances of having an asthma attack.
It is important to wear eye protection when you are gardening. Many people do not realize that chemicals can easily get splashed, fertilizer can be blown or dirt can land in their eyes. All of these things can cause major damage to the eye. If wearing eye protection the chances of having your eyes damaged are greatly decreased.
Treat your roses! To naturally remedy black spots on roses in your organic garden, use milk! For some unknown reason - using a 1:2 ratio mixture of milk and water - has been shown to get rid of black spots! Use a spray bottle to apply the mixture directly to the leaves of the affected plant.
To rid your organic garden of bugs, try using a mixture of dish soap and water. Mix 2 tablespoons of dish soap into a gallon of water. Use a spray bottle to spray the foliage and soil around the plants. Before spraying your whole garden or even a whole plant, test the effect of the mixture on a few leaves and wait a few days before doing the rest.
In general, it is best to water your plants early in the morning. This is because the sun and wind will evaporate the moisture throughout the day. Watering in the morning gives your plants the best opportunity to spend more time using the water. It is also dangerous to water late in the day because if the water has not evaporated from the foliage, fungal diseases can start to appear overnight.
Perhaps the most important thing that you will focus on as an organic gardener is your health. It might not start out that way, but once you realize the benefits of going organic, you will start to build healthy habits. Make sure you use the tips here instead of letting them fall by the wayside.
Orignal From: Excellent Organic Gardening Ideas To Maximize Your Garden!
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