Holistic lifestyles are starting to become more popular, and people are starting to live more organically. Home grown vegetables, fruits and herbs are in much demand for their more pristine health benefits. Focus on the fantastic organic gardening tips laid out below.
Starting off your garden with healthy soil can be the best defense against those pesky garden bugs. If your plants are healthy, they can more easily resist insects and disease. Healthy, rich soil with fewer chemicals will increase the yield of your plants, and reduce accumulated salts.
Before actually putting plants into your garden, check the type and compostion of your soil. A soil analysis is inexpensive and can be used to figure out which nutrients should be added to provide a healthy garden environment. Many Cooperative Extension offices will provide this service, and it is well worth knowing exactly what the soil needs to avoid ruining a crop or two.
Grow wheat or cat grass in the area around the plants that your cat is eating. You could also repel your pet by planting rosemary or placing citrus fruit peels around your garden.
Fertilizing your garden is essential. Manure can be very helpful in growing plants, but it is essential to use a commercial product that has been composted, in order to minimize pathogen risk. You have many different choices for fertilizer; choose whichever is best-suited to your plants but definitely use one.
Using pest-resistant plants or natural materials in your garden is a good way to keep pests away. Planting marigolds or onions around the border of your vegetable garden will help repel slugs. Insects also avoid shrubs and trees that are mulched with wood ash. With these natural methods, there is no need to purchase expensive, harsh pesticides.
If little ones live in your home, consider including everbearing strawberries in the garden plot. Strawberries are a favorite of children due to their sweetness. And since they’re so easy and fun to pick, it’s also a healthy, productive, safe activity that children can assist adults with.
Water containing some aspirin helps your plants fight illness. Dissolve three aspirin in four gallons of water. You can just spray this on them to fight disease. Use this method to spray your plants every three weeks.
Seeds that have sprouted don’t require the extra warmth that was needed before they sprouted. As your plants grow, move them away from the source of heat. This also includes removing any plastic that you had covering the plant or container. Monitor the seeds carefully so you know the best time to do it.
Be sure your new compost pile contains roughly the same proportion of dried and green plants. When you pull weeds from your garden, throw them in the compost. The same goes for vegetable trimmings and grass clippings. These are considered green materials. Dried plant material consists of sawdust, shredded paper, cardboard, straw, and cut-up and dried wood material. Your compost pile should never contain meat, ashes or charcoal.
Build raised beds with untreated stone, brick or wood. If you use wood, be sure that it is untreated and naturally rot resistant. Good choices are cedar, locust and cypress. Avoid using treated wood since they contain chemicals that could disperse into the soil or the crops. If you have placed treated wood in your garden, line it with a coat of plastic.
The more you know about organic gardening, the easier your gardening will be. This article is just the tip of the ice-berg when it comes to organic gardening information.