What You Need To Know About Organic Horticulture
Do you always think that things are better somewhere else? You might believe that your next-door neighbor has a special formula for a beautiful yard that no one else knows about. Truth be told, no such secret exists. Instead, one can work wonders in the garden with dedication, and a willingness to learn. Information about gardening is available online, in books and in magazines created for garden enthusiasts.
If you want to keep your garden free of pests, start with healthy soil! Healthy and well-nourished plants will be hardier and therefore better able to prevent pests from taking hold. For the most vigorous and healthy plants, start with high-quality soil, and stay away from chemicals. These can accumulate salts over time.
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. Save yourself the trouble of a failed crop by contacting your local Cooperative Extension to preform the soil test.
Fill your garden with bulbs if you want to enjoy beautiful flowers through the spring and into summer. Bulbs will grow every year and are easier to take care of than seeds. Bulbs bloom during different seasons, if you pick them carefully you will have flowers almost all year.
For areas with high alkaline, mix coffee grounds into the soil. Coffee grounds are an inexpensive way to increase the acid level in your soil. By amending your soils, you will help your plants grow and flourish.
Having a good wheelbarrow and a kneeling stool makes garden chores a lot easier. Spending lots of time close to the ground while working tends to be hard on your knees, that is why it is important to have a portable and lightweight garden stool that you can use for comfort. It is also normal to move heavy objects and dirt around the garden, so a wheelbarrow is something you should have.
Plant items with fall color. However, you can still maintain your horticulture hobby throughout the fall months. In the fall, the foliage displays every color of the rainbow. For example, maple, beech, and dogwood trees all change from their usual green to a vibrant spectrum of yellow, orange, and red. There are practically as many types of shrubs chosen for their fall colors are there are gardeners! Barberry, hydrangea and cotoneaster are particularly popular choices.
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. Lower your water pressure on the soaker hose to avoid harming tender plants. Allow it to water your plants for a couple of hours, so that you are free to do other things.
Organic gardening is a safe hobby to share with your children. Toiling together in the garden brings your family closer together and offers many different opportunities to learn new things and instill green values.
Asprin will actually help your plants out by killing diseases. One and half tablets of aspirin in a couple gallons of water will be a wonderful help to the plants you have. All you need to do is spray the plants with the solution in order to battle common ailments. Try to apply the mixture to the plants at least once in each three week period.
Go slowly as you plant the seeds. Make sure the soil is wet before you begin. Then you want to spread your seeds evenly while making sure that they have enough room to grow. Look at how big the seeds are, multiply that by three, and plant them down into the earth accordingly. Be aware that some seeds need light to germinate and should be sown on top of the soil.
When planting seeds in containers, plant the seed roughly three times deeper than the seed’s size. However, you should always know that some seeds cannot be covered, even the slightest bit, because they need to be in direct sunlight. This is true of popular flowers like petunias and zinnias. If you’re not sure if your seeds need sunlight, you can find out online or through the seeds’ package.
If you have recently planted seeds in your organic garden, you should regularly aerate the soil by using your hands to gently sift it. While it might sound strange, research has shown that this method can increase the size of your plants.
A diversity of materials can be used to construct raised beds. These include brick, stone, and wood. Any wood you use needs to be untreated and resistant to rot. Some great choices to choose from are cedar, locust and cypress. Using untreated wood is especially important for veggie gardens, because chemicals from treated wood could leach into the soil, affecting your food. If your existing garden structure contains treated wood, at least take the time to make a plastic lining beneath the soil.
Be careful with the amount of water that you’re giving your plants when horticulture. Roots need to draw in nutrients via the soil, and they cannot do this if they’re flooded with water. Before watering your plants outdoors, check to see if there is rain in the forecast. Depending on what the weather is going to be like, you might not want to water your plants for the day.
Most of these ideas are quite simple and require little advance skill. Just utilize the ideas presented here and see how effective they are in your horticulture endeavors. Monitor your plants carefully to assess whether you are getting the results you want from certain techniques or approaches. Experimenting with already existing plants will only lead to disaster. With patience and attention, your garden will become a source of pride for you and your neighborhood.