Organic gardening presents special challenges to overcome. If you plan on horticulture the natural way, you might have to understand certain complexities like the soil’s PH balance and bug fighting concoctions. It can sometimes seem a bit difficult to grow organically for a novice. Be sure you can hang with even the pros by using the tips you learn from this article.
Keeping your garden soil rich and healthy is the best way to discourage garden pests. If you have healthy looking plants, they are stronger and more resistant to diseases and bugs. High-quality soil that is low on chemicals is key. It’s the first thing you should think about when planning on growing your garden.
Keep your plants thriving through the winter by bringing them inside. Try to save plants that are expensive or that are resistant enough to handle the transition. When you dig up the plant, carefully avoid the roots then place it in a container.
If you are going to be doing some horticulture, watch out for stink bugs, especially in the fall! They like beans, peppers, tomatoes and many fruits. If left unattended, your garden could be ravaged by these bugs, so you need to proactively keep their population under control.
Split up irises. You can divide those overgrown clumps and increase the amount of irises you have. Once the foliage has died off, lift out your bulbous irises. The bulbs split in your hand, then you replant them, and they will most likely flower next year. Use a knife to carefully divide rhizomes. You can trim new pieces away from the outside of the bulbs and then simply throw the old center away. Every piece needs to have a minimum of one good offshoot. Replant the new shoots right away.
The best gardens from an environmental standpoint originate from seeds, instead of plants. The most “green” way to create a new garden is starting from seeds. It’s better for your garden, in particular, because transplants have high failure rates; whereas, sprouting a seed and growing a plant in the same conditions is better. Additionally, it’s better for the environment, because the plastic pots used by most greenhouses are generally not recycled and are cluttering landfills.
A mixture of aspirin and water can protect your plants from common diseases. Dissolve 1 aspirin per gallon of water for a plant disease fighting solution. Then spray your plants with this mixture to stave off diseases. Try spraying your plants with this around every three weeks.
As your seeds sprout, they require less warmth than before. Remove plants from the heated environment once they begin growing. Remove plastic films on containers to prevent warmth and humidity from penetrating them. You need to read the seeds to know the best time to do this.
Coffee Grounds
Use coffee grounds on your soil. Coffee grounds are full of nitrogenous nutrients that growing plants need. Nitrogen is generally a way to make your plants grow bigger, better and faster.
Lightly ruffle your seeds by hand or with cardboard, twice daily in your organic garden. While it seems a little odd, it has been reported that this can encourage plant growth.
Organic gardening can be more difficult than horticulture with chemicals, but the end result makes it worth it. Although the chemicals may claim greater results, using organic methods to tame your garden will do less harm to your body, and the environment.
Organic Horticulture
Gardening is not only a great hobby, but also a way to feel at peace with the earth. Organic horticulture will accomplish that feeling even more so. Organic horticulture techniques allow you to be involved in the entire planting and growing process, while using only the safest and most sustainable resources.
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.