
Many people want an organic garden, but never try it. The task may seem daunting and complicated to those unfamiliar with it. However, if you keep reading, you’ll find suggestions that can help simplify organic gardening and even make it fun.
Think about starting plants in pots, and then placing the seedlings in the garden later. This raises the chances of the plants growing until adulthood. You will then be able to lessen the time between planting your seeds. Your next crop of seedlings will be started and ready to be planted immediately after you remove your last crop from the garden.
Flower Beds
Brighten up your flower beds with annuals and biennials. Your flower beds will look different from one season to another. They are useful for filling gaps in between shrubs and perennials in sunny areas. Notable varieties include cosmos, rudbeckia, petunia, hollyhock, marigold and sunflower.
In a dark area, pre-soak your seeds overnight. Place your seeds in a container filled with water. This will keep your seeds hydrated and give you a little head start with your growing. This will also give your seeds a much better chance to survive and mature.
Don’t mow your grass too short. Cutting your grass at a taller height allows grass roots to grow deeper and stronger, which helps lessen the chance of your lawn drying out easily. The shorter the grass is, the shorter the roots are, which leads to a dry lawn.
Split up the irises. To increase the number that you have, you need to take all your overgrown clumps and split them up. After the foliage dies, pick up bulbous irises. They will literally split in your hand, flowering the next year after replanting. Cut rhizomes into pieces with a knife. Cut the center out of each rhizome but save the pieces. Each piece should have at least one strong offshoot. Replant immediately.
If you are a first time gardener, it is important that you follow all of the instructions on all of your tools and chemicals. If you fail to do this, you could cause yourself all sorts of injuries, the most common of which is irritated skin. Protect yourself and follow all instructions.
Learn the appropriate time to pick different vegetables. Most vegetables have a relatively small harvesting window when they will taste best. For instance, for the best flavor, zucchini and baby peas should be picked when they are young. At the opposite end of the spectrum, tomatoes are at their best when mature. So, learn about the ideal harvest time for your vegetables.
It can be tough to keep insects and other plant-ruining crawlies from infesting your garden. It is important not to use harmful chemical agents, because you are growing produce that is intended to be eaten. If you remain vigilant, you can control your garden pest population. If you catch them early, you can take them off the plants by hand.
Protect Yourself
Always protect yourself from the sun when you are outdoors working in the garden; you can do this by wearing clothes that will shield you from the sun. Wear sunglasses, wide-brimmed hats, and sunblock. When you protect yourself against the sun’s rays, you are more likely to avoid both skin cancer and sunburn.
It is important to protect your knees when you are gardening. It is not good to bend from a standing position for a long period of time. To get down to plant level without pain, try kneeling instead. To protect your knees while gardening, you should get a pad to kneel on or at least use a folded up towel.
Perennial gardens should be prepared easily and quickly in the ground. Simply slice into the ground with a spade, flip the top layer of soil, and then cover it with several inches of wood chips. Give this area at least a few weeks, then you can dig into the area and plant the new perennials.
Organic horticulture may sometimes require more effort than resorting to chemicals, but the payoff in the end is well worth the work. Although chemical fertilizers and pesticides can offer impressive claims, choosing the organic route will always yield the best food in the end.
When you remember these suggestions from this article, you will not be as afraid to go about organic gardening. You will enjoy wholesome fruits and vegetables fresh from your chemical-free garden.