Monday, August 27, 2012

CLEVER VEGETABLE GARDENING: ORGANIC GARDENING GUIDELINES THAT YOU MUST KNOW

Organic gardening requires a green thumb and a lot of patience. The idea here is to grow healthy, great-tasting food bereft of pesticides, herbicides and other unnatural chemical enhancers. This seems to be easier said than done, though, right? Read the following article and you will gain great knowledge you can use while you garden organically.
The ambient temperate of a room with live plants should be kept between sixty-five and seventy-five degrees throughout the day. The temperature needs to remain steady and warm so the plants can grow. Another option is to use heat lamps that will protect your organic plants.
Consider solving your weed problem without the use of toxic chemicals. You will need many layers of newspapers. Weeds cannot grow without light. With layers of newspaper on them, the weeds are not going to have light, and therefore will not grow. The newspapers will break down over a period of time, and will become part of your compost. Try adding some mulch on top of it to make appear more attractive.
Plant garlic in different places to keep the bugs away. The smell of garlic repels the majority of garden pests. Place garlic around any plants that seem to be pest magnets. You should also put garlic around the entire perimeter of the garden. An added plus of planting garlic is the bulb can be used for cooking and eating as well.
Gardening can not only be an excellent hobby for consuming time, but is great for saving money and aiding a healthy diet. Organic vegetable gardening will give you a great idea of the gardening process.
One way to improve the quality of an organic garden, is to separate rows of plants with ditches. This will help the water get to plants so you do not have to give them water as often as usual. Saving water saves money!
If you are building a raised bed, utilize stone, brick or wood that is untreated. Be sure to use wood that is naturally resistant to rotting and that has not been treated. Several species of trees yield suitable wood. Locust, cypress, and cedar are among the more commonly used rot-resistant woods. Take care to avoid wood that has been chemically treated when your garden will hold vegetables, since unknown substances in the wood can make their way into your future food. If you have built a raised bed with treated lumber already, use a barrier such as plastic to line the bed.
Do not overlook the benefits of pine mulch for your garden. Some garden plants have a higher acidity, and prefer a more acidic soil. If that's the case, the easiest thing to do is use pine needles for beds. Using several inches of pine needles to cover your beds provides acid for the soil as they begin to decompose.
It is a good idea to get organic garden certification so as to reaffirm your claims that your products really are organic(If you sell your produce). Obtaining this certification will give you further credibility as an organic gardener, boosting sales and proving to your customers that you provide only the best.
To get a good start, look below the surface! When buying tomato seedlings for the garden, keep an eye on lush green starts with root systems that are bad. The reason that these starts will still look green with bad roots is because the seedlings will not grow until the starts are gone.
Plant your organic garden in the shade. These gardens are not high maintenance at all. They do not require as much water, which makes them less labor-intensive. The plants also grow slower, which means you will not have to pick weeds as often either.
Successful organic vegetable gardening incorporates quite a few elements, such as patience, knowledge and nature. This wonderful pastime uses land to produce delicious foods for your table. Being a competent organic gardener can be achieved by simply putting in some effort, and learning a few helpful tips.

Sunday, August 19, 2012

ORGANIC VEGETABLE GARDENING: MAKE YOUR FIRST ORGANIC GARDEN A SUCCESS

There are so many tools and methods to grow an all-natural, vibrant and healthy organic garden. All it takes is a little research, and some strategic implementation.
A good method to save water when it comes to your garden at home is by using mulch. The more mulch you have, the less you will have to water your plants. Get mulch at the store or create your own with dead plants or pieces of bark. Whatever type of material you decide on, be sure to add at least a two inch layer for maximum benefits.
If you want to do some organic gardening, plan ahead. Decide exactly which plants you're going to grow. While two varieties of a plant may fall within the same family, there could be variations in the basic requirements for each one. Consider roses; whereas one variety may thrive in direct sunlight, others may prefer shaded areas. Make sure you select the varieties that will adapt well to your garden.
Keep your garden tools close at hand to make the most of your gardening time. For example, you could use an over-sized tote bag or an apron with multiple pockets. You should be able to do your garden work quickly if you keep a trowel, gloves, small pruning shears, and other handy devices close to you.
It never hurts to keep a few bags around the house to protect your floors from dirty gardening shoes. This way, you can maintain your momentum and head right back to your garden so that you can finish what you were doing.
Research local botanical insecticides which can help keep any pest population down. All insecticides are strong, including botanical ones. Keep in mind, however, that the biological composition of botanical insecticides can cause them to quickly decay and disappear.
Use an old laundry basket to gather your vegetables and fruits. It makes a great strainer for your vegetables. If you leave your produce in the basket while rinsing it, the basket will be able to serve as a strainer, with the extra water dripping out the holes in the bottom of the basket.
Biodiversity is a key element of your organic garden. Plants that naturally grow in your region will thrive when planted in your garden. To create a more natural environment, plant many different kinds of plants. A diverse garden is incredibly attractive. It's also very rewarding and relaxing.
Strawberries are a great plant to grow in any organic garden, especially if you happen to have kids or any strawberry lover in your home. Children love to snap up these sweet juicy fruits for themselves and will be much more willing to eat other foods you've planted as well.
Use untreated stone, brick or wood to build raised beds. If using wood, make sure it's naturally rot resistant and untreated. Cypress, locust and cedar are all great examples of what woods to use when building a raised bed. Avoid using treated wood in an organic vegetable garden. The chemicals in the wood can leak into the soil, and eventually into the plants. If your existing garden structure contains treated wood, at least take the time to make a plastic lining beneath the soil.
Gardening is not only a great hobby, but also a way to feel at peace with the earth. Organic gardening will accomplish that feeling even more so. Organic gardening allows you learn the entire plant cycle, from the beginning to the end.
You are aware of how helpful compost is in growing your organic garden, but do you have any idea what is actually in it? It is made of things such as wood chips, lawn cuttings, fallen leaves, bits of produce, straw and other yard waste that has started to decompose. This nutrient-rich mixture is preferable to commercial fertilizer.
By saving the water you use to wash your vegetables, you can reuse the water in your garden. Tap and rain water are often void of many nutrients. When you use the water that was used to rinse your veggies, many of the nutrients from the raw veggies are retained within the water used, so when you dump this into your garden, it provides additional nourishment. You should not use cleaners when you are washing off the vegetables.
Anyone may plant gardens, but only those who are knowledgeable can get more out of their planted crops. Put this organic gardening advice to work for you.

Saturday, June 23, 2012

GROWING A GARDEN: ORGANIC GARDENING TIPS THAT ARE FUN AND EASY

In the world of organic gardening, there are plenty of great resources available to both new and experienced organic gardeners alike. There are many e-guides, books, videos, and other resources available. This set of tips contains some of the best advice for helping a good organic gardener become a great organic gardener.
You can create your own organic pest repellent by mixing onion, garlic, and chives with some water to make your own anti-pest spray. Mix some garlic and onions with water for a natural pest deterrent.
When preparing a home-cooked meal, save your excess vegetable trimmings and mix them in with the soil in your garden. This will help get nutrients back into your growing plants. Add some to your compost pile and bury some pieces right away.
You can mix raked leaves with the soil in your garden to make great organic compost. When the leaves decompose, they turn into a nutrient rich organic compost, providing a healthy addition to your garden soil. This won't cost you a penny, and will benefit your garden in many ways.
Be sure to plant some strawberries for your children and grandchildren. Ever-bearing ones are especially nice. Kids delight in the idea of growing things and seeing how things change over time. Explain every step to your child and he or she will hang on to your every word.
When planting trees and shrubs, dig irregular holes with rough sides. You may inhibit the growth of roots if you have any glazed holes.
Find out as much as possible about your different options if you need to use a product on your plants. Rather than dousing your garden with chemical fertilizers, use an organic alternative. Compost is a great example of what to use. Inorganic materials, such as those found in commercial fertilizers, are responsible for toxic chemical build-up in both soil and drinking water. This can be avoided by using eco-friendly organic methods.
Plant your own garlic with organic methods. Cloves of garlic should be planted in well-drained soil with frequent watering in either the fall or spring. Put them an inch or two down into the soil with the pointed end up placed about four inches apart. You can cut the shoots of green garlic as they are growing and use them as an alternative to scallions and chives. The garlic is ready to be picked when the tops turn brown. Leave the bulbs out to dry and exposed to the sun for a few days so that the skin hardens a bit. Store them somewhere cool, in tied bunches or loose.
Healthy soil doesn't harbor disease and can be of tremendous benefit in helping your plants be as healthy as possible. Even though there will still be insects, plants will not be damaged by them.
When you are planning on growing a garden, you should think about the space you will need to provide a healthy growing area for your plants. When the garden is bare, it is sometimes hard to envision how much space a mature plant actually needs. Proper spacing is important not just to accommodate the plants' sizes but also for air circulation. Because of this, you should always take the time to ensure that there's enough distance between all your seeds.
Try using a beer trap to naturally eradicate slugs from your organic garden. Bury a canning jar so that the open mouth and the soil top are level. Now, fill the jar with beer to approximately an inch below the lip. Beer is especially attractive to slugs; they will be lured to it and trapped.
Mulch should be added to your flower bed and garden using at least 3 inches of material that is organic. This will add nutrients to your soil, keep it moist, stop the growth of weeds and keep the garden looking beautiful.
Becoming a skilled organic gardener isn't going to happen overnight, but if you can use the information you have learned here, you can certainly work toward becoming great at it. Knowing how to make use of the wealth of information out there is important. Grow an aesthetically pleasing organic garden that will feed you well by applying the simple tips you got in this article.

Monday, February 13, 2012

ORGANIC VEGETABLE GARDENING TIPS: ORGANIC GARDENING HAS NEVER BEEN THIS EASY!

There are so many natural alternatives available to you if you want to turn your garden organic. You just need to learn what you can do, and then do it.
Be aware of how and when to water your organic garden plants. Try using a soaker hose. Soaker hoses will water the bases of your plants directly, resulting in less moisture loss due to evaporation. Watering is best done early in the morning.
Organic gardening may seem like a hot new trend, but it has in fact been in practice since long before chemicals burst onto the scene. The Indians showed pilgrims that if they put some fish on the seeds after planting, they would grow better. You too can create your own compost pile, this way your organic garden has some organic fertilizer. This helps to recycle, cut down on your trash output and increase your organic vegetable garden produce.
If you want to get children in on the fun, plant a few strawberries, everbearing if possible. 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.
Add used coffee grounds to your garden soil. Coffee grounds add many nitrogenous nutrients to the soil that will benefit your plants. Your plants will really bloom if they get the nitrogen they need from coffee grounds or compost or diluted urea.
Top all your garden beds with several inches of organic mulch. This will discourage weeds from growing, add nutrients, and retain the moisture in your garden. Mulch also completes your garden, giving it a finished appearance.
Make sure you have some plastic bags around so that you can cover any muddy gardening shoes you have. This allows you to keep going, getting back to your garden quickly.
Spray your garden plants with a mixture of one part milk and six parts water, on a regular basis. This may help the plant by stopping powdery mildew from forming. You can keep this in your fridge for about three weeks. Spray your plants with this mixture daily until you see the mildew has been sufficiently controlled.
Do you want to kill weeds naturally? Layer sheets of newspaper on the surface of areas where you are trying to control weeds. Weeds need sun for growth, just like any other plant. The layers of newspaper over the weeds will block out the light and kill them. Newspapers tend to break down into compost nicely. You can then add a mulch layer right on top, so that it looks more attractive.
If aphids are an issue in your organic vegetable garden, try the old-fashioned remedy of soapy water to get rid of them. Just spray the plant's stems, leaves and buds using a light soapy water solution and follow it up using another spray of fresh and clean water.
If you are starting your seedlings out in small containers, you should use a layer of potting soil that is three times as deep as the size of a single seed. You should know that certain seeds need not be covered, because they need the sunlight. Some of these seeds are petunias and ageratum. If you are unsure if your seeds should be covered, refer to the seed packet, or if that is not available, look for information online.
Have your tools for gardening nearby in order to maximize your efficiency with organic gardening. You should use a large pail and wear sturdy pants that have several pockets. You should be able to do your garden work quickly if you keep a trowel, gloves, small pruning shears, and other handy devices close to you.
Consider the value of the crops you choose to grow. Think about the different types of grasses, vegetables and flowers that you enjoy most. It's okay if your answers are non-traditional! Growing crops that are expensive at the grocery store will offset some of the money spent growing them. Plant organic foods you love to eat and enjoy the cost savings.
If you want to maximize your success at organic gardening, you need to learn as much as you can about how to garden. Use the organic gardening tips in this article.

GROW YOUR OWN VEGETABLE GARDEN: ORGANIC GARDENING CAN BE EASY IF YOU USE THESE TIPS

In the world of organic gardening, there are plenty of great resources available to both new and experienced organic gardeners alike. There are many e-guides, books, videos, and other resources available. This set of tips contains some of the best advice for helping a good organic gardener become a great organic gardener.
What plants are native to your area? You want to plan your landscaping around native flowers, bushes and grasses. Selecting plants which will thrive in your area, and get along with the plants you already have, you won't have to use as much fertilizer or pesticides. Native plants will thrive if you encourage growth with organically made compost.
Know what to look for when choosing plants for your organic garden. This is particularly important when you buy perennials or annuals. You’ll want to be certain to get the ones that have budded, but not bloomed. This ensures that the plant has a better chance of taking root in your garden.
Always give your organic vegetable garden the benefit of looking beneath the upper portions of a plant. When buying tomato seedlings for the garden, keep an eye on lush green starts, with root systems that are bad. These kind of starts stay on these seedlings for weeks at a time; this doesn't allow the seedling to grow unless the starts are gone.
Rotate the plants that you grow each year by switching up where you plant them. Fungus and diseases will appear if you have the same kind of plants in the same place from one year to the next. These diseases can build up in the soil, re-infecting your plants the next year. If you change things and plant your garden in a different area, you will have a way to keep fungus at bay.
If you over-water your plants, they can't get all the nutrients they need from the dirt. If you are going to water your plants outdoors, you should first check the weather for your area to see if any rain is coming that day. If a downpour is coming, you may want to forgo watering your plants that day.
One of the most important things to consider when plotting your organic garden is to make note of your available space. When the garden is bare, it is sometimes hard to envision how much space a mature plant actually needs. Your plants will need the space not only because of their physical size, but also because the space will provide air circulation for the garden. Make sure that you map out your garden layout beforehand and place your seeds with an adequate amount of space in between each.
Organic gardening is a relaxing hobby that will give you a great sense of satisfaction. This kind of vegetable gardening keeps you more involved in planting, cultivating and harvesting, giving you a clearer picture of the entire life cycle of each plant.
When running your own organic garden, you should consider digging small ditches in between your plant rows. This way, when you water your plants, the water will flow directly to them, and they won't need to be watered as much. This conserves water, which translates into conserving money.
Many different sorts of plants will grow in an organic garden. Treat plants that thrive in acid to some mulch. These kinds of plants require mulch consisting of a lot of pine needles during the fall each year. As the needles begin to decompose, they'll start depositing natural acid to the soil.
For the best results when mulching, you should aim to create a bed of mulch two to three inches thick. Mulch adds nutrients to the soil, keeps the soil moist, reduces weed growth, and makes beds look tidier.
When you are organically growing tomatoes, try planting only some seeds at once; then go back and plant an additional set of seeds in three weeks. This allows your harvest to grow in stages. Furthermore, this method protects you in the event that your first batch doesn't thrive as expected.
You undoubtedly have a greater understanding of all that is involved with successful organic gardening after reading this article. Keep learning more tricks and start practicing with a few plants. When you keep this in mind, you can go about planting and growing a garden in your own way.

Thursday, February 2, 2012

ORGANIC GARDENING TIPS AND IDEAS: HOW TO EAT HEALTHY WITH YOUR OWN ORGANIC GARDEN

Vegan, vegetarian and other holistic practices have become increasingly popular as millions turn to organic foods for nourishment. When you choose this form of lifestyle, then you opt for growing herbs and other things solely for beneficial reasons and you always aim for organic growing techniques. If you are interested in growing plants, flowers and vegetables without the use of harmful pesticides and fertilizers, keep reading.
When rinsing your vegetables save the water and added it back to your garden's soil. The dirt and nutrients that are washed from your fresh vegetables can be reused in the garden and add enhanced nourishment that tap water and rain water cannot supply. You should not use cleaners when you are washing off the vegetables.
There are all sorts of plants that you can plant in your garden. Acid-loving plants really like mulch. You can mulch these plants with pine needles in the fall. As the needles decompose, their acid will deposit into the soil and nourish the plants.
For the best results when growing an organic garden, you should shake your seeds up a little bit. After planted, make sure you agitate the seeds at least twice daily, using your fingers or even a Popsicle stick. This sounds like total nonsense, but there is research suggesting that it does promote plant growth relative to unpetted plants.
Pay attention to how much light your indoor plants are getting. If your dwelling does not enjoy a great deal of natural sunlight, it makes sense to grow only those varieties meant to thrive in such environments. You can also try using artificial lighting to help.
Use plenty of mulch so that your home vegetable garden can save water. Covering the ground with mulch cuts back on the need for watering your plants. You can use store-bought mulch, composted lawn trimmings, or chipped wood from fallen or trimmed limbs. Make sure to use a large amount of mulch.
If you want a sustainable garden, leave part of it undisturbed as a home for the wildlife in the area. This can be a good area for the types of insects that pollinate plants. It can also be a sanctuary for birds, which will help some plants thrive. This can greatly improve the production of your organic garden.
You can make organic gardening much easier. One of the best techniques is to plant native flowers, grasses and bushes to your landscape. If you find plants that work with your specific type of soil and climate, you won't need special pesticides or fertilizers. In fact, you are sure to discover that such plants are able to grow beautifully in compost made out of other indigenous substances.
If you have leftover vegetables finely chop them and add the vegetables to your soil. This will help get nutrients back into your growing plants. While having a compost pile is a great idea, this is a way that you can immediately reap the benefits.
An important tip for organic gardeners is to raise crops that are expensive to purchase. Buy what crops you personally like in large quantity. You can actually save money by growing plants that are initially more expensive to buy. So, plant things that you love and enjoy their results.
Paying attention to spacing is important. It's easy to underestimate the amount of space that the plants will take up once they start to grow. This will give you enough room to work around your garden without smashing any plants. Make sure your seeds have a good amount of space between each other for optimal growth.
Your organic gardening efforts will get easier as you pick up more and more tips and techniques about this activity. This article is just the tip of the ice-berg when it comes to organic gardening information.