There’s a lot more to gardening than most people realize. There are so many things to consider, such as proper pH balance, natural but effective pesticides, adequate sunlight and water supplies and so on. An organic garden can be more than a little challenging for the novice. Keep reading to find out how the professionals do it.
Be cognizant of when and how to give the plants in your organic garden enough water. Try using a soaker hose. Water evaporation will be decreased as the plant receives moisture at its base. Try to do your watering early in the morning before the sun is at its strongest.
Dig small ditches between the plant rows in your organic garden. This will help the water get to plants so you do not have to give them water as often as usual. This conserves water, which translates into conserving money.
Adequate mulch in your garden does a lot to cut down on water use. A thick layer of mulch helps prevent evaporation so you will not have to water as often. Mulch can consist of commercial products or even wood and twigs from your trees and old plants. For the best results, use it in generous layers.
Any gardening can connect you with Mother Nature, but particularly if you employ organic gardening techniques. Approaching gardening in this way will enlighten you in the entire process from beginning to end.
It’s important to remember that while commercialized chemicals may seem like the logical route to go, organic gardening predates any type of chemical enhancers. This is just how people lived life long ago. Native Americans helped the European settlers plant successful crops by placing a fish together with seeds in the soil. A compost pile is an easy thing to establish in a garden corner, and can provide homemade fertilizer for your garden. You will be recycling, decreasing your amount of trash and making your garden more fertile.
After you plant tomatoes in your garden, plant another set three weeks later. This method prevents a unified harvest, and allows separate times to pull the plants throughout the year. Additionally, if weather or something else ruins one harvest, you still get a second chance to get a good tomato crop.
Water based on the current climate and the season. The amount of water a plant needs depends on the soil type, time of day and the water’s quality. Gardeners in warm, moist climates should avoid watering leafy plants as this makes them more vulnerable to fungal growths. Instead, focus water on the plant’s root system.
Use an old laundry basket to bring your fresh produce in from the garden. The basket strains the produce as well as stores it while you are going through your garden. Rinse the produce while it sits in the basket, the extra water will go through the holes in the basket.
Pine is a surprisingly good source of mulch. Some plants need acidic soil to grow properly, because of their own acid content. If you have these plants in your garden, keep them healthy by using pine needles as mulch. Cover up your beds with a few inches of needles. As they start to decompose, they’ll spread out acid onto the ground and soil.
While you may have heard a few things here and there about composting, how much do you really know about it? It is a mixture or combination of leaves, grass clippings, wood-chips, produce scraps, straw, and some small twigs that had the chance to break down into a “pseudo-soil.” Make some compost, and start using that rather than costly commercial fertilizers.
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.