Tips for Successful Organic Gardening
More and more gardeners in the Minneapolis St. Paul area and around the nation are adopting organic gardening, and having great success. A steady supply of healthful organic fruits and vegetables is the main benefit that gardeners look for when creating an organic garden at their home. Avoiding some common mistakes, including over-watering and the incorrect use of fertilizers, can make your plants grow better and healthier. At Interior Gardens, we’re dedicated to helping you achieve the organic gardening results you want. The tips below will help you get those results.
We all know that plants need water, but over and under-watering are some of the biggest reasons for an unsuccessful garden. Over-watering prevents plants from creating deep root systems, which are essential to the long-term health of the plant—and your garden. Over-watering also tends to leach nutrients and lime out of the soil, causing poor growth and acidity. Finally, over-watering can wash chemicals, fertilizers, weed killers and plant nutrients off your property and into streams, rivers, ponds, and lakes. Such a situation can contaminate groundwater and, eventually, drinking water.
Water your plants deeply about once a week and make sure the water goes deep into the soil and is not just wetting the surface. Under-watering your plants leads to dehydration. This weakens and stresses the plants, makes them susceptible to diseases, and reduces yields. Mulch can help with both of these problems. Mulch helps maintain more consistent moisture for your plants, and helps prevent weeds.
Avoid Using Inorganic Fertilizers
Inorganic fertilizers (those green crystals) contain too much salt and heavy metals, and prevent the growth of earthworms and soil microorganisms. They provide major nutrients, but don’t feed the soil. The bottom line with fertilizers is: You want to feed the soil, not your plants – your plants know how much to feed themselves!
Excess nitrogen can decrease the number of flowers and fruits your plants produce. And excess nutrients in general pollute our waterways. These have become “dead zones” in many regions where major rivers run into the oceans.
Avoid Using Too Much Fertilizer
Even organic fertilizer can be overdone. More fertilizer is not better. The main idea is to maintain the soils PH balance. If your soil’s PH balance is okay, then one inch of compost is sufficient for your vegetables and flowers for a whole year. Adding too much fertilizer, organic or inorganic only leads to excessive vegetative growth, not actual production of fruits and vegetables.
Plan Your Organic Gardening
Planning is crucial to a successful organic garden. You need to consider the layout your plots. North-facing gardens in the southern hemisphere and south-facing gardens in the northern hemisphere are best. If your area is windy, you’ll need to find solutions for this too. Fencing and wind-barrier plantings are popular ways to block excessive wind.
Having water close by is just as important. Installing an irrigation system with a timer is a terrific idea. It will make the difference between enjoying your garden and being a slave to it. If you are planting trees and shrubs, check what their mature size will be. Many shrubs and trees are difficult to move. Trees will grow and make shade, so don’t forget they do this. Sun-loving plants and flowers can’t thrive in the shade.
Interior Gardens- Minneapolis St. Paul Organic Gardening Store
Interior Gardens has all the organic gardening products and expertise you need to help your organic gardening projects thrive and attain maximum productivity. Drop into our convenient Minneapolis retail store at 1620 Central Ave. NE in Minneapolis, just off I-35W, to see our complete selection of organic nutrients. Our friendly, knowledgeable staff will be happy to help you select the exact products you need for success. At Interior Gardens, your success is our main goal.