Organic Gardening : Organic Gardening And You: Helpful Tips And Advice

Organic Gardening And You: Helpful Tips And Advice

One great way to improve your diet and give yourself a fun an interesting hobby is to plant an organic garden. Growing an organic garden does take some planning, though. Oftentimes, new gardeners can be intimidated because they're not quite sure where to start.

When it is harvest time, use a laundry basket. The basket will make a great strainer when you wash your vegetables. Just rinse the produce right in the basket; the water will drain through the holes.

Organic foods are beneficial because they have not been contaminated by pesticides. This is great for your health, but you do want to check the produce for bugs prior to using it.

When planting seeds, you should bury them three times as deep as their actual size. It is important to note though, that not all seeds are covered to this depth, as some need direct sunlight to grow properly. Some typical examples are petunias and ageratum. If you're not sure if your seeds need sunlight, you can find out online or through the seeds' package.

Companion plants are great for you to keep in mind for your garden. Some plants, when placed near other plants, actually help their neighbor plants grow. Companion plants can keep pests away, and improve soil quality. An example of this is herbs that have a strong scent. These will discourage pests from attacking your vegetables.

Use untreated stone, brick or wood to build raised beds. If you choose wood, ensure that it has not been treated with a sealant or other chemicals. Excellent choices are cedar, locust and cypress. If you use your garden to grow vegetables, avoid using wood that has been treated with chemicals. These toxic chemicals may seep into the soil, damaging your crops. If you're using treated lumber, line it with a barrier, or some plastic.

Be sure to save your rainwater! Trap rainwater in rain barrels, buckets or anything else that you have to use to water your garden. This prevents the need to pay for water used in your garden. There is always plenty of rain, and it is free. The natural beneficial relationship between plants and rainwater is also worth noting.

Organic gardening sounds like a new fad but in fact it is the tried and true method that existed long ago before the advent of chemicals. Native Americans instructed pilgrims to help their crops grow by planting a fish alongside their seeds in the ground. Instead of paying for expensive fertilizer, create your own compost pile. Composting is an easy way to recycle and reduce the amount of trash you must dispose of, in addition to helping your garden.

A healthy soil means healthy plants that can resist diseases and pests. When the insects are present, you're not having to deal with their damage, so you're all happy.

Pine can make a great mulch. Some plants are more acidic, and prefer soil that contains higher acidic levels. Plants like these thrive when you use pine needles as mulch. Spread a few inches of pine needles on your organic beds so that it will put the acid into your soil.

You should rotate your garden every year. When the same plants occupy a spot in your garden for many years in a row, it can lead to the development of fungi and disease. Harmful things may take root in the soil, preparing to take over your garden. By mixing things up and planting in various spots, you will be able to keep disease and fungus at bay.

It's important to know the right way to buy plants for your garden. This is particularly important when you buy perennials or annuals. Purchase plants that have budded, but not yet in bloom. This way, they can put all their energy into growing roots before putting on a show of flowers.

Know when you should water your organic plants. Visit a home and garden center to purchase a soaker hose. Soaker hoses can provide water directly to your plants' bases. This stops the water from evaporating, which causes plants to lose moisture and become dehydrated after being watered. It is usually best to water your garden early in the morning.

When growing indoor plants, the thermostat should be set between 65-75 degrees throughout the day. The temperature needs to remain steady and warm so the plants can grow. If your thermostat is normally kept lower in winter, you can use a heat lamp to keep your plants warm enough.

Get your organic garden certified so you can credibly claim that your crops are organic. This should boost your sales while proving to your customers that they are getting healthy products.

Use fresh water to clean your vegetables, and then save this water for your garden. The water washes off dirt and nutrients from your fresh produce, but this can be reused to add back as enhanced nutrients into your garden as better nourishment than you can get from either rain water or tap water. In addition, never use any type of cleaning agent or anything other than your hands when you are cleaning your garden veggies. This ensures the best results.

Keep your gardening tools close by to maximize gardening efficiency. You can do this by using a bucket, or you can wear rugged pants or a gardening apron that has several pockets. Have shears, a trowel, gloves and other commonly used garden tools portable and easy to access.

Maintaining your own compost pile is an excellent way to ensure a constant supply of fertilizer. Start off with just a little worm compost bin. Your bin should contain shredded newspaper, kitchen scraps, a little dirt, and a few red wiggler earthworms.

As this article has shown, to be successful at organic gardening you must do your homework and put forth a bit of effort. For the best possible results, one must be willing to put forth a lot of energy into their gardening. If you keep all these suggestions in mind, you have taken the right steps towards becoming a successful organic gardener.