If you’re planning on eating healthier and saving a lot of money on groceries, growing an organic garden will accomplish that and much more. It can be a little daunting, however. From the type of mulch to use to the right equipment, there are many questions you need answered. There are numerous seed choices as well. With the following steps, you can make sure that you get exactly what you need for your organic garden to grow properly.
If you’re growing plants indoors, keep your thermostat around 65 or 75 degrees daily. Warm temperatures encourage plant growth. If you think it would not be comfortable to keep your residence that warm in the winter, consider purchasing a heat lamp to use on the plants.
Water containing some aspirin helps your plants fight illness. One and a half aspirin, dissolved in two gallons of water, can be a great addition to your plants. All you need to do is spray the plants with the solution in order to battle common ailments. Your plants should be sprayed one time each three weeks.
Spacing is essential when planting an organic garden. As plants grow and spread out, you will not always know how much space will be required. 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. If you put enough thought into your garden, you will enjoy more impressive results.
Include both green and dry plant refuse in your compost. “Green” material refers to things like wilted flowers, weeds, leaves from your yard, and grass clippings. Sawdust, straw, cardboard, paper and wood pulp are all examples of dried plant material. Your compost pile should never contain meat, ashes or charcoal.
For in-home organic gardeners, you are looking for an ideal temperature of around 60-75 degrees for your plants. The plants need this temperature in order to effectively grow. If you wish to keep your house cooler than that, you may want to use a heat lamp just for the plants.
Do you prefer to eliminate weeds without the use of harmful chemicals? You should layer some newspaper to get weeds under control. Without exposure to the sun, weeds cannot thrive. The layers of newspaper will kill the weeds because they no longer receive any sunlight. Newsprint also breaks down well, incorporating itself into the compost. In order to improve its attractiveness, add one mulch layer.
One odd but apparently useful tip for growing organic plants, is to lightly brush your plants with your fingers or a piece of cardboard 1-2 times a day. However odd this may sound, research shows that this touching encourages seedlings to grow better than they would without touching.
Use approximately two or three inches of natural, organic material as some mulch in every single flower bed. A thick layer of mulch will prevent weeds, reduce watering needs and fertilize your garden. Also, the flower beds will look beautifully maintained at all times.
If you wish to honestly proclaim your produce to be truly organic, you need to secure organic garden certification. This will improve your sales and show your faithful customers that they are getting the best possible food that is grown.
While gardening organically requires more work than gardening with the help of chemicals, the rewards are worth it. Even though the claims of the chemicals may be astounding, the organic way is always going to provide the best reward to you and whoever is eating your crops.
Work properly in your garden. Do not waste your time looking for tools. Set up the tools you will need for your day prior to hitting the garden, then put them away neatly at the end of your gardening session. A good way to keep your tools at hand is to buy a tool belt or utility pants with many large pockets.
Be aware of the location you are in, and the seasonal and climate changes that occur. Make sure that you adjust your watering cycles to match these changes. The amount of water you use each time should be dependent on the water quality, the soil type and what time of day you are doing it. For instance, in warm and balmy locations, it is important not to water leaves, as doing so tends to foster fungus growth. Instead, water the root system well.
If you over-water your plants, they can’t get all the nutrients they need from the dirt. Before heading out to water your plants, check the weather to see if rain is included in the immediate forecast. When showers are on the way, you can save yourself the chore of watering.
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.
You may want to grow garlic organically. Plant individual cloves of garlic in the early spring or fall in moist, well-drained soil. Place them about one or two inches deep into the soil pointed upwards and 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 bulbs are ready to harvest when the tops start to 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 in a cool place, tied in bunches or loose.
Organic Garden
Believe it or not, pine makes great mulch. Some plants are highly acidic, and like soil that is acidic too. There is no better, or easier, way to make your acid-loving plants happy then to use pine needles you already have on your beds. Simply add a layer of pine needles a couple of inches deep to the plant beds. The needles will decompose over time and provide the soil with acidity.
The more you read, the more you understand how great growing an organic garden can be and how important adding what you grow in your garden to your dietary habits can be. Use this advice to begin the process of growing the best organic garden.