Organic gardening is a great way to grow your own food at home and relax at the same time. But, newcomers may find the process to be somewhat overwhelming at first. So, what should a novice do to learn how to grow plants? The best way to start is to continue reading this article!
Try planting seeds in pots, and then transferring the seedlings to your garden. This boosts the chance that the plants can survive to adulthood. It also lets you have tighter control over the planting periods in your garden. As soon as the mature plants are removed, you can replace them with fresh seedlings.
Use slug-proof varieties of perennials wherever possible. A particularly vulnerable plant can be killed by snails and slugs overnight. These pests normally go after plants with thin little leaves and plants that have yet to fully mature. Some perennials, however, leave a bad taste in slugs' mouths or are difficult to chew through because their leaves aren't tender. Consider planting these varieties of perennials to discourage slugs and snails from eating your flowers. Euphorbia and achillea are examples of slug-proof perennials.
Properly put down your sod. You will need to prepare your lawn soil before laying the sod. Weed the soil well, and till the entire lawn area. Gently compact the soil until it is flattened. Thoroughly moisten the soil. When laying down sod, create staggered rows with offset joints. The sod should form a flat and firm surface. Fill in gaps with soil. Water the sod each day for two weeks so it will become well-rooted and ready for foot traffic.
You do not need store-bought chemical treatments for plant mildew. All it takes is a liquid soap, water, and baking soda mixture. Spray this on the plants once per week until that mildew goes away. This method is not going to cause any damages to your plants and the mildew will go away slowly.
Cover fences and walls with lots of climbers. These climbing plants will help beautify an old fence, and they are fast workers too. They can be trained to grow over an arbor, or through trees and shrubs that are already in the garden. Some climbers you plant will have to be tied off and supported, but others have no problem attaching themselves to any surface using their tendrils or twining stems Some of the most reliable varieties are wisteria, clematis, jasmine, honeysuckle and climbing roses.
Stink Bugs
Plant slug-proof perennials. If slugs or snails find their favorite perennials in your garden, they'll snack all night. When you wake up in the morning, there will be very little left of your plants. These pests are especially attracted to tender sprouts and to delicate, soft leaves. You can discourage snails and slugs from eating your perennials by choosing plants with tougher or distasteful foliage. Some perennial families that snails and slugs won't eat include achillea, campanula, and helleborus.
While working in your garden during the fall season, watch out for those stink bugs! Stink bugs are attracted to tomatoes, beans and most fruits. If you do not keep them under control, the damage can be excessive, so keep an eye out for them.
When it's autumn, you know what that means. It's time to plant fall vegetables! Why not plant lettuce and kale inside a hollowed-out pumpkin? Simply carve open the top of a pumpkin so you can remove the innards, and then spray inside and out with something like Wilt-Pruf to prevent pumpkin rotting. You are prepared to plant after this is done.
Coffee Grounds
If mildew is forming on your plants, you should not purchase an expensive chemical. Mix plain baking soda with a small bit of liquid soap and water. You then want to spray this mixture on your plants one time a week until you notice the mildew disappear. Baking soda will bring no damage to your plants, and will treat the mildew in a gentle and efficient manner.
For areas with high alkaline, mix coffee grounds into the soil. Using coffee grounds is a low-cost way to increase the acidity of the soil. Improving the pH of your soil will make your vegetables and greens taste even better!
You should now realize how much fun and how enjoyable horticulture can be. There is so much fun and relaxation to be had as one tries to make their garden grow properly. These tips are your key to becoming a top-flight organic gardener.