Organic gardening is a rewarding hobby that anyone can enjoy, as long as they know what they're doing. However, for a beginner, the whole horticulture experience can be a very intimidating thing to enter into. How can you become a better organic gardener? Read the information provided below, of course!
Turn your tool handles into convenient rulers. Handles of things such as rakes, hoes or shovels make excellent measuring instruments. Lay the handles upon the floor and use a tape measure along side of them. Mark the measurements with a permanent marker. Next time you are working in the garden, you will have a large ruler at your fingertips!
Get a slug-proof variety of perennials. Slugs and snails are voracious eaters that can destroy a plant literally overnight. They tend to enjoy perennials that have thin, smooth, tender leaves, especially those of young plants. Some perennials, however, leave a bad taste in slugs' mouths or are difficult to chew through because their leaves aren't tender. Some of examples of these are achillea, heuchera, campanula, helleborus, and euphorbia.
Take the proper approach to laying sod. Before laying the sod, the soil must be prepared. Pull out any weeds and break up the soil. Make sure the soil is packed firmly and even. The soil should always receive adequate moisture. Sod should be staggered in rows, the joints offsetting from each other. After the sod is in place, go over the surface to ensure everything is level. Use loose soil to fill in any gaps between seams. The sod requires water on a daily basis for two weeks, then the roots will have taken hold and ready to be walked on.
When the fall season approaches, you must prepare to plant your favorite fall veggies and other edibles. Instead of a clay pot, show some fall spirit by using a hollow pumpkin to plant your lettuce or kale in. Scoop the insides out of the pumpkin, and don't forget to spray the inside with Wilt-Pruf. This will prevent your pumpkin from rotting. Now this is completed, it is time to get planting!
Always make sure to mow your lawn to the appropriate length, always making sure that the cut is not too close. Higher grass has deeper roots, meaning a healthier lawn that will be less likely to dry out. Short grass on the other hand is more susceptible to drying out.
If you are considering planting a garden take the time to plan it out. This will help you to remember where you planted the different plants when sprouts begin to shoot up from the ground. A good plan can also help you to place each plant in the area that is most beneficial to them.
Use annuals and biennials to enliven your flower beds. Fast growing biennials and annuals will brighten a garden and permit you to change looks from one season to another. You can also use these flowers to fill gaps between shrubs or perennials. Some varieties are hollyhocks, petunias and sunflowers.
To help young plants, try pouring boiling water on top of nearby weeds. Boiling water in a pot is a safe “herbicide.” Just douse the weeds directly with boiling water, taking care to avoid damaging nearby plants. What this does it essentially kill the weeds by damaging their roots. The result is that those weeds are unlikely to regrow.
Interested in using Mother Nature to keep pests at bay the natural way? A border of marigolds or onions around your veggies can prevent slugs. If you place wood ash around the base portion of a shrub seedling or tree, you will ward off insect pests. These methods remove the need for harsh chemical pesticides.
Now you can see how organic gardening is so enjoyable. It is quite calming and relaxing to immerse oneself in the rhythms of organic horticulture. Use these tips to get your organic garden up and running in no time.
Cover fences and walls with lots of climbers. Climbing plants are extremely versatile, helping to hide an ugly fence or wall, often within one growing season. Climbers can also be trained to grow and cover an arbor, and they will grow through or around existing trees and shrubs. Some varieties will climb and attach using their tendrils or branches, but some will need to be trained or supported with ties. Some of these plants include, wisteria, jasmine, climbing roses, clematis, honeysuckle!