The more you get into it, the more you may realize that organic gardening can be a little on the complicated side. Some things to consider are the natural pH balance of the soil and fighting insects the natural way. Keeping up a natural garden is very rewarding but takes some work. It can be hard for a rookie to grow organic. Keep reading to find out how the professionals do it.
Clay Soil
Shoveling clay soil is tiresome since clay is hard, and it can also stick to your shovel for twice the difficulty. Use a thin coat of floor or car wax on your shovel, then buff it with a nice clean cloth to make dealing with clay soil easier. This will keep the soil from sticking, and prevent rusting of the tool.
When winter arrives, you could save some plants by placing them inside your house. You might want to transplant your most valuable varieties. Dig around roots carefully before transferring to a pot.
Slug-proof your garden with smart perennial choices. A plant can be completely demolished overnight by slugs and snails. They're particularly fond of perennials with smooth and thin leaves, especially if the plants are young. Some varieties of perennials are not preferred by snails and slugs, particularly perennials that have hairy, tough leaves or a taste that isn't appetizing. Good choices in this category are plants such as achillea, campanula, and euphorbia. Heuchera and helleborus also work well.
A garden with a foundation of healthy soil is the best defense against pests. If your plants are healthy, they can more easily resist insects and disease. Healthy, rich soil with fewer chemicals will increase the yield of your plants, and reduce accumulated salts.
While working in your garden during the fall season, watch out for those stink bugs! They like to feast on all kinds of fruits, as well as peppers, tomatoes, and beans. If you don't treat them, they can do a lot of damage in your garden.
CO2 is essential for growth. Typically, the higher the levels of carbon dioxide present in a plant's environment, the better it will grow. Greenhouses help contain C02 to keep levels high. CO2 levels are usually kept high to get the best growing situation for your plants.
If you're like many gardeners, autumn means that it's time to get some delicious fall edibles growing in your garden. A hollowed out pumpkin can become a festive container for kale and lettuce. Cut an opening in the pumpkin and scoop the insides out. Then spray the edges and empty inside of the pumpkin with Wilt-Pruf so the pumpkin doesn't rot. After that, your pumpkin planter is ready to use!
Let your new seeds soak in a dark spot overnight. Use a small container filled with water to nearly the top and place several seeds in it. This hydrates your seeds and jump-starts their growth. The seeds will now have a greater chance of maturing and surviving.
Now, you shouldn't get your hopes up and believe that a few tips are going to turn you into an instant professional gardener. However, these tips are a great starting point if you do plan to grow organically. As you implement these tips and hone your skills, you'll be a professional green-thumb-holder in no time.
If you want your garden full of flowers spring through summer, plant bulbs. Bulbs are hardy, easy to grow into flowers, and will blossom for several years. Different bulbs will bloom during different time periods. Therefore, if you select your bulbs correctly, you could have blooms in your garden for all of spring and summer.