Holistic lifestyles are spreading and becoming popular, all while organic is growing in popularity as well. People who live this kind of lifestyle usually grow herbs and plants to enjoy the health benefits of this vegetation; they must be grown organically. Read up on some great organic tips below.
It is possible to grow an organic garden all year if you have a sufficient light source for an indoor garden. Plants need plenty of light in order to grow properly and there are bulbs that can be purchased to provide indoor gardens with the appropriate amount of light to have them thrive and produce a fruitful bounty.
Embrace earthworms in the organic garden! Earthworms are an organic gardener’s best friend. Through tunneling and their nitrogen-rich castings, they can help to aerate the soil. This improves the amount of oxygen that gets to a plant’s roots, improves water retention capacity, and keeps the soil loose and workable. They actually raise much-needed minerals from the garden’s subsoil to the topsoil, where plants can get the greatest benefit. These worms also break up hardpan soil, which is detrimental to root growth.
Paying attention to spacing is important. Many people don’t realize exactly how much space a plant needs when it grows. Space is vital for your plants not only due to their literal physical size requirements but also because of how much room your garden needs for air circulation. Plan accordingly and put an appropriate amount of distance between seeds.
The best way to weed your organic garden is the old-fashioned way, pulling the weeds out by hand. Even though organic herbicides sold at the store are tempting, they aren’t nearly as effective as getting on your hands and knees and pulling the weeds out by hand. It’s also very invigorating to do it yourself. It gives you a sense of accomplishment.
When you are growing seedlings in your organic garden, lightly brush over them using your hand up to twice a day. This may sound strange, but research has proven that doing this will help your plants grow bigger than if they were not petted at all.
An important tip for organic gardening that will naturally help prevent disease from appearing in your plants is to move your plants to different spots of your garden each year. This will keep any disease from spreading because the soil doesn’t build up harmful organisms from planting in the same spot each year.
Care for your compost. Cover your compost pile with a lid, tarp or black plastic. Sunlight will kill the bacteria that do the composting, so the outer layers of a compost pile that is exposed to the sun will not break down. Water the compost pile regularly, keeping it evenly moist. Do not over-water, as a soggy compost pile will rot. Turn the pile every two to five days to aerate and provide oxygen to the bacteria. If necessary, add a composting activator to speed up the process.
Organic gardening means trying to grow plants as naturally as possible without the use of chemicals. So when the time comes to kill harmful, plant-eating insects, try planting a few flowers in your vegetable garden. The flowers will attract beneficial insects that naturally kill the harmful ones. These beneficial insects perform other valuable services like pollination as well as pest control.
Cultivate your soil to improve the quality of your soil. When you cultivate, or till, your soil, you loosen up parts that may be compacted. Compacted soil does not absorb water well, and it discourages soil micro-organisms from growing in it. When your soil is properly tilled, seeds can thrive and grow.
If you are trying to grow tomatoes from seed, use old drink cups or yogurt containers to start them. When they are ready to be transplanted, just cut the bottom off of the cup and put them right into the ground. This will help protect the new plant from worms and other pests.
If your garden includes plants that prefer acidic soil, such as begonias, roses, and strawberries, you should mulch with a generous layer (two to three inches) of discarded pine needles at the beginning of the autumnal season. As the pine needles slowly decompose, they will release trace amounts of acid into the soil.
When starting your own organic garden, a great tip is to keep your tools as close to your garden as you possibly can. This will reduce the number of trips you have to make to your shed. Consider wearing a tool belt or carry a large bucket with you when you are out in your garden.
Use organic weed killers. Weed killers commonly contain toxic and noxious chemicals. These can get into the soil and contaminate your groundwater. A great and cheap alternative to the harsh chemicals is to use vinegar. On a sunny day, spray cider vinegar onto any weeds you have. They will soon die without hurting the environment.
The more you know about organic gardening, the easier your gardening will be. Keep in mind that these pointers are simply the tip of the iceberg.
