A lot of people are becoming more aware of the chemicals that are put in our everyday produce and how this can harm them, this is why they decide to grow organically. Also, organic gardening is quite cheap on the whole. Here are some helpful techniques to help you learn to garden organically.
Make garden tools do double duty as handy makeshift rulers. Tools with long handles, such as rakes, hoes, and shovels can be converted into handy measuring sticks. Just lay your tool down on the floor then lay a yardstick beside the handle. Then, with a permanent marker, you want to label distances. You will never find yourself looking for a ruler thanks to this simple tip.
When you are tending your garden in the fall, be on the alert for stink bugs. They like to feast on all kinds of fruits, as well as peppers, tomatoes, and beans. If not taken care of, these pests can damage the garden, so take steps to cut down their population.
Plant a little catnip or wheatgrass in the area surrounding the plants that your cat is devouring. You can also put something on top of the soil around the plants that has an offensive smell to cats, such as mothballs or citrus peel.
Many people think the best green gardens start from seeds, rather than plants. When opening a garden, the most green method of beginning is from seed. Seeds eliminate the waste of plastic containers from nurseries which rarely get recycled. There are some nurseries, however, that send their plants out in organic potting materials.
Invest in a quality wheelbarrow and a kneeling stool if horticulture work is going to happen often. Gardening can be very tough on the knees as you spend much time leaning near the ground, so a portable stool can make all the difference to your comfort. Using a wheelbarrow or wagon to transport heavy loads of dirt will help protect you from back injuries so make sure that you have one.
Prior to working in the garden, make sure any cuts on your hands heal completely, or shield any cuts from contact with chemicals and dirt. A cut could get infected if it gets in contact with grime and dirt in the garden. Bandages are available that will completely cover the cut so that this cannot happen.
It is important to keep the temperature set between 65 and 75 degrees, if you wish to raise plants in the home. They need the temperature to be that warm so that they can grow. If you want to save money on gas bills in the winter, you can provide local heating for the plants with a heat lamp instead.
Tend your organic garden on a regular schedule. Even if you can’t tend to your garden daily, you can do little things to help so that there is not a huge amount of work to be done when you are ready to get back to it. If you are outside with your dog, pluck a few weeds while your dog is taking care of his business.
If slugs are problematic in your garden, you can use an all-natural beer trap to do away with them. Get a clean, empty glass jar to use as a trap. Bury it with its mouth facing upwards. Keep putting dirt over the jar until the mouth is at the surface of your garden. After you have placed the jar in the soil, fill with beer to approximately one inch of the top. The scent of the beer will bait the slugs into the jar and they will become trapped.
Organic horticulture is healthier. You won’t be exposing your plants – and yourself to toxins or chemicals. Use the tips you just read to help you start planting your organic garden. You can also look forward to a boost in the volume of wildlife inhabiting your nature-loving garden.