Organic Garden – Flower Gardening

The processes involved in successfully horticulture can be complicated. If you decide to go the natural route, you may have to know about things like the pH balance of soil and natural bug-fighting concoctions. Organic gardening can be quite challenging for anyone with limited experience. Make sure you play for the pros by employing the tips from the text below.

Take the proper approach to laying sod. Get your soil ready before you lay your sod. Pull all the weeds and loosen the soil so the new roots can take easily. Compact the soil gently but firmly to be certain that it is indeed flat. Now make sure the soil is thoroughly dampened. Be sure to stagger the rows of sod. The joints should be offset like bricks in a wall. Make sure the sod is firmly placed to ensure a surface that is sufficiently flat and even. Also, make sure to use soil to fill the areas where there are gaps in the sod. Water the sod for two weeks and then you can safely walk on it as it will have had time to properly root.

TIP! Choose plants that will give you the most yield at harvest time. A hybrid designed for your weather, and resistant to local diseases, will give a better yield than non-hybrids.

Do not plant perennials that are prone to snail infestation. Slugs and snails are voracious eaters that can destroy a plant literally overnight. Young plants with susceptible leaves are favorite meals for slugs, including those with smoother or thinner leaves. You can discourage snails and slugs from eating your perennials by choosing plants with tougher or distasteful foliage. Achillea, euphorbia, helleborus, heuchera and campanula are good choices that slugs don’t like.

If you learn that your soil has a high amount of alkaline, mix some used coffee grounds into it. This is a simple way to replenish your soil with acid. This simple act can lead to vegetables that taste better and look more appealing.

Knee Pads

TIP! Use both annuals and biennials to add a splash of color to your flower beds. These usually grow quickly, and provide an easy-to-change solution to making your flower beds bright and beautiful.

A set of knee pads are a life saver if you’re an avid gardener and a lot of your plants sit close to the ground. The time that you will have to spend on your knees in your garden can cause you unnecessary knee pain. Your knees can get supported with a decent pair of gardening knee pads.

The nutrients from vegetables can help. If you steam your vegetables, you can pour the remaining water around them. Some plants, such as gardenias, azaleas and rhododendrons need acidic soil for proper growth. Increase the acidity of your soil by adding coffee grounds and unused tea bags. If fungus is an issue, Chamomile tea sprinkled on the plant may be effective.

During the hottest hours of each day, your vegetables become too soft, and even gentle harvesting will cause damage and bruising. Cut them with a tool rather than pulling or twisting, otherwise you could damage the plant itself.

TIP! Use bulbs to ensure continuous flowers throughout the spring and summer. Since bulbs are easy to grow and resistant to poor weather conditions, they will grow without fail year after year.

One way to help your organic garden thrive is to leave an undeveloped area that is conducive to the wildlife around your area. This can be a good area for the types of insects that pollinate plants. It can also be a sanctuary for birds, which will help some plants thrive. This can greatly improve the production of your organic garden.

Keep your tools handy to work more efficiently. Carry a large bucket with you or wear pants with a lot of pockets. You should always have your gloves, pruning shears and a trowel close to you.

As your seeds sprout, they require less warmth than before. Take your plants out of the heat once they start to grow. If you used plastic wrap to insulate your seedlings, you should now remove it. Check on your seeds periodically to make sure you know when to remove the films.

TIP! Aerate and dry your plants each day. Parasites and pests are attracted to excess moisture on the plants.

Use approximately two or three inches of natural, organic material as some mulch in every single flower bed. A thick layer of mulch will prevent weeds, reduce watering needs and fertilize your garden. It will also make your flower beds look more finished.

When you are growing seedlings in your organic garden, lightly brush over them using your hand up to twice a day. While this appears strange, research shows it can help plants grow larger, versus not petting them at all.

Add mulch to keep your soil healthy. Mulch can protect the ground it sits upon. The soil will stay cool in high heat, preventing damage to the roots. Additionally, moisture will not evaporate from the ground so quick when mulch is applied. This can also help control any weeds.

TIP! Do you want fresh mint leaves without having to worry about them growing too quickly? Instead of planting mint in the ground, confine it to a large pot. If you prefer, you can even place the container in the ground, but the pot’s walls will prevent the mint from spreading and being a nuisance in your garden.

Each year, you should rotate the plants in your garden. Planting the same family of plants in the same area over and over can cause disease and fungus to start growing. These kind of enemies to plants can stay underground ready for the next year to cause harm to your plants. Moving the plants to different areas will prevent these invaders from growing on your plants.

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.