subject: Useful Advice For Organic Gardening [print this page] Growing an organic garden might appear very complicated and involved, but if you know what you are doing, it can be a very exciting experience. If you don't know what you are doing, you can waste a lot of money and watch alot of your plants die. The tips listed below can help you avoid this.
A great trick for organic gardeners and a neat way to reuse plastic milk jugs are to use them as a form of self irrigation for your garden. All you need to do is poke little holes into the bottom of plastic 1 gallon jugs, bury the jugs next to your plants and make sure to leave an opening. Fill the jugs allowing the water to seep slowly into the ground.
For the best organic garden, choose plants that do best in your type of soil and climate. Plants that have adapted to a specific type of environment have a better chance to thrive without much fuss in that environment. These plants will also save you time in maintenance because they are naturally hardy.
Use only natural and organic alternatives instead of chemical fertilizers. Using chemical fertilizers will add chemicals into your plants and the soil getting into our drinking water. Using a natural compost will keep your plants chemical free and healthy. Compost is made from anything that was once alive, for example leaves, kitchen waste, and grass clippings.
Get rid of Japanese beetles. Once quite rare, and only found in the eastern United States, these pesky beetles are now moving west. They attack many different types of herbs and vegetables and are difficult to eradicate once established. Handpick them in the early morning by shaking tree limbs and branches. Bait them by mixing together water, sugar and mashed fruit. Place this concoction in a sunny spot at least 1 inch off the ground. Strain out the beetles every morning. Plant 'trap' crops between vegetables and flowers: Japanese beetles favor marigold, borage and evening primrose. If you plant these throughout your garden, they will naturally navigate toward those specific plants.
Install a fan to blow on your seeds. Make sure your fan is turned on a very low setting. This light touch will help your plants grow stronger. You can also stroke your plants very lightly with your hand or a piece of paper for a few hours to get the same effect.
When running your organic garden, you should use the "shovel method" to eliminate weeds. This method does not eliminate all of the weeds at one time because doing this is ineffective. This method uses a sharp spade to turn the weeds over and bury the leaves. When the leaves rot, the weeds will actually provide nourishment to the soil.
Most organic fertilizers will not harm the soft roots of plants, unlike, synthetic fertilizers. A great way to use an organic fertilizer is to mix it with the top two inches of soil next to the plant. This is called side-dressing, and it is usually worked into the soil during the growing season.
Discourage rabbits from using your garden as a snack bar. Rabbits will take advantage of your organic garden if you give them the chance. They don't tend to discriminate between certain foods, eating anything that they encounter. Blood meal, wood ashes, hot pepper flakes, chili powder or garlic powder sprinkled around your plants will deter them. You can also sprinkle black pepper directly on a plant, which will give the rabbit a sneezing fit.
The best time to pick most home-grown herbs is at the break of dawn in the morning when you see dew on the plants. Picking the youngest shoots give the best flavor and helps keep the plant pruned. Most herbs can be frozen in zipped plastic bags and will keep fine for up to six months.
If you follow proper organic growing conditions you may find that you are better able to market your produce at the local fruit stands and farmer's markets. Organic produce is very popular now because people are beginning to see all the health benefits of eating an organic whole food diet.
So, as you can see growing an organic garden is not as complicated as it appears. It is involved in terms of research, hard work, and patience, but the personal rewards make it worth it in the end. With the above tips in mind, you should be smarter when it comes to growing your own organic garden.
