Organic gardening doesn’t have to be grueling work. Indeed, it can be quite enjoyable. A beginning organic gardener may find the prospect of getting started to be rather daunting. How should a novice approach the learning experience of growing plants? Read the advice provided in this article!
Your children can help you with your garden. Children will benefit from the fresh air while bonding with you in your efforts to provide healthier food alternatives for them.
Plant ever-bearing strawberries for your children in the organic garden. Children love to snap up these sweet juicy fruits for themselves and will be much more willing to eat other foods you’ve planted as well.
Indoor Plants
Indoor plants have been bred over time to thrive in temperatures that are characteristic of a home. Most indoor plants like to be in about 70 degree temperatures, plus or minus 5 degrees. They need this type of warm temperature in order to 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.
Once your seeds start sprouting, they do not need as much warmth as they needed before. As your plants grow, move them away from the source of heat. This also includes removing any plastic that you had covering the plant or container. Keep an eye on your seeds in order to know when you should do this.
Spacing is one important factor in gardening. You will most likely underestimate how much space plants will need as they grow. Plants need room for physical growth and for the air to circulate within the soil. Because of this, you should always take the time to ensure that there’s enough distance between all your seeds.
Laundry Basket
You can use something like a laundry basket to gather all of your produce together when the time comes. It makes a great strainer for your vegetables. Rinse your crops while in the laundry basket to strain the excess water.
A rule of thumb for when you are planting seeds in containers is to make the hole depth around three times larger than the seed itself. It is important to note though, that not all seeds are covered to this depth, as some need direct sunlight to grow properly. Petunia and ageratum seeds need direct sunlight, for example. If you are unsure if your seeds should be covered, refer to the seed packet, or if that is not available, look for information online.
If slugs are disrupting the balance of your garden, you can diminish their population by using a beer trap. Dig a hole the size of a glass jar, and bury the jar with the top at ground level. Pour beer into the jar until it’s almost full. Leave an inch of space between the beer and the jar top. Slugs will be attracted by the beer and fall into the jar.
A raised bed can be built with untreated wood, brick or stone. For best results, you should only use wood that has not been treated with chemicals or protective coating. The best varieties include cedar, locust and cypress wood. In a veggie garden, don’t use treated wood since its chemicals can leech into the food crops and soil. Treated wood can be lined with plastic to create a barrier.
It can be hard to grow an organic garden without chemicals, but the end result is worth the effort. While chemical claims are wondrous, growing organically is a great reward to whomever eats your produce.
Botanical Insecticides
You can find a lot of information on how to keep any unwanted pests away by researching local botanical insecticides. These natural insecticides can often be more effective than synthetically engineered pesticides. However, because botanical insecticides are biological, they often decay and disappear quickly.
It is by now obvious how beneficial and enjoyable organic gardening can truly be when you know how to approach it. Properly growing your garden can involve serious relaxation and even some fun. Using these tips, you can become an excellent organic gardener.