Gardening can be quite complex when you break it down. 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. Growing organic can be a little on the difficult side for a rookie. Make sure you play for the pros by employing the tips from the text below.
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 sounds like a new fad but in fact it is the tried and true method that existed long ago before the advent of chemicals. The Indians taught pilgrims to plant their crops by putting a fish along with the seeds into the ground. You can start a compost pile to create your own organic fertilizer for your organic garden. This helps to recycle, cut down on your trash output and increase your garden produce.
If you are experiencing a problem with slugs or other insects, a wonderful organic contact pesticide is diatomaceous earth. You can buy this at most garden centers, and it comes in a white powder form. It is an abrasive material that will kill the critters by damaging the skin of the slugs and joints of the insects.
Cut the tips off of your expensive perennials! Dip the cut ends in rooting hormone and submerge them in damp sand. In a couple of weeks the cuttings will form roots and you’ll have free start-up plants to give to all of your friends and acquaintances. Free plants are very much appreciated in today’s tough economic times!
Planting a living hedge around your property has many benefits. Hedges provide a softer barrier to mark the perimeter of your property and are less forbidding than a structured wall. A living hedge will provide privacy but still discourage trespassing by animals or people. If you have a hedge that blooms, it can be a lovely backdrop in addition to your landscape.
Use your fallen leaves to enrich your compost. Gather any fallen leaves and place them in a paper or plastic bag, and store them for the winter in a sheltered spot. If you are using a plastic bag, don’t forget to poke a couple of holes to ensure ventilation. Once springtime comes around you will have carbon-rich matter just waiting to get dug into your compost pile.
To insulate the soil and protect against weeds, you should consider different types of mulches. Use things like wood chips, leaves, hay, and lawn clippings. Protecting plants with a mulch helps them in many ways, such as guarding soil against erosion. You can even look into living mulches, which are plants that serve the same purpose as a mulch.
When you are ready to mulch, choose an organic mulch. Cocoa hulls or weed-free straw are great examples. The mulch will eventually decompose and add rich, organic nutrients to your soil. Just add a couple of inches to your garden each year and you will see the long-term benefits.
While caring for your organic garden involves many big, day-long tasks, it also calls for smaller jobs that need to be performed more frequently. Keep a good handle on the minor needs of your garden so that you can make good use of brief periods of free time. When you have a few minutes to spare, why not use them weeding, pruning or performing other garden maintenance tasks?
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.
