Gardening is a complex process. Once you have decided to garden organically, you need to learn about your soil’s pH balance, as well as things like natural pesticides. An organic garden can be more than a little challenging for the novice. You can do it well by taking advantage of the advice that offered below.
When you are organic gardening, ask your children to lend a hand. They will enjoy learning about nature and bonding with you.
When you are growing organic plants within the home or an enclosed area, considering how much light the plants will receive must be emphasized. Ideally, these plants should be kept in a room that offers natural light from a window or glass door. You can also try using artificial lighting to help.
Keep your tools handy to work more efficiently. You can keep them in a good sized bucket, or wear utility pants that have plenty of large pockets. You will be much more productive if you can quickly get to your spade, pruning shears, trowel and watering can.
As your seeds sprout, they require less warmth than before. As your baby plants grow, you can move them from their heat source. If you used plastic wrap to insulate your seedlings, you should now remove it. Watch your seeds carefully to know when you can take these steps.
Top all your garden beds with several inches of organic mulch. This will help to inhibit weed growth, helps to lock in moisture, and adds needed nutrients to your organic garden. Also, the flower beds will look beautifully maintained at all times.
Do not underestimate pine as great mulch. Some plants do better in soil with high acidity as they are highly acidic themselves. Use pine needles to increase the acid level in your soil if you have plants that require higher acid. Spread the needles over the beds in a layer that is approximately 2-inches deep. Over time, the needles will begin to decay, supplying the soil with acid as they do.
Coffee Grounds
Use coffee grounds on your soil. Coffee grounds are filled with nutritional elements plants need, such as nitrogen. Usually, nitrogen is limited with a plant, but using coffee grounds, diluted urea, or compost can make your plants grow faster and taller.
Remember to plan for adequate spacing when you first lay out an organic garden. People often underestimate how much space plants will need when once they’re grown. You will also need to ensure that you allow ample space around full-grown plants for air circulation. Plot out all of these considerations before putting that first seed in the ground.
If slugs are an issue in your garden, a beer trap can make them go away. Bury a glass jar in your garden so that its open mouth is level with the top of the soil. Keep the jar filled with beer, up to about an inch from the top. Slugs will crawl into the jar to get the beer and not be able to get out again.
More Gardening Ideas & Resources
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.
