Organic horticulture and holistic lifestyles go hand in hand. Those who live this lifestyle grow their own foods for their health benefits and they tend to do this via organic gardening. This article provides several useful tips on organic horticulture that can help.
Choose perennials that are not vulnerable to attack by slugs. Snails and slugs can destroy plants in just one night. These garden vermin prefer plants with tender, herbaceous stems and leaves, particularly seedlings and young plants. Some perennials, however, leave a bad taste in slugs’ mouths or are difficult to chew through because their leaves aren’t tender. A few great choices are achillea, campanula, and heuchera. Other options from which you can choose are hellebourus and euphorbia.
If you have a wall or fence that you do not like, plant climbers to mask its appearance. Many climbers can cover the wall or fence in as little as one growing season. They also have been known to grow through existing trees or shrubs, or can be easily taught to cover any size arbor. Some varieties will climb and attach using their tendrils or branches, but some will need to be trained or supported with ties. Climbing roses, honeysuckle, wisteria, clematis, and jasmine are some great plants to try out.
Stink Bugs
When you are tending your garden in the fall, be on the alert for stink bugs. They like to feast on all kinds of fruits, as well as peppers, tomatoes, and beans. If they go unnoticed, they can cause large amounts of harm to your garden, so remember to take protective measures to reduce the population of stink bugs there.
If your soil is highly alkaline, try mixing used coffee grounds into the soil. Using coffee grounds is a low-cost way to increase the acidity of the soil. The plants will be healthier, leading to more delicious home-grown veggies.
If you want a strange, yet successful, green answer to getting rid of weeds, boil them to death. A boiling pot of water is one the best and safest herbicides you can find. Make sure to pour only on the weeds and to stay away from healthy vegetation. The extreme heat of the water will cause damage to the weeds’ roots, which will stop them from growing any more.
Split up your irises. You can get more irises by dividing the overgrown clumps. Try to life the bulbous irises when foliage begins to die. The bulbs will automatically split in you hand, and will likely flower the year after being replanted. Split rhizomes with a knife. Cut new pieces from the outside and discard the old center. Each piece needs one strong offshoot. Set your cuttings into the ground right away.
Give peas a head start by sprouting them indoors. If you were to plant them inside first, the seeds should germinate better. The seedling may also be hardier, which means that they can better resist disease and attacks from pests. The seedlings can then be transplanted outside after becoming strong enough to withstand the elements.
The more organic gardening tips you are able to pick up, the easier gardening will eventually become for you. The tips here can help.
