Organic produce is better than normal produce in terms of flavor and nutrients. Organic produce is expensive in the stores, so you may want to grow your own, Below is a selection of organic gardening tips that will help you to start harvesting delicious, healthy produce at home.
Allow your children to assist with the work to be done in your organic garden. Toiling together in the garden brings your family closer together and offers many different opportunities to learn new things and instill green values.
Young children will love it if you plant strawberries that bear continually, and organic gardens are the perfect place to do it. Kids really enjoy plucking snacks directly from the ground, and may have greater enthusiasm for the work if they see the results of their labor right away.
If you are interested in sustainable organic gardening, consider keeping part of your property undeveloped so that wildlife can flourish there. This is a great natural way to allow the insects and animals found in nature to assist with the growth of your garden.
Keep the temperature in your home between 65 and 75 degrees Fahrenheit, if you are keeping or growing any kind of plant in your house. In order to encourage proper growth, they will need that warmth. Heat lamps can be used to promote growth without the necessity of raising your home’s interior temperature.
Once your seeds start sprouting, they do not need as much warmth as they needed before. Locate your plants further from your heat source as they mature. Uncover your containers; the plastic wrap traps humidity, so you need to remove it to stop your plants from overheating. Watch your seeds closely to know how to go about this.
Regular maintenance prevents your gardening tasks from becoming overwhelming and unappealing. If you can’t get out in your garden every day, there are still a number of things you can do to keep things from falling into disarray during your absence. For example, if you are playing in the yard with your child, take a few moments to pull some weeds as well.
Compost Pile
Your compost pile should contain green plants and dried ones in equal amounts. Green plant material can include old flowers, fruit waste, grass clippings, vegetable waste, and leaves. Dry materials, like sawdust, cut up wood pieces, cardboard, straw and shredded paper are good for your compost pile. You should not use things like meat scraps, charcoal, blighted plants or the manure of meat-eating animals in your compost.
As a good general practice, you should make sure to plant your seeds three seed-widths deep into their containers. Be aware that some seeds shouldn’t be covered, as they need sunlight. Some common examples include ageratum and petunias. When in doubt about whether a seed requires direct sun exposure, you can find lots of information online or on the seed packaging itself.
If slugs are problematic in your garden, you can use an all-natural beer trap to do away with them. Bury a canning jar so that the open mouth and the soil top are level. After you have placed the jar in the soil, fill with beer to approximately one inch of the top. Slugs will be attracted by the beer and fall into the jar.
You can make a raised bed with untreated wood, brick, or stone. If you choose to use wood, make sure it is naturally rot resistant and untreated. The most popular options for this type of project are cypress, locust and cedar woods. If you use your garden to grow vegetables, avoid using wood that has been treated with chemicals. These toxic chemicals may seep into the soil, damaging your crops. You may have previously used treated lumber; if so, you should use a plastic liner to cover it.
More Gardening Ideas & Resources
Don’t settle for inferior produce. Implement these tips and starting reaping the benefits of fresh fruits and vegetables.