Tag: organic gardening

Posted on

Organic Gardening Tips

tips for organic gardening

 

Plants, vegetables, herbs, rhubarb, strawberries – you name it you can grow it in an organic garden. As you can see, these are fairly common items.

Plants, Flowers and Fruit – pretty much anything that comes from the earth can be grown organically. And, you will not need chemicals, or anything synthetic, to grow beautiful flowers and plants.

It is a fact that chemicals do damage to our plants in many cases, especially to plants leafing out of doors, or plants that are fed and watered with chemicals. So, it is wisest to go 100% organic when growing anything in your organic garden.

Of course, you can use natural methods to deal with bugs when needed. However, in many instances, there are also natural methods that can be used to control pests without killing the plant, and/or the wildlife that are beneficial to your garden.

The first method to control pests is to prevent them from getting to your plants in the first place. Mulching is a great way to do this, and has many benefits. For example, it prevents water splash on your plants, which can deter bugs. It will control fungus and dampness, which are often a major problem.

One more benefit of this method is that it can encourage natural predators of aphids and cabbage moths. They don’t feed on your plants, but feed on the juices of the plant. There are also birds that you can attract that will feed on aphids, like sparrows, starlings and birds.

A tip I got from a chemical disposal near me is another method of protecting your plants from pests is to use centipedes, who are natural predators of slugs and snails.Centipedes will logistically walk through areas that are infested with pests, and will eat them.

Another method is to use a predator that feeds on slugs. Diatomaceous earth is a fine option to control the pest that plagues your garden. This is exactly what happened in my garden, and it was the only way to save my plants from certain death.

Of course, having a clean and pest free garden, means that you want to attract the birds and insects that will help you keep those pests away. You can do this organically, without using global warming products, or using hard chemicals.

Species of birds that you want to attract are bumblebees, cardinals, blackbirds, starlings, earners, buzzards, wrens, and sparrows. You can find these birds at your local birding shop, or even order them online. Gather them on a sunny day, and leave near a window.

Tiny worm creatures called earthworms are a free source of fertilizer for your organic garden. You can actually have earthworms in your garden by creating a “farm” for them to reproduce. Dig a 2 ft. x 2 ft. hole about 3 inches deep, and then throw all the earthworms and their castings into that hole. Each worm will eventually grow its own body size. After they have multiplied, you can scatter them throughout the garden.

Garden bugs are actually a great source of organic fertilizer. Wait till they reproduce or do their own thing. Then you can harvest the critters and use them as a natural source of fertilizer.

Posted on

Why Compost?

how to compost

 

If you stopped to take a look at a smelly heap of garden debris in your driveway this past week you may have wondered what it was and what was so smelly about it. If you walked into your back yard last night you could not see much of anything that it was so smelly about. You are right; it is not composting enough. Not yet!

So what is composting? You invent composting. You break up materials which will and can be composted and let them rot. Then you place that mixture in a heap and allow Mother Nature to do her thing.

Earth worms are the workhorses who do all the work to create the compost and you can depend on them to do a good job. Earth worms breathe through their skin so they do not like open, airy spaces. They prefer a firm, earthy soil which also makes for better composting.

Let’s look at why you would want to compost. It is many. Let’s assume that you are healthy and happy. You enjoy nature and wanted to beautify your yard and garden. Wouldn’t it be wonderful if you had an automatic system set up so that your lawn would never need to be trimmed? When you use a push reel mower instead of a gas or electric mower it will shorten the amount of time needed to maintain your lawn.

The decomposition of grass clippings and leaves helps to reduce the amount of pollution that accumulates in landfills. Your lawn will be less prone to disease due to the amount of air which is filtered away. You will not need to wash off the cut grass because of the high humidity that it enjoys. inhibited air circulation around the roots of the grass makes for a healthier lawn.

So what does composting mean when you walk into your family’s kitchen and cut a big plate of potatoes? In the kitchen the nutrients that are added to the soil are used to bring flavor to food. In the garden the same nutrients are used to help plants to grow. When you compost your kitchen waste it will add nutrients to the soil, help to keep the plant’s roots healthy and evens the pH level to a neutral average.

So what can you do to help decompose your clippings?

Tip 1 – Fragrant plants or flowers will draw the attention of flies. Trim them before you add them to your compost pile.

Tip 2 – Change the water in the pail when you are changing the liquid fertilizer.

Tip 3 – Of course you can throw them in the compost pile but make sure that the leaves are dry or they will sprout green flies. Remember the less you water the more they will grow!

Tip 4 – Two ahead you can place the leaves in a folded paper towel and fold it closed. Keep it in a plastic bag and make a few sandwiches.

Tip 5 – Coffee ground is a great source of nitrogen.

Tip 6 – Grass clippings you can throw out if they have grown too long. They will provide the plants with extra nitrogen

Tip 7 – Synthetic fertilizers or man-made may be harmful to the plants. If you do decide to use a synthetic fertilizer avoid using the older, highly concentrated forms. Use the 25-50-0 combination.

Tip 8 – Remember don’t overload your pail. A lot of compost filler comes out of the container as wilted plants and matter. Just be proportionate to the amount of material in the container.

Tip 9 – If your container is leaking make sure you line it with mesh or carpet.

Tip 10 – If you are using digestion fertilizer for your high protein plants like tomatoes, cucumbers, etc. don’t forget to stay away from high nitrogen fertilizers like chicken manure and earthworm castings.

Tip 11 – You can also put paper and junk mail into your compost.  When you receive flyers for translations services near me, and it’s something you’re not interested in you can throw it into your compost after you shred it.

The plants should be watered and left standing over night after you have made your afternoon tea. Then they are moist and ready to work on the pests until the early morning dew has dried.

Over the wire fence or wall your organic container garden will prosper well with a minimum of care. If you decide to medical your container garden it is a good time to consider a mix fertilizer. Follow the instructions that come with the mix and be sure to follow them to the letter.

By practicing some organic gardening you can find yourself with a great crop of vegetables as a gift from me to you.

Don’t forget to look for garden art ideas at your local garden center or tote board.

Posted on

The Importance of Soil For Organic Gardening

importance of soil

When you use organic gardening practices you want to be sure that all of the materials that you use to mix your soil are free of toxins. Toxins are substances that might be harmful to humans if consumed in large quantities. They might also be a natural defense against plants and soil organisms. Since you are trying to plant organically, you want to essentially create a natural balance of life in your garden.

When living in an organic gardening practices, you want to also pay attention to the soil, as this is also important to the health of your organic garden. Having a healthy soil structure means that the soil will be able to provide the necessary nutrients and minerals to your plants and flowers. This will greatly improve the health and productivity of your garden. Soil is also the one place where plants can get their nutrients and water from. Without good soil, the productivity of your garden will be much lower than it should be.

There are three important components of soil, organic matter, microorganisms, and water. Organic matter is the tireless decomposition of plant refuse (agricultural weeds, plants that are not harvested for food) and animal manure. Materials from these sources will lay the foundation of your gardens soil. Microorganisms are the extremely tiny creatures that live in the soil and help to eat away at the organic matter in your soil. They are extremely beneficial because they live under the soil and help to break down organic matter. This organic matter is then used by other organisms such as earthworms to enhance the soil structure. Earthworms also help to prevent pest problems in the garden.  To improve soil try having a permeable paver installation done in your garden. Water is also needed for the plant and animal life to survive. However, too much water will kill your garden. There are some plants that can handle lots of water, while others can survive long periods of drought. You want to know whether the plants you are wanting to grow need extra water or not.

Soil structure is another important aspect of organic gardening. Dirt structure refers to the actual particle size. The bigger the particle size, the more air there is in the dirt. This air space is needed for the various forms of life in the garden such as bacteria, fungi, and insects to survive. Having a good soil structure means that the soil will better be able to retain moisture during rainless periods and climates.

Soil organic matter is the benefit that texture has in the garden. This organic matter will eventually break down to provide nutrition for the plant. However, it is the texture of the soil that actually helps to control weeds. Soils with a larger particle size have more room for weeds to grow whereas soils with smaller particles will allow weeds to spread more easily. This difference in soil texture will also affect the amount of nutrients that are in the soil.

Soil salinity is also important. Soils that are low in salt will contain large particles which will prevent nutrients from reaching the plant. What plant life does benefit from a soil with low salt is that water will filter through much more quickly to reach the plant roots. There are actually some areas of the country where farmers have to add salt to their soil to grow healthy crops.

Lastly, healthy soil will allow your crops to produce a high yield. This is the whole reason behind organic gardening. In order to produce a high yield, plants need to be healthy and abundant in nutrients. Healthy vegetation will thrive under the correct conditions, and this is exactly what organic methods can achieve. Organic gardening is the “you feed the soil, and the soil feeds the plants”. All you need to do is to feed the soil and the soil will feed your plants.

Posted on

Starting Your Own Organic Vegetable Garden for Profit

start an organic garden

 

If you are new to organic gardening you may be asking yourself, “why should I start a garden for the purpose of growing my own food?”

Besides the obvious reason of saving money (which you can save by growing your own organic vegetables instead of paying the ever-increasing price of produce at the grocery store) there is another reason why many people start a garden.

They discover that there is something therapeutic about working in the dirt to grow vegetables and tending the earth that helps them relax and release stress.

It can be a sense of accomplishment and fresh air, the organic vegetables and herbs that you grow yourself are chemical free, and probably tastes better than anything you’ve ever bought at a grocery store.

It is a great way to get your children involved in growing vegetables and learning more about how things grow. Growing a garden is a great way to teach children responsibility – they are responsible for helping to take care of something that they will be able to harvest.

Should you have children, or even adults, who are picky eaters, a vegetable garden is a great way to incorporate organic vegetables into their diet. Children will be less likely to ask for the items that they do not want when they are growing their own organically.

Let’s face it, the so-called healthy diet has been pretty good for a lot of people for a long time. Even many traditional doctors and dietitians recognize the benefits of vegetables.

Even people who are pondering whether or not they should start an organic garden is worried that doing so is a waste of money. They worry that they will spend more money on the seed and chemicals than they would on the organic vegetables that they could grow themselves.

Some people will even say that they do not trust the commercial growers, as the big companies do not give enough thought to how their practices affect the environment.

The truth on the other hand is that commercial growers do weathersol resell the products that they grow. The smaller family garden will typically not be able to afford the large quantities that big companies produce, resulting in a frustrating situation where the family uses the properties of the commercial growers instead of working with them.

Even though the commercial growers may have more products than they can possibly accommodate, their prices are still much lower than the inviting prices of the family garden.

Is It Really Cost Effective?

Small families, with children, may find that their efforts economically is not as worthwhile as the commercial growers may be.

Children learn responsibility at an early age and we believe that they should help prepare the plants that they are growing. In addition, teaching the responsibility of growing organically will instill in them the appreciation of better health.

Commercial growers pay a lot more than family gardeners for the same crops. This is because they use a lot of their resources to control the pests instead of using natural cures that benefit the crops.

As a result of this, the crops may appear much less healthy to the consumer and may be treated with pesticides that will harm people if consumed.

Is It Possible To Be A Successful Gardener Without Having A Commercial Relationship?

Good question. Even if you have no commitments, you can find ways to be helpful to your neighbor. You can be a gardener and a neighbor. This can be a special time to help out and be creative.

You can join a garden club where you can talk shop with like-minded people. You can even sell your homemade produce, learn about plant hormones and fertilizers and a myriad of other things.

You may even want to consider changing your major. If you love gardens and growing things, then continue on in your chosen major. However, if you want to pursue something professional, you may have to change your major.

Gardening/ landscaping is a wonderful way to make a difference, both in your environment and to your pocket. Finding cheaper ways to get what you need is one of the easier parts of what it takes to be a productive professional.

Maybe you want to sell your home and you want to start a small garden company. To build greenhouses you will need to get a commercial construction permits.  You will need to be attracted to the industry and you will need to strike while the irons of the market are hot. That is how you land your first contract and gets started.

You will need to convince the right clients of your services and this will be done simply by doing good outreach. You will need to create viable packaging systems and feasible schedules and begin collecting customers.

It will take time to build up your client base and in the meantime you will be spending serious money purchasing advertising and promoting products that the clients are not interested in.

Marketing Yourself

Now that you have created a marketing plan to grow your client base, it is time to actually start selling your products. You will need a booth at the show and fence to sell your organic vegetables.