Tuesday 29 December 2015

Quick Tips To Help You Get More From Your Garden

If you wanted to put your shovel in the ground and start gardening today, would you really know what to do? There is actually a lot more that goes in to organic gardening than simply planting a seed and watching it grow. To gather the knowledge necessary to grow your produce, here are some helpful tips and tactics.

Selecting bulbs. Most bulbs are sold during their dormant period. Buy them as early as possible before they start to produce roots. Most spring flowering bulbs will begin to grow roots by early fall, and by planting them early, you will ensure that they have time to establish themselves. Bulbs will deteriorate if kept out of the ground too long. Don't buy any bulb that is soft or mushy, or appears to be diseased.

You don't need expensive chemicals to treat powdery mildew on plants. Rather, you should mix a bit of baking soda with a small quantity of liquid soap in water. Once every week, you should spray the mixture on your plants; the mildew will disappear shortly thereafter. No damage will occur to your plants, and the baking soda is mild and efficient.

Plant a new and different edible each week. Eating tomatoes or corn every day can get old real quick, but if a variety is planted, this problem will never happen. The garden can offer a wide variety of different edible plants and if they come to maturity at the same time the variety will make the garden more enjoyable and more fun.

Make a do it yourself twine holder by grabbing a rolled up length of twine and putting it into a small clay pot. Pull a small portion of the twine out the drainage hole and flip the pot upside down. You will always know where your twine is instead of digging around for it in a toolbox or shed.

Place at least an inch of mulch that is organic in with your veggies! The soil will stay moist thanks to the mulch. In addition, it will keep the weeds from growing. You will benefit by not having to spend so much time fighting weed growth.

Create a non-toxic treatment for black spots on roses. Combine one tablespoon of baking soda, one tablespoon of vegetable oil and one drop of liquid detergent in one gallon of water and shake. Fill a spray bottle with this mixture and when the humidity rises, spray your roses down - making sure to get both sides of the leaves.

Old pantyhose make useful garden tools. Next time you find yourself reaching for some twine in your garden, consider using an old pair of pantyhose instead. Pantyhose are flexible, yet strong; and their soft feel will not damage plant stems by cutting into them. The elastic nature also gives your plants room to grow without strangulation.

Gardening can be very relaxing. There are numerous avenues to pursue when attempting to find your personal peace and relaxation. Gardening is fun, and it is definitely one of the best ways to achieve this state. Without too much effort, you can enjoy great returns. Of course the highest return is the peace you will feel from having some time alone in your garden and growing your own plants.

Choose one stand-out plant to be a focal point. When you design your garden, think of a great focal point that will grab attention and add interest. Frequently, it will be a plant that's very different from others in the neighborhood.

Use groundcover to fill in bare areas of soil. Groundcover plants are very effective for 'tying' larger plants together and keeping weeds to a minimum. The earth needs to be well-cultivated, weeded and well-fertilized before you plant anything. In order for the plant to become well established, water thoroughly during dry spells and remove any weeds that may pop up. Fast growing groundcover plants include creeping thyme, sedum, ajuga, golden oregano, heuchera, lamium and vinca.

You need to remember to drink plenty of water while you are gardening. Many people forget to keep up with their water intake because they do not think that they are doing a strenuous activity. Gardening may not always be strenuous but extended exposure to the sun can lead to dehydration and drinking plenty of water is one way to prevent it.

Most organic fertilizers will not harm the soft roots of plants, unlike, synthetic fertilizers. A great way to use an organic fertilizer is to mix it with the top two inches of soil next to the plant. This is called side-dressing, and it is usually worked into the soil during the growing season.

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.

Treat your roses! To naturally remedy black spots on roses in your organic garden, use milk! For some unknown reason - using a 1:2 ratio mixture of milk and water - has been shown to get rid of black spots! Use a spray bottle to apply the mixture directly to the leaves of the affected plant.

Understanding how to grow organically, will always require the right type of information, so you might as well take it from these expert tips, instead of putting your trust in some other information out there. Make sure to heed this advice and your next garden can be the best you've ever grown.