Changing your lifestyle around and ensuring that your family always has healthy meals, means that you must make better food choices. Turning to organic produce is a great way in which you can make those healthy changes. For some great organic gardening tips that you can easily use, check out the information below.
Feed your plants. The way your plants are growing can tell you what nutrients are lacking and need replacing. Some plants take up a lot of nutrients early in the growing season and quickly need a new supply. Look for signs of deficiency such as yellowing leaves and stunted growth. Feed the plant with a general purpose fertilizer, unless it has specific requirements. Foliage plants, for instance, prefer a fertilizer that is high in nitrogen.
Store your seeds well. If you do not store your seeds properly, they will not last long. A great place to store your seeds in a dark spot that is cool and has low humidity. You could even use a refridgerator. You can use zip bags to hold the seeds themselves.
Plant your garden in stages. Put in a new vegetable every week, or plant vegetables with different maturation speeds when you do your planting. This helps prevent you from having a large harvest all at once, and will better allow you to enjoy the fruits (and vegetables!) of your labors.
Water your potted herbs! Keep potted herbs well watered, but don’t over-water, which is a common mistake. Sage, thyme, rosemary and tarragon aren’t that bothered by a somewhat dry environment. On the other hand, mint, chives and parsley require constant moisture. Make sure that the container has adequate drainage holes, and place a layer of gravel in the base of the pot as a drainage layer. This ensures that the water doesn’t flow straight out.
Did you know that a tablespoon of powdered milk sprinkled around your rose bushes early in the season can help to prevent fungus growth on your beautiful flowers later in the spring? If you prefer to use a spray, you might try diluting some skim milk and spraying the plant leaves. The lower fat content in skim milk reduces the chance that it will turn rancid.
Put a fence around your garden. It keeps out dogs, kids and a wide variety of other creatures that might try to invade your space. If there are gophers where you live, you can also try using raised beds in your garden with screened in bottoms. The extra effort is worth the frustration it will save you.
If you do not have a lot of square footage for gardening, try using trellises or posts in your garden. Allowing certain vegetables to grow up a trellis or post rather than spreading out along the ground will allow you to grow more per square foot. You can do this with tomatoes, peas, and climbing beans.
One of the best things about the tips you’ve read in the above article is that they’re all fairly simple to implement. You won’t have to attend Cornell in order to become a great organic gardener. As long as you can implement what you’ve learned here, your garden will be fantastic.