social

Organic Gardening

June 8, 2010

Three important tips for new organic gardenersOrganic gardening is not just a matter of replacing synthetic fertilizers and pesticides with more natural products. It's about learning to look at your garden as a whole system and how all things are interconnected. Here are three important things new gardeners need to do to get started growing organically.

Advertisement

1. Nurture the soil

Building and maintaining soil fertility is the most important aspect of organic gardening, because soil supports plants with a steady supply of the food and water they need. Make caring for your soil your number one priority and you'll find that managing weeds and insect pests become less of a challenge.

Fertile soil is rich in organic nutrients, but it also has good texture and structure. Plant's roots should be able to penetrate the soil, water should drain properly and air should circulate freely. The soil's texture should feel crumbly and friable in your hands. Have your soil tested to learn about its type and chemistry (pH), then add compost, manure, plant and animal remains (blood meal, bone meal, fish emulsion), as necessary to improve and maintain its structure and fertility.

Discovering Your Soil Type

Sandy soil. It's gritty and doesn't hold together well in your hand. Water drains quickly.

Clay soil. Heavy and sticks together when you squeeze it in your hand. It holds moisture and stays wet and cool for a long time.

Advertisement

Loamy soil. It contains an equal mix of clay, sand, and silt. Loamy soil is ideal for gardening.

When Should You Add Organic Matter?

Every time you plant, dig, or till. When preparing a new garden bed, add a layer of compost and well-rotted manure. Apply mulch around growing plants. When your crops are done, turn over the non-diseased crop debris and mulch back into the soil. In the fall, plant a cover crop of "green manure" like red clover to protect the soil and suppress weeds. Turn it back into the soil in the spring a few weeks before planting and apply another layer of organic matter.

2. Manage Weeds Effectively

Not all weeds are bad. Some attract beneficial insects, and provide food and shelter to wildlife. However, when left unmanaged, weeds will dramatically reduce your yields by out-competing desirable plants for food and water. Not to mention that fact they can quickly ruin the appearance of your garden. Learn to identify weeds on sight, the conditions they thrive in, and when they reproduce (are they annuals, perennials, or biennials?), before choosing the most effective method to control them.

Advertisement

Weed Prevention (never leave the soil bare):

Weed Removal:

Remember, the idea isn't to eradicate every last weed (that would be impossible anyway), just keep them at an acceptable level.

3. Identify Pests From Predators

It's important to understand that not all insects in the garden are pests. Many serve as important pollinators and feed on pest species, and help recycle nutrients for plants. Learn to identify the good guys from the bad guys, what they eat and how they eat it, and their lifecycle. In organic gardening, prevention is always the best strategy to dealing with problems.

To manage pests, practice good horticultural practices including:

Organic ways to manage pests include the use of biological controls like introducing natural predators and parasites to keep pests in check; setting up barriers and traps, and companion planting (mixing one or more plant types together for the benefit of both).

Read More Comments

5 More Solutions

This page contains the following solutions.

October 5, 2015

I have a bucket in my kitchen next to the trash can, I call it my slop bucket. In it we rinse out food containers and cans, put in leftovers we don't end up eating, rinds, peels, sweeping the floor it goes in, vacuum bag, and hair cuttings.

Advertisement

This bucket is dumped in the garden and flower beds all year around.

roses

Read More...


Gold Post Medal for All Time! 858 Posts
March 20, 2011

April is a great month for celebrating all things green and growing. To celebrate this year, consider replacing some (or even all) of your conventional gardening methods with methods that are organic. Here are some ideas for getting started.

Celebrate National Garden Month in April

Read More...

October 31, 2007

I love to grow organic vegetables they taste so much better than chemically grown. If you think that it is hard to do you are so wrong. It is actually easier once you get established.

Growing Organic Vegetables at Home

Read More...


Gold Post Medal for All Time! 858 Posts
June 17, 2005

An organic garden is a garden that works in cooperation with nature. It minimizes and replenishes the resources it consumes.

Green Up Your Garden Organically

Read More...


Gold Post Medal for All Time! 858 Posts
September 10, 2009

Row covers are wonderful and often underutilized organic gardening tools. Made out of lightweight, synthetic fabrics, they can be placed over entire rows of plants or individual pots for a variety of purposes, all of which usually result in greater yields.

Floating Row Covers Over New Seedlings

Read More...
<< First< Previous
Categories
Home and Garden Gardening OrganicOctober 16, 2012
Pages
More
🌻
Gardening
🐰
Easter Ideas!
👒
Mother's Day Ideas!
Facebook
Pinterest
YouTube
Instagram
Categories
Better LivingBudget & FinanceBusiness and LegalComputersConsumer AdviceCoronavirusCraftsEducationEntertainmentFood and RecipesHealth & BeautyHolidays and PartiesHome and GardenMake Your OwnOrganizingParentingPetsPhotosTravel and RecreationWeddings
Published by ThriftyFun.
Desktop Page | View Mobile
Disclaimer | Privacy Policy | Contact Us
Generated 2024-03-29 06:14:19 in 6 secs. ⛅️️
© 1997-2024 by Cumuli, Inc. All Rights Reserved.
https://www.thriftyfun.com/Organic-Gardening.html