Transform your gardening tool handles into clever measurement rulers. You can use shovels or rakes as measuring sticks. Place the handles on the ground and measure them. You can label distances using a permanent marker. Next time you work in the garden, you can have a larger ruler with you!
Vegetables and fresh fruits that have been grown organically are far superior in taste and nutrition than ordinary produce on the market. So instead of purchasing organic produce, why not try growing your own? Keep reading to learn how to grow organic fruits and vegetables at home.
If you want to cover up your walls or fences, make sure that you specifically use climbing plants. Climbing foliage is a great way to disguise unsightly features on your property, sometimes in the span of just one season. Climbers can also be trained to grow and cover an arbor, and they will grow through or around existing trees and shrubs. Some climbers will attach themselves to a support using twining stems or tendrils, while other varieties need to be held up by tying them in place. Reliable varieties include clematis, honeysuckle, wisteria, jasmine and climbing roses.
Clay is difficult to dig through with a shovel, as it is sticky and compact. To make working in clay easier, rub the shovel with floor or car wax and then buff it with a cloth. The wax will enable the clay soil to simply slide off the shovel, and will also prevent the shovel from rusting.
You must be sure to remove all of the weeds that grow in your garden. A vibrant garden will be overrun with weeds if they are left alone. To help you do this, you may want to consider using white vinegar. White vinegar can kill weeds! Try spraying some white vinegar in water when you are pulling weeds from your garden.
Consider starting your plants in pots and then planting the seedlings in your garden. Your plants will be more likely to survive if you do this. This also helps tighten time between plantings. Once the fully matured plants are removed, the seedlings can be planted.
Always fertilize your garden. Manure can help your plants grow quickly, but you must use only commercially created products to reduce the chance of contracting pathogens. There are a wide variety of fertilizing options available, although which type you use is not that important; just make sure to use something.
Beginning your garden with healthy soil is your first defense against pests! The healthier the plants you grow, the more resistant they’ll be to illness, fungus, or bugs. To boost your garden’s prospects of giving you the healthiest possible plants, make sure you begin with premium soil devoid of salt-accumulating chemicals.
Heather can bring you beneficial insects. Bees are very attracted to heather. When heather is first formed during the spring, it’s an early nectar source. Heather beds are typically left untouched, which is why helpful little critters like ground beetles and spiders call them home. With this knowledge at hand, it is in your best interest to wear gloves when tending the heather.
When gardening in the fall, you need to be watching for stink bugs. These destructive pests enjoy many kinds of fruit, as well as beans, peppers and tomatoes. Proper measures should be taken in order to ensure minimal damage to your crops.
You will garden more efficiently if you keep your tools close by. Use a large bucket, or wear rugged pants with several pockets. You will be much more productive if you can quickly get to your spade, pruning shears, trowel and watering can.
Knee Pads
Pine is a mulch that is great. Some garden plants have a higher acidity, and prefer a more acidic soil. If you are growing these types of plants, simply gather up fallen pine needles for use in your garden. Simply add a layer of pine needles a couple of inches deep to the plant beds. The needles will decompose over time and provide the soil with acidity.
If your garden contains lots of short plants, purchase some gardening knee pads. Gardening can really put a lot of pressure on your knees that will leave you cramped and uncomfortable. Having a good pair of knee pads will cushion your knees in comfort.
A good tip for an organic garden with tomatoes, is to plant an additional set of tomatoes once three weeks have passed since you planted the original ones. This method prevents a unified harvest, and allows separate times to pull the plants throughout the year. In addition, if there are any problems with one harvested batch of tomatoes, you still have subsequent batches to harvest, so you will not be left without any.
Ensuring your plants are both dry and aerated is a great way to keep them healthy. Moisture not only attracts parasites, but also makes it easier for your plants to contract diseases. Fungi are parasites that are common in the plant world. Fungicidal spray treatments can contain fungi, but spraying prior to problems even developing in the first place is the best way to go about it.
When you garden, be aware of what you can use. Instead of chemical fertilizers, use natural alternatives. Using compost is a great example. A benefit to using organic over inorganic methods is that inorganic fertilizers are causing toxic chemical buildups to occur in soil and in drinking water!
Don’t settle for inferior produce. Use what you’ve read here to get started growing your very own high-quality produce.
Save rainwater! Trap the water in contraptions or rain barrels like simple buckets to save money on the water you use for your garden. This will save you a lot of money in water bills. Water from natural rain costs you nothing and there is usually a plentiful supply. Rainwater can also be more beneficial to your plants than tap water.