Organic gardening doesn't have to be grueling work. Indeed, it can be quite enjoyable. Gardening can be overwhelming for a beginner. So, what should a novice do to learn how to grow plants? Well, read the following tips.
Establish a precise schedule to know when you should plant your seeds. Even if you are growing your plants indoors, you should follow a schedule that matches the season and outside temperature. Spend some time on your schedule at the beginning of a season and you should be able to improve it the next year.
Do not get rid of weeds by pulling them. This takes you a lot of time and they might grow back. If you notice an area with a lot of weeds, take a shovel and dig under it. Turn the soil over so that the weeds feed your seeds like manure would.
Pine mulch can be highly effective under the right conditions. Acidic soil is a favorite of garden plants that are high in acidity. If you are growing these types of plants, simply gather up fallen pine needles for use in your garden. Cover your beds with the needles, as they will decompose and disperse their acid throughout the soil.
If you plan on starting an organic garden, you should always properly cover your seeds. If your seeds are not properly covered, then they will not grow. You should aim to cover most of your seeds about three times as deep as the thickness of your seeds in order to ensure optimum growth. However, certain seeds, such as alyssum and snapdragons, should not be covered because they need a lot of light to germinate.
To naturally rid your soil of nematodes, which are soil-dwelling pests that can hurt tomatoes and potatoes, use marigolds. The chemicals released by the marigolds' roots and decaying leaves is toxic to nematodes. Plant marigolds near your tomatoes or potatoes, or till them into the soil before planting.
Making rich, organic compost for your garden doesn't take special equipment. All you really need to do is dump your kitchen scraps, lawn trimmings and leaves in a pile, and let nature take its course. It may take a bit longer, but in the end you'll have a rich, healthy compost.
A great tip when opening up your own organic garden is to mist your mix with a spray bottle. If you do not have a spray bottle, then set your trays in water. This is needed so that your mix will get the proper amount of moisture from below the surface.
When growing organic plants, you should move your containers to a bright area immediately upon sprouting. This is because the seedlings need a minimum of 12 hours of light per day in order to properly grow. You can use a greenhouse, a sunny area, or a couple of fluorescent lights.
Your compost pile should contain green plant materials and dry plant materials. Green plant mulches include everything from fresh grass clippings, to unwanted vegetables, to recently pulled weeds. Sawdust, straw, cardboard, paper and wood pulp are all examples of dried plant material. However, stay away from meats, manure from carnivores, charcoal and other potentially harmful substances.
Composting is a great way to fuel your garden. You can add pretty much anything, like grass clippings, shredded paper, coffee grounds, and much more. Basically, you can use anything that was living at one time (but try to avoid animal products). If you buy some worms and keep the compost bin in a warm, sunny place it will turn into perfectly dark and rich soil in no time.
These tips probably gave you some insight into how to enjoy organic gardening. Cultivating your green thumb is a relaxing, engaging hobby that the whole family can enjoy. Using the advice you have read in this article, you can learn to garden organically like a pro.
