The price of produce is absolutely going through the roof as the economy continues to tank. A lot of families cannot afford to eat healthy these days and many are turning to organic gardening to grow delicious and healthy food. Whatever your reasons for wanting to go organic are, you need to check out this article and Lawn Care Cincinnati.
Make use of an old golf bag to carry your tools such as spades and rakes around your garden. You will save a lot of time and effort (and you’ll have an excuse for a new golf bag!). The bag will keep them all together, so no more lost tools either. Many golf bags even have a stand, in this case you won’t have to worry about it tipping over and causing an accident.
When autumn has arrived, you must plant everything you want to eat before winter. A pumpkin makes a great container, and costs less than a clay pot. When you have finished cutting and cleaning the pumpkin, spray it with some liquid that will stave off wilting to keep it from rotting. Once you have finished, you can begin planting.
Diversify the types of plants you grow in your garden. If you only grow one type of plant in your garden and it gets infected with a disease, your whole garden could be wiped out. Also, if you are only growing tomato plants, remember that just 14 tomato plants can yield a year’s supply of tomatoes for two people.
Make your own compost ahead of time rather than purchasing it. Adding compost to your garden gives your plants a needed boost to grow successfully. Begin saving your grass cuttings, raked up leaves, egg shells, and skin from fruits and vegetables in a sturdy bin 6 months prior to your gardening season. Your compost will then be ready to mix in with your dirt on planting day.
Give your plants an appropriate amount of water to optimize growth and plant health. Different varieties of plants require varying amounts of water so you cannot water your entire garden at the same rate. Instead, determine how often each type of plant needs water and how much before planning your watering schedule.
Plan your garden for best results. Before you put one spade into the dirt, you need to decide what you will plant, and where. You want to plot your garden’s size, and then decide what plants use according to their individual needs. Consider lighting, drainage, and spacing for each plant.
Repel leaf-eating insects with chili pepper. If your plants’ foliage is being ravaged by hungry insects, add one tablespoon of red chili pepper or hot mustard to one quart of water in a spray bottle. Spray the foliage evenly, making sure to get the undersides of the leaves too. One taste of this spicy spray will send bugs on their way.
Plant in the shade. All plants need light to survive, but not all of them need brilliant sunshine. Plants native to woodland areas are happy when they get protection from the sun’s rays. There are many plants that will thrive in a shady garden, including Hosta, Cyclamen, Foxglove, Helleborus, Japanese Anemone, and Ajuga. By planting these, you will have a year-round display of color in even the shadiest of gardens.
Look for targeted pesticides instead of using popular but damaging broad-spectrum products. These types of pesticides also kill the beneficial insects that eat the pests. Beneficial insects are more susceptible to strong pesticides than the insects you are actually trying to get rid of. This will lead you to end up killing off the good bugs in your garden, leaving the field wide open for the harmful ones. This can cause you to use an additional amount of pesticides in order to attempt to fix this problem.
Think about leaving some areas of your lawn uncut. Long grass provides a great habitat for beetles, young amphibians and grasshoppers. Grass is also an important food source for some butterflies and caterpillars. Gardens without wildlife would be very sterile environments, and most plants can’t reproduce without the help of wildlife.
Are you wondering if you need to water your lawn? One good way to tell is to simply walk across it. If you can see your footprints, you have a thirsty yard. Every week, your lawn should be receiving up to one inch of water. If you live in an area where it doesn’t rain frequently, make sure to give your lawn the “footprint test” whenever you’re not sure if it’s had enough to drink.
For a healthy, weed-free lawn, cut your grass at the highest point recommended for the blend of grass you’re growing. Cutting your grass too short won’t mean you have to mow less often. Instead, it allows weeds to take hold, and causes water to evaporate. Longer grass can better protect itself against weeds, drought, and pests.
Create a series of garden ‘rooms’. The days of a square lawn with a surrounding border are long gone. A garden can offer so much more, by creating different areas to explore. A patio area is simply an extension of your indoor living space. Add an arbor at the end of the patio, leading to another outdoor room. This can be a play area for children, or a small vegetable or herb garden. Create seating areas under a tree or nestled in between shrubs. Add an element of surprise, such as a unique sculpture or piece of large pottery. Let your garden reflect your personality!
You should check your gardening tools on a regular basis to make sure that they are still in good condition. Sheers, pruners and lawn mower blades all become dull after many uses. You can easily sharpen the blades yourself or have a professional sharpen them. By sharpening the blades you will not have to replace the tools altogether.
In this article, you’ve just learned a few great ways in which you can turn your garden into a flourishing bed of fresh and delicious fruits and vegetables. Remember, you will need to apply these tips and constantly focus on the quality of your garden to ensure its optimum health and growth.