How To Start Your Own Organic Garden

Learn some tips that can help you grow better organic plants for your family. You can figure out everything you need to know so that you don't buy unnecessary equipment. Additionally, you will learn how to save your plants and ensure that they do not die from neglect or other things. It's not so scary once you know the basics.

Selecting a climbing plant. Climbing plants are usually container-grown, although occasionally they are sold as bare-root plants. Choose a healthy looking plant with a good framework of both established stems and new shoots. Turn the pot over, and check to see if there are any young roots growing out of the holes in the bottom. If so, this means that the plant is well-rooted. Reject any plant that is potbound (meaning you can't easily remove it from the pot).

To protect your crops from being ravaged by pests such as deer and other nuisance animals, be sure to fence your garden securely. I have gone from gasoline push mowers for many years to a battery-powered greenworks electric lawn mower for 4 years to this corded electric. A good fence will also keep other people from trampling your crops, or worse, stealing them. If you have burrowing pests like gophers, you may want to use raised beds for your vegetables.

Avoid chemicals for pest control. Chemicals are effective but can also damage your plants. You should look for natural methods instead. For instance, you can buy jars of ladybugs and release them on your plants. Ladybugs are natural predators for a variety of smaller insects that eat flowers and other plants.

Organize your garden so that all your plants are exposed to the sun most of the time. Your house or your trees cast shadows: keep in mind that these shadows move throughout the day. You ideally want your plants to be exposed to the sun in the morning and the afternoon, but not around noon, especially in the summer time.

To grow an incredible crop of tomatoes, make sure your planting area gets plenty of light and has lots of room around each tomato plant. Tomato plants are sun hungry! They really want at least ten hours of sun each and every day and the additional space between plants helps maximize each tomato's succulence.

You can use items in your fridge for a safe and organic way to adjust the pH of your water. You can use lemon juice or apple cider vinegar to lower your pH (a few drops at a time) or use baking soda to raise your pH (a pinch at a time checking after each adjustment).

If you are getting very small fruit or flower yields, make sure to check the pH level of the soil. If the pH level is to high or too low, it can affect the amount of nutrients that your plants can absorb. Plants need different nutrients at different stages of their lives to be healthy, successful and to bear fruit.

Use stones as plant markers if you want to keep a natural looking motif. You can write with permanent magic marker on the flat side of stones and surround your plant with them. That way you will be able to tell what type of plants you have without having an unsightly white mark.

Make sure to pick the right seeds for your location and zone. Certain crops grow better in certain locations. Seed packets usually have information regarding USDA zones. Information regarding USDA Plant Hardiness Zones is also available online. A good example of this is growing oranges in warmer climates and apples in cooler climates.

Sometimes you will need to re-pot your plants. One good way to check if your plants need re-potted is to turn them over and look at the bottom. If you see many roots, it is time to get it into a new pot. If you see few roots, you may not need to disturb the plant.

Did you know that cute lady bugs are beneficial to plants because they kill harmful aphids? Lady beetles, also known as ladybugs, eat large numbers of aphids throughout its life. One beetle can eat 5,000 aphids! You can purchase ladybugs at a garden center, or through online resources, if you don't have any in your garden. Plants love ladybugs!

Be sure to test your soil before you plant your garden, if you want to be successful without the need for chemicals. A home testing kit can tell you the pH of your soil, which indicates the likelihood of plant survival. A vegetable garden requires a pH of about 6.5; if your soil is off, you can supplement before your plants start to die.

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.

If you have a compost pile, but have very few leaves to add to it this fall, try incorporating straw or hay into your compost pile. This is a great way to add carbon which is very beneficial to the growth and health of plants. The straw and hay may contain seeds, so it is best to use an organic weed spray on your compost pile to get rid of the unwanted weeds.

Hand weed your organic garden on a regular basis. Just get on your knees, put your hands in the dirt, and pull weeds out by their roots. If you do this regularly, you can avoid having to use harmful pesticides. Your garden will stay healthy, safe, and organic.

If you are new to organic gardening, start with disease resistant plants. Some plants are just hardier than others and because of this they will require less maintenance. A plant that survives well on its own will encourage you in continuing your organic gardening practices. Ask at your local garden store, as different varieties are hardy in different areas of the country.

As you can see, growing your own organic garden is better for you and your family, and it isn't as difficult as it may appear. It just requires research, regular maintenance outdoors, and some patience. The work will pay off once you see your plants grow.