The words “going green” have become synonymous with organic gardening. If you are thinking of “going green” one of the ways to do so is to convert your yard or garden into an all-natural state. This simply means you will substitute all-natural ingredients, instead of manmade chemicals, into your yard or garden for plant enhancement. You will find some tips in this article that will help you make the switch to “going green” or helping clean up our earth’s environment naturally.
It is important for you to understand, that no matter how small of a contribution you make to cleaning up our environment, you are helping yourself, your children, and your children’s children. In other words, you are leaving them a legacy of a world that is a little cleaner and healthier for them.
Now let’s get on with the tips for making “going green” and organic gardening a little easier for you.
One of the first things you can do is to stop using manmade chemicals to fertilize your yard or garden. You don’t have to worry about the grass, veggies, flowers, or plants not growing. Today it is very easy to go to your local hardware store or garden center and pick up natural organic compost such as Fulvic Acids and amino acids, to supply all the nutrition to help your yard and garden look its best.
A great thing about using organic compost, to enhance your organic gardening, is you can actually make your own organic compost. Instead of throwing your table scraps, old newspapers, and other paper products into the garbage can, you can place them into a compost pile or compost container and let them break down into an all-natural fertilizer. You can also speed up the decomposition by making sure you aerate (by turning over) and adding water to the compost pile.
The growth of your plants is not the only thing you will be concerned with when you stop using manmade chemicals in your yard and garden. You still are going to have to kill the weeds which will try to overrun your plants and grass. The fastest way to combat these killers is to resort to the old fashion way of hoeing and pulling the weeds from the soil. However, thanks to technology and your local hardware store or garden center, it is possible to find organic weed killers such as a corn weed blocker. This weed blocker is made from corn gluten and is 100% all-natural. Not only does it act as a weed killer, as it breaks down, but it will also release nitrogen into your organic yard or garden.
In addition to the natural fertilizer and weed killer, you are also going to need to use pest control. One of the natural pest controls is the smell of cedar or even the smell of garlic. These odors assault the pests, through the bug’s body resulting in flight or death.
In conclusion, it is possible to “go green” in your yard and garden without having to use harsh chemicals. Your organic gardening, even though a bit more trouble will be worth the time and effort you put into it.
The Truth About Organic Gardening
Are you one of the thousands upon thousands of people who look at organic gardening as something mystical or from the “Hippie” age? You can rest assured there is nothing mystical about using “mother natures” own creations (natural elements), produced by the earth and animals, to plant your own natural garden. The information provided in this article will dispel the so-called “mysticism” idea of organic growing held by many.
A great many people have the mistaken belief that gardens planted without chemicals were begun by the rebelling “Hippies” and “Flower Children” of the 1960s. The author suspects strongly that your forefathers would find fault with that belief. The truth is that as more and more media attention was given to the “Hippies” and “Flower Children”, many people were hearing about organic gardening for the first time, but it has been around for centuries upon centuries.
A lineage of farmers that has practiced all-natural growing for centuries is the Amish farmers. Even in today’s modern world, with man-made chemical fertilizer, weed killer, and pesticides, these amazing farmers continue to practice all-natural crop growing with truly phenomenal results. It’s not only here in America that “organic” growing is practiced. Many of the countries around the world still use century-old methods of natural growth.
Another myth about the natural growth of your garden is that you will never be able to keep all the pests and bugs out of it. People believe that without using chemical-based and expensive pesticides, you just can’t control bug infestations. Again it just ain’t so. One of the best all-natural ways to control the pest is to use their mortal enemy. Birds! But then you ask “How can you attract enough birds?” You create an environment around your garden that is friendly for the birds.
One of the best ways to draw the birds early on is to place a birdhouse or birdhouses which are made especially for the type of birds that frequent your area. Not only do you furnish a nesting area for them but make water fully accessible to them. You can put something as simple as a small container filled with water or even go for something much more sophisticated, like a running freshwater fountain. Once the birds have been drawn to your garden and realize they can feast on your bug infestation your problem will be solved in short order.
Frankly, with more research on the internet or a visit to your local nursery, you will become knowledgeable and see the truth about organic gardening. The real truth is it’s a great way to improve your family’s health and help restore “Mother Earth” to its own good health.
Is Organic Gardening Always Safe?
Everywhere you turn today people are talking about organic gardening and the healthy benefits of eating organically grown fruits and veggies. However, are organic grown vegetables and fruits as healthy and safe as people claim? The information contained in this article will provide you with food for thought.
A recent study, done by a United Kingdom scientist, revealed that almost 33% of the food being sold in the UK had measurable levels of pesticide and chemicals used in crop enhancement, which are dangerous to the human body. In addition, the same study indicated that almost all developed countries, throughout the world, had approximately the same levels of contamination. Unfortunately, this included organically grown food as well.
The primary reason for this contamination was due to the groundwater which the plants consume. This is from years and years of chemical pesticides and chemical fertilizer being dumped on the ground, to enhance the yield and speed the growth of the produce, then leaching into the groundwater table. The only way your organic gardening can avoid this water is to use filtered water or distilled water. However, using distilled water means your produce will be short on certain nutrients vital to the health of your body. In addition to the groundwater, the contamination is also caused by wind currents.
Much of the pesticides and fertilizers applied to the crops are sprayed on. Consequently, the mist of chemicals is caught by the wind and can be carried a good distance before dropping to the earth. If your organic garden happens to be in the path of the wind your plants will become covered with synthetic pesticides and fertilizer.
Other studies have shown that these same pesticides and other chemicals, over a period of years or even months can cause health problems in the human body. It is now believed that these chemicals can affect the brain development of unborn babies in the mother’s womb. In addition, these chemicals have been linked to certain kinds of cancer, breakdown of the nervous system, weakening of the immune system, and other diseases that can destroy the vital organs of the human body.
Perhaps you believe that washing your veggies will protect you, but this is not necessarily the case. These same studies have also indicated that certain fruits and vegetables are susceptible to these same chemicals leeching into the meat of these veggies and fruits through the skin. An example of this kind of fruit would be lemons or grapefruit. In this case, organic produce would really be much safer than regular grown fruit.
As you can tell from reading the above information organic gardening may not be quite as safe as you thought it was. However, the proper precautions, such as always washing the veggies and fruits before preparing or eating, will reduce the risk of ingesting dangerous chemicals.
How To Go Green With Organic Gardening And Organic Hydroponics
True organic gardening will indeed allow you to go green within your own yard and home. However, if you really want to go green you will need to plant your garden using organic hydroponics instead of outside dirt and soil. This article will help you to understand what hydroponics is and what it can do for you.
A very basic definition of hydroponics plant growth is where the roots of the plant or actually planted in an organic nutritional liquid solution in place of dirt. Therefore before you make the decision as to which plants you want to plant this way it is best to make sure they will flourish in this type of environment.
The fact is none of us want to eat anything that has been doused by a pot full of toxic chemicals. Study after study has proven that these manmade fertilizers, pesticides, and other chemicals can increase the chances of damage to your health and the health of your children, with constant exposure over a lifetime. Organic hydroponics planting will decrease the exposure to these dangerous chemicals for you and your family.
As you will be doing this type of organic gardening indoors, you will quickly discover it has its benefit. These benefits mean that the acid rain will not have access to your plants and dumping the air pollution into their root system. Furthermore, without contact with your yard’s soils, which have accumulated toxins over the years, your plants, especially the veggies will improve in taste and size.
The great thing about using this method for growing your veggies and other plants inside is that you have complete control of what the plant is fed with. In other words, you will be the one selecting the organic pesticides and nutrient mixtures put on your plants. Each type of plant, tree, veggie, bush, or even flowers will have its own particular needs for flourishing. You will have to do proper research to make sure you don’t overburden your plants with the wrong nutrients and organic pesticides.
There is a “secret” side benefit to practicing organic gardening inside is the added color the plants will add to the room. And here is one more “secret” side benefit, the plants will also reduce the carbon dioxide gases from the room. Consequently, you and your family will breathe cleaner air in a room full of beautiful green and multi-colored blooms.
Although hydroponics gardening and organic gardening is a bit more work, the results will be more than worth the trouble. When you practice this type of gardening, you will in fact go green the right way.
How To Benefit Others And Yourself With Organic Gardening
What benefits are in organic gardening besides having a more beautiful garden or eating healthier veggies and fruits? Actually, there are more special benefits than most people and organic gardeners ever think about. This article will tell you about the additional benefits and give you some thought-provoking ideas that may surprise you.
Did you know you can feed children around the world with your organic garden? “How in the world can you do that?” you ask. It’s really quite simple and only takes a little more planning and work on your part.
When you began to plan your own personal natural garden you should layout a larger and grander garden. It doesn’t make any difference if it’s for flowers, veggies, fruits, or bushes to beautify your yard. That’s right! Make it bigger. When it’s harvest time you will have more flowers, plants, and veggies than you can use.
Instead of plowing under the excess crops from your organic gardening or inundating your friends and relatives with it take it to the local Farmers Market or the Flea Market and sell it. Chances are you won’t have a problem selling it and you may end up with a pocket full of cash. Take the cash from the sale and donate it to your favorite “Feed The Children” charity. When you do this a starving child will benefit from your garden, long after you harvested your crops.
Another great benefit from raising your own organic fruits and veggies is it’s a great school project for your child’s school. Help your child and their classmates set up their own organic garden. The immediate lessons they learn will be about how to help the environment, healthy eating, teamwork and it makes learning fun for them. Again, set it up, so the children can take the crops to the local Farmers Market or Flea Market to sell.
The proceeds from the sale can be used to buy something which will benefit all of the children of the school.
This next benefit is one that is seldom thought about by your children or possibly by you.
This is the benefit of the physical exercise you and the kids will receive by working in the garden. You know that the kids today don’t play outside the way you did when you were a kid. An hour a day of working in your garden will help in weight loss (burning calories), lowering blood pressure, strengthen the heart and lungs, build muscle, sharpen the mind. Relieve stress and sleep better. The result is you and your kids will be much happier and healthy to boot.
One last benefit you will realize when working with the earth and growing things organically is the restoration of your spirit and soul. You will receive such a sense of well being when you have a fruitful harvest, you just can’t beat it. You will know you have done your part to help “Mother Nature” return to her natural state and touched all the other human beings by doing so.
As you have just read the benefits of organic gardening can benefit not only yourself and your family, but you can actually reach out and make a difference in the world.
Five Tips For Organic Gardening In Limited Space
Everywhere you or I turn today we read, see or hear about how we need to be more consciences about the food web and what our children eat.
One of the surest ways to improve the diets of our kids and ourselves is to grow our fresh veggies using organic gardening. But if we live in an apartment, condo, or have very small yard space our options are extremely limited, for any type of garden much less an organic one. However, you will find five tips in this article that will put you and your family on the road to better health, when you plant your all natural garden inside containers.
1. To be successful with container gardening you must select the right size container for the particular plant, herb, or veggie you are going to grow. An example of this would be that for tomatoes, you will want to use a larger vessel, such as a 5-gallon bucket, which can support a 36? stake, a large vine, and the weight of the tomatoes. Or let’s say you only wanted to grow a few herbs, just to spice up your family dinners, a good size for that would be something that could fit on any windowsill.
You can find these types of containers at your local nursery, the hardware garden centers and you can even order them on the World Wide Web. The sizes will run from the ones which sit on the inside of the kitchen window sill to the large free-standing ones you place anywhere.
2. The fact of the matter is you can use almost any type of container to do your organic gardening in. The absolute secret to using these containers, no matter which kind, is they must have proper drainage. No matter what you’re growing, if it sits in too much water for a long period of time, the roots will rot and your plant will die.
3. What type of soil can you use in these containers? Don’t even think about going out and taking the dirt out of your yard or garden. Outside dirt has a tendency to become compacted which will restrict the proper runoff of the water.
Your best bet is to use a high-quality type of potting soil. A quick check on the internet will give you all the information you need for selecting the right potting soil you will need for the types of plants you will be growing.
4. Location, Location, Location, just as in real estate, will determine how successful your organic gardening will be. Make sure you place the containers where they will get adequate sunlight. Most of the plants will need from a bare minimum of 4 hours, but 5 to 6 hours of direct sunlight would be much better for them. Most successful gardeners will tell you morning sunlight is the best.
5. you mustn’t overwater or add too much fertilizer to the potting soil. Too much water and fertilizer will destroy your healthy organic garden. The fertilizer will burn up the roots and the water will cause mold and root rot.
In conclusion, no matter where you live it is possible to have your own successful garden to help improve your family’s diet. Organic gardening itself will not only make the veggies taste better, but it will mean you are not feeding your children food that was doused in manmade chemicals.
Discover Tips For Organic Gardening Pest Control
One of the most daunting tasks you face in organic gardening is pest control. You realize these little bugs and certain worms can destroy your whole garden or at least damage it so badly, you might just as well have not planted it. Actually, it doesn’t have to be a daunting task at all. As you continue to read you will discover tips on how to control pests while doing organic gardening.
You need to determine the types of insects that are normally found in your environment. If you don’t want to go through the hassle of collecting the bugs yourself, a quick search on the World Wide Web will provide you the information you need. Better yet a call or visit to your local nursery will quickly zero you in on what bugs and worms are dominant in your environment.
Since we are talking about pest control the “a la natural” way, while you’re doing your research be sure and check out the organic pesticides which are on the market. However, if you prefer mixing your own bug deterrents and you want a really cheap way to do it, all you have to do is to use soap. There are certain precautions you have to take when using soap.
Make sure you use soap that is free of triclosan. This is an antibacterial element that is used in many of today’s hand soaps. This type of soap will not only go after the bugs, but your plant will also absorb it and it will attack the root system, causing major damage or even death to your plants.
To avoid this type of damage to your plants a mild dishwashing soap will work great. It normally will only take a few drops of the liquid soap in a cup of water and bam you have a pest killer ready to go to work. Be sure you don’t overspray the plants, as again you can cause major damage to your foliage.
Another great way to stop the bug infestations while you’re doing organic gardening is to use natural predators against the insects. An example of a natural predator would be birds. You can draw birds to your garden daily when you set up a watering hole or provide them with a birdhouse.
There are other insects such as spiders and other bugs which are Mother Nature’s way of helping control the bugs which will damage your garden. These natural predators will be drawn to your garden when you mix pollen plants, such as honeysuckle with your other plants. The aroma released by these plants draw them in like honey does to flies.
Actually, these are just a few of the tips which can help you control the bug infestation in and around any garden. With just a little patience and work on your part, your organic gardening will be successful.
Discover The Basics Of Organic Gardening
Have you ever thought about using organic gardening to enhance the beauty and yield of your garden?
No matter if you are a beginning gardener or an experienced one, your primary goal is to have the absolute best looking and highest yield garden that you can produce. It really doesn’t make any difference if the garden is going to be for flowers and bushes or a vegetable garden for your own table. One of the best ways to do this is to have an organic garden. The basic information in this article will provide the knowledge you need to get a head start on organic gardening.
“Wait a minute, what is an organic garden?” you ask. Very simply it means that all-natural materials are going to be used to help, whatever you decide to plant, to grow. In other words, you want to go “Green” and will not be using artificial additives or sprays to the garden dirt or plants.
You must understand that an all-natural space, for your plants and veggies, is going to take some work and dedication, by you, to prepare the specified area properly. This means you will need to add natural ingredients such as table scraps, scraps of paper, grass cuttings, coffee and tea grinds, etc. to make sure adequate nutrients are in the soil.
You can join many of the other organic gardeners, around the world, which creates their own compost additives using specially designed bins or containers. However, one drawback to this method of compost creation can be the smell as the natural products begin to rot and breakdown. If the stench will cause a problem for you and your neighbors, you can purchase all-natural compost from a great many of the nurseries, hardware stores, and garden centers located in your town.
Once you have acquired you on compost, from a retail outlet or your own compost pile, it is time to mix it with the designated area for your garden. The first step obviously is to till or break up the ground so the compost can be added easily and evenly throughout the dirt. Once it’s been added to the broken ground the next step is to continue working the dirt so the compost is well blended into the garden. Throughout the next several weeks be sure and water the soil every other day or so, with an occasional working of the dirt. The added moisture and airing of the dirt will speed up the process of the natural fertilizing of your garden.
As you can see the practice of organic gardening is not difficult. It just takes a little persistence and works on your part to have a more beautiful and high yielding garden.
Discover A Little Secret About Organic Gardening
The greatest little secret about Organic Gardening is that it’s no different than regular gardening. You heard right! There just ain’t any difference, well only a slight difference. The fact is you still need to plan your garden and then work the plan, regardless of whether you are planting a regular garden or doing it the organic way. The information in this article will show you a few of the similarities and differences between the two.
It’s important for you to understand that a proper plan is necessary to have a successful garden. When you talk with “veteran gardeners” one of the first things they will tell you is “to plan your garden.” As an example of a planned garden, the first step of a planned garden would be the location of the garden and the size. The second step would be determining the type of garden; trees, vegetables, flowers, fruit, bushes, or a mixture of all of the above.
Once the above decisions have been decided should be made as to the spacing of the rows and which plants or veggies are compatible with each other. The importance of this step can’t be stressed enough, nor is it any less important in either regular gardening or organic gardening.
The reason for this is some plants require more nutrients, sunshine, or even more water to help them flourish. Failure to have compatible plants could result in an all-out war between the plants, which in turn could destroy your garden with only the “fittest surviving”. Again this rule applies not only in a standard garden, but also if you are going the organic way.
Now let’s talk about some of the differences in organic growing versus the regular growth of your garden. Frankly, the biggest difference is going to be the type of products you use to add fertilizer, pesticides, weed killers, and other growth enhancement material to your garden.
If you are planning not to practice organic gardening then you will more than likely be using some type of growth additives which are an artificial compound made up of manmade chemicals. However, if you are going with all-natural additives you will be using compounds that are more compatible with ‘Mother Nature” and are made up of natural by-products. A few of the organic compounds would be mulch, made up of wood chips, sawdust, leaf, and grass cuttings.
As you can see it doesn’t take a biophysicist or an engineer to be a gardener. However, it would make a lot of sense for you to take the time to research regular gardening and organic gardening. Although the differences are subtle there are differences.
A Beginners Guide For Organic Gardening
Organic gardening is not as difficult as many beginning gardeners believe it is. It is true there is a bit more work and increased attention levels to the details of an organic garden than a regular garden. However, with the proper guidance, you will soon discover it’s not anywhere near as difficult as you thought it was. This guide will provide you with the basic steps you need to get started.
Assuming you know little to nothing about organic gardening let’s make certain you understand what it is. Quite simply it means you are going to plant your garden without using synthetic fertilizers, for making the plants grow and chemical pesticides to control the bugs.
To really maximize your garden, regardless if it’s going to be flowers, herbs, veggies, or a mish-mash of several plants it’s best to have a detailed plan. And the best time to formulate your plan is in the fall, right after the fall growing season ends. The reason for this is you will have time to prepare the ground before the spring planting season begins.
Perhaps the most critical thing you must do before anything else is to select the optimum location for your organic garden or for that matter any garden. Your plants will do extremely well if they can receive about six hours of sunlight per day. In almost all cases positioning your planting area in the southeast part of your ground will give more than adequate amounts of sunshine. Also, make sure your ground has easy access to water and the ground has good drainage, to allow the water runoff and aeration of the ground.
Once the proper location has been determined the next step is preparing the ground where you will be planting. This means it’s time for the physical labor part. You are going to till the ground using a yard fork or a tiller, then get on your knees to start pulling weeds, grass and removing the rocks. To make the weed and grass removal successful you should perform the initial removal, then go back a couple of weeks later and remove any weeds and grass which have grown up in the meantime.
Now it’s time for you to actually determine what your selected ground is going to need, in the way of the proper nutrition to help your vegetation grow. You do need to have the soil tested for the proper ph level. If you’re not sure you would do an accurate job of this take a sample of your soil to your local nursery or garden center and they can do this for you.
Once the testing has been completed by the nursery folks they can tell you exactly what kind of natural fertilizers and pest control product you will need. While you are at the nursery or garden center you should ask their advice on the proper plants and vegetables which will grow best in your treated soil.
In conclusion, this guide has given you the basic things you need to start your organic gardening project the right way. It has covered the location of the garden, the sunlight exposure, preparation of the ground before planting, and the proper nutrition your ground will need. Organic gardening is not as complicated as it seems.
3 Tips For Organic Gardening Soil
Do you really think organic gardening soil is the same as regular garden soil? If so, boy are you sadly mistaken and you have a rude awakening coming your way. That’s kind of blunt, isn’t it? Did I get your attention, I really hope so. The information in this article will help you get a better understanding of the facts about organic gardening soil.
The first misconception most new organic gardeners have about their soil is that anything can grow in any type of soil. All you have to do is throw a few seeds in the ground and boom you have a natural garden. You need to lose that preconceived notion if it applies to you.
You must take into consideration the overall climate conditions which will impact the soil. An example of these things would be rain, wind, temperatures, and exposure to the sunlight. Then the next thing to consider is the number of rocks and the density of the soil.
An example of bad density soil would be where the dirt is tightly compacted and allows for no circulation of air or moisture. To have good organic gardening soil it must be loose, with excellent air and moisture circulation. Not to worry though because one of the things you can do if your dirt is tightly compacted is introducing earthworms to the ground and allowing them to do their thing.
Frankly, though the earthworms take time to create their magic and they tend to get out of the designated planting area quickly. However, there is a simple solution to that problem and you will help improve your soil quickly.
You can go to your local nursery or hardware store and purchase organic soil by the bag full or even by the truckload. Many organic gardeners will put this soil on top of their compacted soil and then plow it into the regular soil. However, for this method to be effective, you must have enough organic soil to be from a minimum depth of three inches up to six inches or more. The great thing about it is as you repeat this procedure through several growing seasons you will soon have brought the life back to your original soil.
Another tip about your soil is the proper levels of phosphates, hydrogen, and acidity in the soil. This is oftentimes referred to as the ph factor in the soil. It’s quite easy today to go on the World
Wide Web and order a testing kit for your soil. However, one of the best ways to determine if you have the right kind of soil for organic gardening is to take a sample of your soil to your county agriculture agent or your local nursery. For a small fee or no fee at all, they will tell you everything you need to know about your soil.
In addition to providing you the information about your dirt, they can also advise you as to the best type of plants that will grow in your soil. Furthermore, they are a great source for additional tips on growing an organic garden successfully.
These tips are just a few of the things about your organic gardening soil that is important. To really get ahead of the game on your soil you should continue to further your education.