Tips for a great organic garden
Organic gardening has really taken off in recent years, as more and more gardens abandon the chemical approach to gardening and approach the natural garden. Organic gardening does not have to be more time or labor intensive. As long as the basic groundwork is laved and the rules are followed, an organic garden can actually be much easier to start and maintain than a non-organic garden.
Proper mulching is one of the cornerstones of the successful organic garden. Bare soil should not be visible on a new planting. The new planting should always be covered with a layer of quality mulch such as shredded leaves or pine needles.
Another important underpinning of organic gardening is biodiversity. Planting many different types of flowers and plants in an area will encourage the presence of all sorts of beneficial insects and microorganisms. Try to think of a garden as a miniature ecosystem. Keeping that ecosystem in a proper balance is much easier when many different species are present. A well balanced ecosystem will essentially run itself and need very little intervention on the part of the gardener.
This biodiversity also encourages the natural approach to pest control. Unlike pesticides, which call all insects - both beneficial and harmful alike - the organic approach makes use of the processes of nature to encourage beneficial insects to control harmful ones. The same goes for microorganisms. Whereas many commonly used garden chemicals kill all single celled organisms, the natural approach maintains a healthy balance, encouraging the growth of beneficial microbes while discouraging the growth of microbes which harm plants and flowers.
Instead of herbicides, which can be very damaging to the environment and potentially harm plants in your garden, weeds can be safely controlled by spot spraying with a full strength vinegar on a sunny day. Vinegar has long been used as an organic weed killer that is safe for all environments. Weeds can also be safely controlled through proper mulching. A three inch layer of mulch will prevent most weeds from taking root.
To conserve water in an organic garden, it is best to use a soaker hose to deliver the water directly to the base of the plant. This will reduce the loss of moisture through evaporation. The best times to water are early morning and late afternoon. Avoid watering in the hottest part of the day.
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