Organic Gardening - Principles and Techniques
Gardening organically is really just common sense. Organic gardening doesn't mean you have to surrender your plants to pests and diseases. Organics means you need to know how nature works and stop trying to fight it. Organic gardening practices are all the more important in the vegetable garden.
What is Organic Gardening?
What does it mean to have an organic garden? Does organic gardening mean you have to put up with insects eating your plants or unattractive flower beds? Actually, organic gardening just means trying to working with nature and to replenish as you deplete resources. Here are some basics...
What does it mean to have an organic garden? Does organic gardening mean you have to put up with insects eating your plants or unattractive flower beds? Actually, organic gardening just means trying to working with nature and to replenish as you deplete resources. Here are some basics...
Organic Gardening Essentials
The key to organic gardening is keeping a healthy balance in your garden. Prevent problems, rather than treating for them after the fact. Healthy plants are better able to withstand pests than stressed plants. And your plants will be healthy if they are given what they need to grow well and if you are growing diversity of plants. Here are some more tips to help you garden organically:
The key to organic gardening is keeping a healthy balance in your garden. Prevent problems, rather than treating for them after the fact. Healthy plants are better able to withstand pests than stressed plants. And your plants will be healthy if they are given what they need to grow well and if you are growing diversity of plants. Here are some more tips to help you garden organically:
Top 5 Easy Ways to Garden Greener
Green gardening is a confusing term. Gardeners talk about their love of nature, but in reality what we’re doing is manipulating nature and short of growing a field of weeds, it will remain so. So the easiest way to garden greener is to work more cooperatively with nature. Here are 5 easy steps to make your garden greener.
Green gardening is a confusing term. Gardeners talk about their love of nature, but in reality what we’re doing is manipulating nature and short of growing a field of weeds, it will remain so. So the easiest way to garden greener is to work more cooperatively with nature. Here are 5 easy steps to make your garden greener.
Great Garden Soil: Why it Matters - Making it Great
Soil is often viewed as the boring part of gardening. While garden soil will never be glamourous or even as interesting as choosing plants, there is a whole world under our Wellingtons that literally and figuratively is the foundation for our gardens. New gardeners are cautioned to put money and effort into improving their soil before they even consider planting, but few appreciate this wisdom. Here's why you should.
Soil is often viewed as the boring part of gardening. While garden soil will never be glamourous or even as interesting as choosing plants, there is a whole world under our Wellingtons that literally and figuratively is the foundation for our gardens. New gardeners are cautioned to put money and effort into improving their soil before they even consider planting, but few appreciate this wisdom. Here's why you should.
Green Gardening Myths
Is gardening green? Taking care of green spaces could actually be the easiest and fastest way to “go green” and ultimately help the environment. Here are 5 ways the green around your house is a great way to go “green”.
Is gardening green? Taking care of green spaces could actually be the easiest and fastest way to “go green” and ultimately help the environment. Here are 5 ways the green around your house is a great way to go “green”.
Hybrid , Heirloom, Open Pollinated and GMO
Vegetable seeds are labeled either hybrid, open pollinated or heirloom. Is there a difference and is one type of vegetable seed better for you than another. Here's a breakdown of what it means when a vegetable is defined as hybrid, open pollinated, heirloom or even genetically modified (GMO).
Vegetable seeds are labeled either hybrid, open pollinated or heirloom. Is there a difference and is one type of vegetable seed better for you than another. Here's a breakdown of what it means when a vegetable is defined as hybrid, open pollinated, heirloom or even genetically modified (GMO).
IPM - Integrated Pest Management
Integrated pest management (IPM) can be used for controlling garden pests and diseases in the vegetable garden. Controlling vegetable garden pests and problems is a process that blends with the flow of the seasons in a vegetable garden. Garden pests and problems come and go. What gardeners need to keep in mind about IPM is:
Integrated pest management (IPM) can be used for controlling garden pests and diseases in the vegetable garden. Controlling vegetable garden pests and problems is a process that blends with the flow of the seasons in a vegetable garden. Garden pests and problems come and go. What gardeners need to keep in mind about IPM is:
Organic Vegetable Gardening
Tips, tricks and planning for growing vegetables organically. Especially nice sections on applying manure and fertilizer and pest controls.
Tips, tricks and planning for growing vegetables organically. Especially nice sections on applying manure and fertilizer and pest controls.
Companion Planting
There is no rule that says vegetables and flowers can’t mix. In fact, the vegetable garden will benefit greatly from the addition of some flowers and herbs. It’s not just esthetics that make flowers and herbs welcome in the vegetable garden. Companion Planting offers several beneficial features that can protect your vegetables from insect pests and even make them more productive.
There is no rule that says vegetables and flowers can’t mix. In fact, the vegetable garden will benefit greatly from the addition of some flowers and herbs. It’s not just esthetics that make flowers and herbs welcome in the vegetable garden. Companion Planting offers several beneficial features that can protect your vegetables from insect pests and even make them more productive.
Phenology - When to Plant What
How do you know when to plant? If you let nature tell you when it’s safe to plant, you’re probably on the right track. Nature sends certain signals that let gardeners know how the weather and climate are progressing. There’s a science devoted to this, called phenology. For instance, plant your peas when the forsythia blooms. Here are a few more phenology tips.
How do you know when to plant? If you let nature tell you when it’s safe to plant, you’re probably on the right track. Nature sends certain signals that let gardeners know how the weather and climate are progressing. There’s a science devoted to this, called phenology. For instance, plant your peas when the forsythia blooms. Here are a few more phenology tips.
Amending Your Garden Soil - Making Good Soil out of Bad
Most garden plant problems are caused by poor soil. What is good soil and how do you know what kind of soil is in your garden? Understanding your garden soil means knowing its fertility and texture.
Most garden plant problems are caused by poor soil. What is good soil and how do you know what kind of soil is in your garden? Understanding your garden soil means knowing its fertility and texture.
How Much Mulch or Soil Amendment Will You Need?
Knowing how much mulch or amendment to purchase for your garden is always a bit of a guess, but you can make it an educated one by using a couple of easy measurements and calculations. Here's how to know how many bags, pounds or cubic yards of mulch will actually give you 3inches of coverage.
Knowing how much mulch or amendment to purchase for your garden is always a bit of a guess, but you can make it an educated one by using a couple of easy measurements and calculations. Here's how to know how many bags, pounds or cubic yards of mulch will actually give you 3inches of coverage.
Potatoes - Help Growing Potatoes Organically
Growing potatoes requires a lot of faith. You can’t see what’s happening underground and what’s above ground is often a magnet for vegetable garden pests. If you never want to see another Colorado potato beetle, you might want to give ‘King Harry’ a look. ‘King Harry’ has hairy leaves that repel most common potato pests.
Growing potatoes requires a lot of faith. You can’t see what’s happening underground and what’s above ground is often a magnet for vegetable garden pests. If you never want to see another Colorado potato beetle, you might want to give ‘King Harry’ a look. ‘King Harry’ has hairy leaves that repel most common potato pests.
Epsom Salts and Plants - Is it Worth Using Epsom Salts as a Plant Fertilizer?
Gardeners have been using Epsom salts as a plant fertilizer for generations. There is little research to prove conclusively that Epsom salts have any effect on plants, but many seasoned gardeners cite their own gardens as proof that Epson salts help certain plants grow stronger and produce better. If you’d like to try experimenting on your own, here are some tips for using Epsom salts in your gardens.
Gardeners have been using Epsom salts as a plant fertilizer for generations. There is little research to prove conclusively that Epsom salts have any effect on plants, but many seasoned gardeners cite their own gardens as proof that Epson salts help certain plants grow stronger and produce better. If you’d like to try experimenting on your own, here are some tips for using Epsom salts in your gardens.