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Garden Knowledge
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Your Garden
The Premier
Gardeners
Guide
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Organic
Tips for the Garden
More and more people are discovering the joys that come with planting
an organic garden. There are many reasons for gardening the organic
way, from decreased use of pesticides to lower cost to concerns about
the environment. Many gardeners are worried about the overuse
of
pesticides, and the possible effects it could have on their family
members, their pets and their families. Other gardeners are
concerned about the possibility of pesticide runoff, and concerned that
such runoff could get into the groundwater and cause damage.
Another Reason for Organic Gardening
Another reason for organic gardening is the recent trend to incorporate
fish ponds into the garden landscape. Fish are among the most
sensitive creatures when it comes to chemical sensitivity, and even a
small amount of chemicals in a closed environment like a pond can be
toxic to many ornamental fish. Any homeowner who wishes to
incorporate a fish pond into his or her landscape must be very careful
about the use of pesticides, insecticides and other chemicals.
While information about organic gardening was once hard to come by,
today there is lots of information available, as more and more people
take up this special form of gardening. Both food plants and
ornamental flowering plants can be grown organically, and many people
particularly like the idea of growing and eating their own organic
produce.
Basis of Organic Gardening
The basis of a good organic garden lies with the quality of the
soil. It is very difficult to grow healthy plants or flowers
in
poor quality soil. If the soil in your area is not of high
quality, it is important to take steps to improve the soil before
planting any flowers or plants.
One great way to improve the soil for an organic garden is to lay down
a good quality mulch. It is a good idea to mulch the flower
bed
with three inches of organic material, as this will help to conserve
moisture, discourage the growth of weeds and add much needed nutrients
to the soil. In addition to these benefits, a good quality
mulch
also provides a great looking finishing touch to the garden.
If you plan to grow acid loving plants in your organic garden, it is a
good idea to put down a thick layer of pine needles in the
fall.
As these pine needles decompose in the fall and winter months, they add
acid to the soil naturally, and eliminate the need for harsh chemicals
or other additives. Adding chemicals to the soil can alter
their
long term chemistry and reduce their ability to grow thriving plants.
Providing a Good Mulch Bed
Providing a good mulch bed in the organic garden also provides
protection from many garden pests, in addition to keeping weeds to a
minimum. In addition, a good quality mulch will encourage
healthier plants to grow, and healthier plants will be better able to
fight off infections without the use of fungicides and herbicides.
Starting a compost pile is a another great way to reduce the amount of
household waste your family generates, while producing high quality
organic fertilizer for your plants. A simple compost pile is
easy
to set up, and it produces the rich, high quality soil that help plants
thrive.
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