Weeding Your Organic Garden
Dandelion WeedWhen I first started my present organic garden, it had been totally farmland and therefore, it was full of weeds. It had no shape. It was like a typical farmers field, bumpy ground and obnoxious weeds. At first I felt rather daunted and overwhelmed by the job of creating this nightmare into an English Cottage garden. As I have lived in England, I knew what I …
Organic Method of Starting Seeds – Eggshells!
I have discovered a handy way to use eggshells in starting my garden seeds. I use this method in my organic garden, as it gives back to the earth.
Advantages of this method include good moisture retention needed for germination, along with avoiding transplanting shock, since seeds are moved, “pot” and all.
If you would like to try this method, then follow these simple steps:
Take one egg and cut a …
Black Spot Fungus on Roses
Signs of Black Spot
I think all fledgling gardeners and those who have more experience, know the dreaded signs of “black spot”. You see the black spots on your rose leaves and sometimes yellowish edges on the leaves.
How can you save your favorite rose plants?
Black spot fungus attacks only roses. Those black spots that are found on the leaves are the actual fungus itself, not dead spots, …
Organic Fertilizer
Fertilizer is anything added that improves the fertility of the soil. a good organic fertilizer feeds the soil rather than only feeding the plant. This is the safest way to fertilize plants .
A fertile soil has a balance of minerals and micronutrients so subtle, that I do not think that any chemical could add
them all. However it is known that manure, compost and leaf mold will.
Organic fertilizers improve the soil to allow it to hold …
Conventional vs. Organic Growing
There are a number of reasons why organic gardening is better than conventional or commercial growing. Some of the reasons are more obvious than others. As small scale backyard gardeners, there is a tendency to focus just on the plants and practices in our own yards and on our own tables. However, conventional vs. organic growing is a hot topic and has more global ramifications.
What Do …
When and Where to Use Liquid Organic Fertilizer
While often the fertilizer focus in organic gardening is on compost, manure, cover crops, or the addition of certain minerals, there are also times when liquid organic fertilizers have a place in the yard and garden. Some of these products can be purchased, and some of them can be concocted by the gardener from items on hand.
There are a number of liquid fertilizers on the market that are approved for organic use. However, as in …
Acid-loving Plants
Acid-loving plants are not plants on drugs; they are plants growing in acidic soil. Whether a soil is
considered “acidic” or “basic” is entirely dependent on the pH of the soil. (Don’t get the pH of the soil confused with adding “humic acid” to your soil, though humic acid is derived by …
More isn’t Better: Organic Fertilizer Myths Busted
With the rabid interest in organic vegetable gardening reaching a fever pitch, questions about the amount and timing of fertilizer applications are bound to appear. Wait – I sound like I’m writing a really bland paper to be delivered at a government conference. Let’s start over.
Don’t you love that show Myth Busters? I do. They save me from trying out all …
How to Sterilize Soil
Soil sterilization is a great technique for organic gardeners to master. For potting soil, you will need a sterile mix to avoid bringing weeds and pathogens into your indoor plants. You may also wish to sterilize outside soil if you wish to start over on a patch of garden. Here is why you might want to sterilize soil, how you can do it and how you build up a healthy population of beneficial organisms after you …
Organic Versus Conventional Gardening – Comparing Fertilizer
We all know that organic gardening is better for your health and better for the environment, yet people new to organic gardening have way too much confusing information thrown at them. Worse, they may turn to organic gardening with the mind-set of a conventional gardener. Many conventional gardeners who go cold turkey and switch to organic fertilizer will …
