Learn how to save heirloom tomato seeds, in this free video on organic heirloom tomatoes.
Duration : 0:2:37
Indoor and Outdoor Organic Gardening Tips : How to Get Started With Organic Gardening
Become an organic gardener! Learn all about organic gardening in this free video covering natural indoor and outdoor gardens.
Duration : 0:1:6
Got Grubs? Managing Lawn Pests Organically
Innovative biologists and chemists have made it much easier to control the pests in your garden and there are now a dozen safe ways to control damaging insects.
First of all you need to identify what kind of insects you have or are likely to get. There are plenty of common species, but only a few of these do any significant harm in a given area – and there are a number of ways to identify them.
Check plant leaves, flowers and shrubs and match any you don’t recognise against photos you can find on the internet. Look for information on any particular plants that you’re concerned over and you shouldn’t have any trouble identifying the most common pests. Oftne that information will contain a photo you can use for comparison.
A lot of the insects on flowers, trees, grass and other plants are hidden and you may have to rely on guesswork and apply general methods that are used to control common invasive species. Aphids are often found on rose bushes, for example but may be difficult to spot. Grass often has grub infestations that is not visible to the eye and can only be detected by looking underneath the soil.
Another method is to examine any effects you might see
Grass with round, brown spots, especially in late Spring through Summer may mean you have a Japanese Beetle grub problem. Double check your guesswork with other methods if you find that patches of grass come away from the soil easily like carpet with loose tacks then you may have a grub problem.
Eliminating insects and grubs that are causing problems is usually safe, cheap and easy especially with modern control methods. This doesn’t mean you have to purchase and spray large areas with chemicals, although most of them are said to be safe for both humans and the environment.
Instead of using grub killing fertilizer or insecticide use biological control methods. These are considered to be more organic and are becoming more popular and effective all the time. A substance called ‘milky spores’ can be a very cost effective way to control grubs in lawns.
Biological control may be more expensive than a bag of grub insecticide to start with. A 30lb bag of grub killer may cost $10 and last two years where a 1-liter bottle of milky spores may be $30 or more, but it lasts for 10 years. This works well because it is a natural compound which contains living organisms that invade the grub larvae and interrupts their growth cycle. In effect, you have one organism killing another. The spores are harmless to your lawn as they only act on the grub.
There are other control methods like the one above each meant to solve a particular problem. This is because organisms are particular about which insects they will invade and when. These methods are safe, cost effective and many are last longer than other, chemical methods.
You can use chemical insecticides if you really need to do so. Modern insecticides are much more sophisticated, and decay safely and quickly into harmless byproducts without harming the environment. They also do the job before they decay.
The Debate On Chemical Vs Organic Fertilizers
Fertilizers – Pro’s and Con’s
The following is in no way intended to be the last word on the chemical-vs-organic debate, but rather a basic outline describing the pros and cons of each.
If you were to ask 100 people for their opinions on this subject, you might well receive a hundred different points of view. In my humble opinion, if used properly, both chemical and organic fertilizers can be safe. However, if used improperly, both can be, without question, unsafe.
Chemical
In very basic and general terms, a chemical fertilizer is a compound (collection of ingredients) that has been chemically processed or refined to increase its potency.
The introduction of chemical fertilizers in the early to mid 20th century is in many ways responsible for the massive increase in food an individual farmer can produce.
The main problem is the result of applying too much or an over-application of this class of fertilizers.
Any plant (wheat, corn, etc.), can only use so much food during its growth cycle.
What’s left over tends to travel into groundwater, streams, lakes and the ocean, due to rain or irrigation. This pollutes the natural environment and has caused a great number of problems.
More recently most farmers and fertilizer manufacturers are well aware of these problems and work hard to use this class of fertilizers responsibly.
The home gardener needs to be aware and use any chemical in a responsible manner as well. This is one instance where “too little” is much better than “too much.”
Organic
The organic class of fertilizers (again, in very basic terms) tends to be less refined and involve little or no chemical processing. Also, the natural environment tends to have an easier time of breaking down and absorbing them. However, a few types can and do pollute ground water and other water systems.
Animal manure (cow, chicken) can cause many problems if used improperly. Manure is a highly concentrated source of nitrogen, which is easily released when exposed to rain or other forms of irrigation.
Excess nitrogen and phosphorous have proven to be major problems when released into our waterways and other water sources.
One benefit of using an organic “fert” is an increase in the biological activities in the soil.
Micro-organism’s within the soil help plants convert nutrients into food and help to break down old plant material which adds to the over all health of the soil and garden.
Chemical products in general do not offer this benefit which is one of the complaints from the proponents of organic style gardening.
Chemical fert’s have been popular for a long time, though because of over-application have caused many problems. However, if used correctly, they have also proven to be beneficial and safe for food crop production.
With the rise in popularity of organic style gardening there is a risk of misusing this class of fertilizer as well. To say that an organic product is completely safe and leave it at that is to not really understand the question of fertilizers in general.
I strongly recommend learning more about the chemical vs organic issue, and deciding for yourself which type is best suited for your needs.
A Word on Plant Nutrients
Most garden centers will have a huge array of fertilizers to choose from and all will have numbers on the packaging such as 4-10-5 or 15-15-15.
A very simple and accurate way to understand the meaning of those numbers is to remember, leaf-flower-root.
For example, a 4-10-5 fertilizer indicates good leaves – big/many flowers or fruit – good roots. 4-10-5 = leaf-flower-root.
Think of “10” as being the middle ground on a scale of one to twenty, one being the lowest, 20 being the highest.
A set of equal numbers such as 10-10-10 or 5-5-5 indicates an all-purpose plant food and as the name implies should work well with most plants.
Always follow the directions for application of any gardening product and remember that too much fertilizer can ultimately burn part or all of your plants.
Tip: Length times Width will provide your total square footage for a planting bed. Example: 10 feet x 3 feet = 30 square feet.
Most garden centers or nurseries will be happy to answer any questions you may have and will assist you in obtaining the right type and amount of fertilizer or other garden additives.
Good Luck and Happy Gardening!
Seven Gardening By the Yard Tips
If you have a tiny yard and would like a simple but well-maintained garden, you only need two things – determination and know-how. Here are some tips on how to keep your garden by the yard looking spruced up and glamorous.
1. Deadheading
Keep your border free from wilted flowers and dried leaves. Deadheading or removing dead flower heads will encourage the plants to produce more blooms for longer. Many perennials such as geraniums and dahlias, and some annuals benefit from having spent blooms removed
3. Pinch out tops.
Certain plants – especially foliage plants like Coleus – respond with a spurt of growth when their tops are pinched out. Pinching out makes the plant much bushier and so more blooms are produced. Fuchsias are prone to becoming leggy unless they are pinched out.
4. Fertilize lightly.
A minimal amount of fertilizer will further boost the growth of your vegetation. If you water your yard frequently, you have to fertilize it more regularly because of nutrient depletion. A fortnightly application of liquid fertilizer is sometimes more beneficial than granules as it is more readily absorbed by the leaves. Container plants will be considerably healthier with a half-strength solution of liquid fertilizer applied regularly.
5. Weed out.
This is one of the best ways to preserve the beauty of your garden by the yard. Remember, weeds compete with your plants for both nutrients and moisture. If the weeds are not close to seeding, leave them on the bed to rot down for mulch. If you must use a weedicide, try and get a wick applicator, rather than a spray. This will protect you plants from spray-drift.
6. Water them well
One good tip when it comes to watering your garden by the yard is to give it a thorough soaking once a week, making sure there is no run-off to cause erosion. Deep watering will encourage the growth of deeper roots that will be able to withstand dry spells weatherwise
7. Say no to chemicals
Chemicals are dangerous to humans and often kill the natural predators of the pest in your garden, so avoid them if possible. There are many organic alternatives that work almost as well.
With these simple tips, your garden by the yard will soon be the envy of your neighbors.
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