You may find organic horticulture to either be a source of great relaxation, or a frustratingly difficult enterprise. Here are some suggestions to get you on the right path to successful organic horticulture.
Healthy Plants
Starting a garden with the best soil is a great defense mechanism against pests. Healthy plants grown in robust and enriched soil have an advantage in fighting pest infestation. You want to cultivate quality soil with adequate salt levels, which leads to healthy plants.
Before actually putting plants into your garden, check the type and compostion of your soil. For a small fee, a soil analysis can be obtained – based on that report – the soil can be properly enriched to support a vibrant garden. It is worth having this information so that crops do not get ruined. Most Cooperative Extension offices provide this service.
Make sure that your deciduous shrubs are protected. Delicate shrubs that are sitting in pots should be sheltered from the cold weather. Tie the tops of the canes together; then take a sheet and cover the wigwam loosely. In contrast to wrapping the plant with plastic, this method promotes air circulation, which stops the plant from rotting.
You should make sure to divide your irises. Splitting up overgrown groups of irises will allow you to easily increase the number of irises in your garden. When the foliage has died off, it is time to harvest the iris bulbs. If you split the bulbs that you pull up, and replant them, they will bloom the following year. You should divide rhizomes using a knife. New pieces should be cut from the outside, then the old center you want to discard. Be sure to retain a sturdy offshoot on every piece that you intend to plant. For optimum viability, plant your new cuttings into the ground without delay.
If your horticulture plans include pea plantings, try starting them off indoors rather than planting the raw seeds in outdoor beds. Seeds that are planted indoors will enjoy superior germination. The seedling may also be hardier, which means that they can better resist disease and attacks from pests. You could transplant the seedlings outdoors once they are able to survive and thrive.
Garden Pests
Don’t use pesticides that aren’t meant to kill specific types of garden pests. These pesticides will kill every type of pest in your garden, including beneficial bugs that eat garden pests. The helpful insects in your garden can be highly sensitive to pesticides and if their population goes down, the harmful insect population will grow. This will leave you using even more pesticides to fix the problem.
Try to plant an English garden with a mix of plants with different heights, all within the same garden bed. Plants that grow to be the same height end up uniform and flat looking.
Do not overlook the benefits of pine mulch for your garden. A number of plants commonly grown in garden settings do best in an acidic soil. There is no better, or easier, way to make your acid-loving plants happy then to use pine needles you already have on your beds. Cover your beds with the needles, as they will decompose and disperse their acid throughout the soil.
Organic Horticulture
Organic horticulture is a more involved form of horticulture than is often realized. Your hard work will pay off once your garden grows and you can eat healthy vegetables. When you apply the tips in this article, you will be ready to start improving your skills in organic horticulture.