Soil Testing and Soil pH Creating Microclimates Selecting Healthy Plants Growing Peonies In The South Go Organic At Home
Pruning Shrubs Making a Wildlife Habitat in Your Backyard Wide Row Planting
Pruning Shrubs Making a Wildlife Habitat in Your Backyard Wide Row Planting
Go Organic At Home
Using compost tea
A great way to boost your soil chemistry naturally is through the use of compost. Adding compost to your soil can improve its composition, drainage and the microbial activity. Making your own compost pile is an easy and inexpensive way to recycle appropriate yard and kitchen waste. As an alternative to the making your own compost, you can now purchase it from most garden supply stores. Worm farming for compost is also becoming popular.
Compost can be made into a soup like consistency called compost tea. It contains all the beneficial nutrients and microbes, and it can be applied either as a spray or directly to the soil. An inexpensive way is to take a scoop of worm castings or compost, mix it vigorously with water, and splash it around the garden. The important thing is to use it within 24 hours of making it so it is still viable.
You can make your own in a commercially available compost tea brewer. Many garden supply stores also sell freshly brewed one-gallon containers which make it very easy, just not inexpensive.
Organically controlling weeds
Weeds can be a problem in any garden, not just the organic garden. There are methods, such as hand weeding and digging out weeds with tools, that work well. You can burn the weeds out, if local conditions permit this solution. A propane flamer works by rupturing the plant's cell walls and will eventually kill it. It doesn't disturb the soil surface so there's less erosion. Plus, buried weed seeds aren't exposed which would start the whole cycle over again. Mulching also can assist in keeping weed growth minimized, however, dependent on your source and even type of mulch, it can add weeds to your garden. End rolls of newspaper, without print, can be used around plants then cover with mulch to suppress weed growth. Be cautious with using newspaper though as the creation of the paper may include some chemicals which could negate the organics of your garden.
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A great way to boost your soil chemistry naturally is through the use of compost. Adding compost to your soil can improve its composition, drainage and the microbial activity. Making your own compost pile is an easy and inexpensive way to recycle appropriate yard and kitchen waste. As an alternative to the making your own compost, you can now purchase it from most garden supply stores. Worm farming for compost is also becoming popular.
Compost can be made into a soup like consistency called compost tea. It contains all the beneficial nutrients and microbes, and it can be applied either as a spray or directly to the soil. An inexpensive way is to take a scoop of worm castings or compost, mix it vigorously with water, and splash it around the garden. The important thing is to use it within 24 hours of making it so it is still viable.
You can make your own in a commercially available compost tea brewer. Many garden supply stores also sell freshly brewed one-gallon containers which make it very easy, just not inexpensive.
Organically controlling weeds
Weeds can be a problem in any garden, not just the organic garden. There are methods, such as hand weeding and digging out weeds with tools, that work well. You can burn the weeds out, if local conditions permit this solution. A propane flamer works by rupturing the plant's cell walls and will eventually kill it. It doesn't disturb the soil surface so there's less erosion. Plus, buried weed seeds aren't exposed which would start the whole cycle over again. Mulching also can assist in keeping weed growth minimized, however, dependent on your source and even type of mulch, it can add weeds to your garden. End rolls of newspaper, without print, can be used around plants then cover with mulch to suppress weed growth. Be cautious with using newspaper though as the creation of the paper may include some chemicals which could negate the organics of your garden.
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