On the face of it learning how to grow an organic garden is actually quite easy. The basic rule is to make sure you use 100% organic products. These are products that are chemical and pesticide free.

Most of us have tried growing a garden at one point or another and you’ve probably had mixed success. If it’s not working out you many want to first test the soil to determine how healthy it is and what it’s balance is. You should take a sample of the soil where you intend planting your organic garden. You’ll want to find the best soil possible to plant your organic garden.

Everyone has different reasons for growing a garden, especially an organic garden. Perhaps you want to supplement your family with food that you grow yourself because organic food from the store is quite expensive. Or, perhaps you live in a place that is remote and difficult to get access to good produce so it is easier for you to grow an organic garden. Or perhaps it’s just for fun of it! It can be really satisfying to grow and eat your own organic vegetables.

Whatever your reason might be, an organic garden is the best way for you to go. But, you might be wondering, how do you grow an organic garden and get the best out of it? Of course the type of garden you choose to plant is entirely up to you, but you should plan for your garden just the same.

Making Your Organic Garden a Success

There are actually many ways to grow an organic garden. The only thing that makes it an organic garden is that absolutely no chemicals can be used when it comes to growing the food. You have to use only natural products and this includes fertilizers and bug repellent as well. With the growing popularity of organic produce, it’s easy to find organic fertilizers and bug repellent at your local nursery or plant store.

One of the best things that you can before growing an organic garden is to make sure that you have done your research. First, you should determine the kind of environment that you live in and what things you are going to have to protect your garden against. Then, you will need to know what products you can use to grow an organic garden and the difference in the variety and availability of all-natural products. Finally you should find out what products grow best for your climate and especially in your soil. If you have poor soil, you can still grow good produce in planter boxes, where you have more control over the growing environment.

Time to Plant your Organic Garden

Once you have determined the things you need to be aware of and you’ve figured out what you can do to prevent your garden from having any problems, you are ready to begin. Simply choose the foods that you want to grow and be sure that you are planting them correctly. Follow all of the directions that came with the plant, including it’s sunlight exposure, how deep it should be planted and how much space it needs to grow.

You should choose a place to plant where you have never used chemicals, as chemicals stay in the soil for a long time. It might be necessary for you to bring in top soil to use, especially in poor soil or clay soil areas.

Caring For Your Organic Garden

Regular maintenance is necessary for the best results. Following the directions for your plants and finding out how to look after them are good things to do. Learning how to care for an organic garden is very important. There are many resources available on the internet as well as your local store to help you.
You should weed your garden whenever weeds appear. This will keep the weed down, reduce, (or eliminate), the need for weed killer and help the plants to grow at their best. Regular watering is also needed and regular organic fertilization will help your plants grow big and strong.

Also you should protect the organic garden from run offs and from other chemicals that might be used nearby. Once you have done this, you can feel secure in the fact that you are doing your part to help not only the environment, but your health as well.

Learning how to grow an organic garden is easy, with a few tips your garden will blossom in no time!

One of the things that kids like about gardening is that it is “for real”. They are used to doing a lot of things in fantasy play or with toys, but kids gardening are interacting with the real natural world. Whether they grow small plants in a pot at their bedroom window, or help mommy, daddy or grandparents planting flowers and vegetables outside, they are witnessing life and death happening before their eyes.

Most people want to focus on the happy aspects of kids gardening, but it is also a great way to introduce them to the concept of death in nature. Not all of their plants will thrive. From those that do, some will be weeded out. Others may be hit by pests or disease. All of this needs explaining to kids. They may be disappointed at first but understanding how nature works will help them later, if they are faced with the death of loved pets or even family members.

The best way to start kids gardening is to take one plant at a time. Favorites for little kids are plants that sprout easily, grow quickly and have brightly colored flowers or attractive leaves. Examples are primrose, pansy, geranium, lamb’s ears.

Sunflowers are great for a sunny garden, because they grow so big. You can measure their progress each week just like measuring your kid’s growth, but faster. Little kids will also recognize sunflowers easily, because they look just like the typical picture of a flower that they see in cartoons and books.

Kids also love to grow plants that they can eat. Strawberries are perfect because they can go hunt for them in the garden. Salad vegetables are good too. Anything that needs to be cooked is not so interesting for most kids, unless you want to involve them in cooking too.

Organic kids gardening is the best kind, of course. You would not want your children to be exposed to a lot of chemical pesticides or even fertilizers when they are working with you in the garden. With small children especially, they will touch the earth as well as the plants, and some of what they touch usually gets into their mouths.

This also means that you will probably want to avoid poisonous plants if you have very small children. This requires a little research because some plants are toxic where you would not expect it. For example, the plants of the nightshade family, which includes potatoes, tomatoes, bell peppers and eggplant, often have poison in the leaves even though other parts are edible.

If you do not have a garden or have no interest in gardening yourself, you still have plenty of options. As we said already, they can grow flowers or herbs in containers in the house. They can also become involved in gardening projects in the community, or when visiting friends and family members. However, it is important to keep in mind that kids gardening need to visit the garden often if they are going to understand and care about what is happening.

Gardeners experience proves that the mixture of vermiculite, perlite, and organic potting soil (loose 100% organic soil mixture is also suitable) in equal proportions is the best for the successful organic hydroponics gardening. Such mixture offers the perfect upward capillary action of water and supply of CO2 and oxygen. Organic soil in the upper medium layer provokes microbial action.

Some growers practice mixing organic nutrients (e.g. worm castings) into the upper medium part. Others just distribute them on the surface of the grow medium and then spray them with water. Another way is to mix nutrients with half a cup of water and pour onto the top of the medium. Any of these methods ensure proper nutrients entrance into the soil mixture and good absorption by the plants primary roots.

The upper layer of the medium is also called “soil alternative”, as it is the place where the nutrients are supplied to. It is treated as a standard soil container. To improve the capillary action of the water delivered by the lava rock at the bottom, it is recommended to spray the soil alternative once or twice a day with water.

Creating your organic gardening using hydroponics system pay special attention to the level of the pumped water, this must not moisten the upper part of the medium. If this happens, the nutrients, delivered to this soil part of the growing medium, will be washed out into the water reservoir, becoming unavailable for the upper part of the plants root system.

The usual watering cycle takes about half an hour to make the whole upper part of the medium wet. If this time is not enough, you may set the timer to prolong the cycles. It is also possible to spray the upper half of the growing medium with water in addition to the regular pump-triggered watering. Remember that soil-based part should never be soaked in water – being moist is enough for growing organic plants.

Plants, growing in the containers, will develop two types of the roots: the upper one, which will uptake plant nutrients from the upper part of the medium; and the lower roots, which will reach the lava rock part of the growing medium.

The upper root system is primary; it includes web-like thin roots that look similar to those that develop in the plants grown in the standard soil. They absorb multiple nutrients, thus ensuring the flourishing of a plant and its normal growth. The lower roots that are secondary will grow in the lower part of the medium (which can be lava rock, sand, gravel, perlite or pumice). These look typically to the hydroponically grown plants: long, rope-like, and stringy. These roots mainly absorb water; in addition, they receive much oxygen between watering cycles, which leads to the improved nutrients metabolism and faster growth.

These days hydroponics gardening gains more and more popularity in different parts of the world. More and more people become fascinated with this way of plants growing. Due to the constantly increasing interest in hydroponics, new methods and techniques of this gardening type appear. They are all aimed at the easing of the process of plants growing, improving the fruits, vegetables, and greens quality and taste, as well as at the making the whole process as eco-friendly as possible. Indeed, the new techniques try to solve the problem of hard-to-dispose used materials (as rockwool) and chemically-laden water and other wastes. Moreover, the primary goal of today hydroponics is to use exclusively organic materials, which offer the benefits in the crops quality and work of a gardener. 

Not so long time ago gardeners were amazed by such hydroponics methods as Nutrient Film/Flow Technique, Ebb and Flow, Aeroponics, and even Semi-Organic Hydroponics. These days the leader of this gardening is Totally Organic Hydroponics, which major benefit is the possibility to grow 100% pure organic garden plants.

Organic Gardening Speech

How selfish are you? On a scale of 1 to 10, 10 being the highest, how selfish would you rate yourself? If you are the least bit selfish, you might be interested in organic gardening.

An organic gardening speech might seem more appropriate coming from a Home Economics teacher, but I am just selfish enough that I love organic gardening. I want to share that love with you and with your children.

Imagine

I want you to come with me, in imagination, to a time and place before the Industrial Revolution. The year is 1707. It is late summer. We find ourselves walking the streets of a small town. Houses are spaced well apart for privacy. Land stretches out behind each house. As we look, we notice that much of that land is taken up by gardens. Here and there, we see both adults and children actively engaged in gardening. The plants are beautiful.

You call to one of the adults and ask what they use to make the garden so lush. A broad smile breaks, and through the smile come the words, “Feed the soil, and the soil will feed the plants.”

You shake your head. Poor people. Too bad they don’t know about that miracle combination of chemicals you saw advertised on TV last week. That’s the easy way to grow spectacular plants!

Dinner

The organic gardener invites us to join them for the evening meal, and we accept. At dinner, we join in the prayer of thanks, and then watch in amazement as the children, one after another, begin eating fresh vegetables.

You yourself are not that fond of vegetables, but you politely take a small serving of each. You bite into a leaf of steamed cabbage, and your eyes open wide in amazement. It is sweet – twice as sweet as the cabbage you buy at your local market! You watch a small child fill his mouth with dark green kale, and shudder. There’s a small spoonful of the nasty vegetable on your own plate, and you pick at it, putting a single small leaf in your mouth. Amazing! It, too, is twice as sweet as any kale you ever ate. The same seems true of every vegetable on the table. You decide that if your supermarket vegetables were this good, you would eat a lot more of them.

Our imaginary trip ends at that dinner table, and we return to the present.

Organic Gardening’s Benefits

Organic gardening has many benefits. If you are completely selfish, you will want those benefits for yourself. If you are unselfish, you will want those benefits for your family. Let me give you just three of organic gardening’s benefits.

1. Taste: Organic gardening has been proven to produce tastier fruits and vegetables. A Hong Kong study measured Brix levels, the percentage of sugar in plant juices, using produce from organic gardening and from non-organic gardening. The results showed that organic gardening produced produce that was 2 to 4 times as sweet as that produced by non-organic gardening. Sweeter fruits and vegetables are tastier, and easier to eat, whether you are a young person or an adult. Organic gardening helps us eat better by providing tastier fruits and vegetables.

2. Nutrition: Organic gardening has also been found to provide nutritionally superior produce. Virginia Worthington, of Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore, compared the composition of vegetables grown simultaneously under different farming conditions. Her work included 41 studies with 1,240 comparisons of 35 vitamins and minerals. Worthington found that organic gardening produced vegetables and fruits that were higher in most minerals and vitamins than those from non-organic gardening. Not only that, organic gardening produce was lower in potentially harmful nitrates, which result from nitrogen fertilizers. Dr. Worthington concluded that produce from organic gardening is nutritionally superior. You and your family will enjoy better health with fruits and vegetables from organic gardening. (Effect of Agricultural Methods on Nutritional Quality: A Comparison of Organic with Conventional Crops, Virginia Worthington MS, ScD, CNS, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, 1998, Alternative Therapies, Volume 4, 1998, pages 58-69)

3. Exercise: Finally, organic gardening offers you and your children regular daily exercise in the outdoors. Organic gardening helps you build muscles, especially important core muscles. Organic gardening gets you into the sunlight where you can absorb essential vitamin D. Organic gardening is a great stress management tool. Organic gardening gives you an outlet for creativity. It provides satisfaction as you see your work produce useful fruits, herbs, and vegetables.

We could talk about the aesthetic pleasures of organic gardening – how beautiful that garden might become. We could talk about how you can save money with organic gardening – growing your produce instead of purchasing.

Finally, we could talk about how important it is for our children to learn about organic gardening, to embrace it as the way to better health, and to practice it with school, home, and community gardens.

An organic gardening speech could go on for hours, but I’m going to stop here, hoping that I have whetted your appetite enough that you will seek out more information on organic gardening.

Helpful Tip for Speech-givers

A few large bowls of beautiful organic produce can be set on the platform or around the room to help visual learners picture organic gardening.

The use of organic plant nutrients instead of the man-made chemicals in the hydroponic garden eases the work of a gardener. The matter is that the absence of synthetic chemicals eliminates the problem of ppm amount and pH balance of the water. If there is no need to calibrate nutrients, to check pH level of the water, and calculate fertilizer’s amount, a beginner of the hydroponic gardening will definitely make no mistakes, which means many problems may never occur.

A dual root growing system is made by special composition of the medium in the container: the upper part of the medium is soil or soil substitute, and organic nutrients can be supplied directly to this upper part; the lower half of the medium is some porous material, which retains water, but to which no nutrients are supplied. 

Creating an organic hydroponics system, a gardener may use a standard hydroponic grow container, though a coir fiber container will suit too. The preferred material to put at the bottom of the box is lava rock, which perfectly keeps water. Lava rock is then covered with a thin layer of loose rockwool or coir fiber to divide both medium layers and prevent them from mixing together. The upper half of the container should be filled with a mixture of 1/3 potting soil, 1/3 coarse grade horticulture perlite, and 1/3 large-sized horticulture vermiculite. Such arrangement ensures the upper capillary action of water and protects the bottom of the grow bed from the occasional mixing with any organic particles. 

Using a standard plastic hydroponic grow container one should place a plastic screen lining inside the grow bed, fitting it well at the bottom and on the walls of the container up to their top, also with the aim to protect the water from the small particles in the medium mixture. It is also possible to use a hydroponic container with tiny holes.

One more good choice for the use of organic gardening methods in hydroponics system is coir fiber containers. The filling is the same as described above with the thin layer of loose or strand coir fiber between the two types of medium. 

Such box is then set in the grow bed. Note that the level of the pumped water should be a bit lower than the soil mixture. The secondary root system will be submerged into the water along with lava rock and promote the capillary water flow up into the soil. The lower half of the medium may be watered on a regular hydroponic basis, while the upper one can be moistened just once a day. 

This system allows a gardener to supply nutrients right to the upper part of the medium, where they are vitally important. At the same time, the whole medium structure will be perfectly moistened by the pumped water and the plants will also have constant supply of oxygen and CO2, drawn into their root systems. Finally, proper amount of CO2 will improve the absorption of nutrients by the upper parts of the roots. 

Organic gardening means not killing off more insects than you need to. You would not want to buy the type of commercial chemical insecticides that kill virtually every six legged creature in the garden. Some of them are useful, such as ladybugs which will feed on your aphid pests. They can be beautiful too. Remember, butterflies are insects.

For this reason, many gardeners prefer to avoid organic insecticides and use other methods for controlling pests in the garden.

For soil-based pests, the best method of control is to rotate your plants so that the plant they feed on is not in the same place year after year. Insects are easily confused, especially those that live in the soil. This is often enough to prevent them from becoming established and numerous.

However, if you are considering organic insecticide then it is probably too late for prevention. You will need to look for other methods of controlling pests. The best ways are those that target the specific pest that you are having trouble with. That way, you will not kill off beneficial and friendly insects that contribute to the natural food chain in your garden.

Many pests are repelled by garlic. For this reason, gardeners often plant garlic around their other crops. It is especially effective this way against red spider mite and the borer beetles that attack fruit trees.

You can also use garlic in sprays.  Simply crush garlic cloves into water and spray the mixture directly onto your plants. This will keep off many of the pests that like to eat vegetables and flowers.

Soap solutions are well known to be effective against aphids and other small flies that attack roses and similar flowering plants. A soap solution spray can also prevent slugs from eating your flowers.

Against slugs and snails, you can either use salt or beer. Salt solution sprayed onto plants will often keep off these pests in the same way that garlic repels other pests. You can also make traps containing beer. Place a flat container of beer into the ground so that the rim is at ground level and the slugs can easily access the beer and fall in. As far as we know, they will die happy.

How To Grow Organic Tomatoes: Planning And Planting

The first point to consider is where you will grow them. If you have a sunny, sheltered, well-drained part of the garden, that is great. Ideally you can train them against a fence or wall, but if that is not possible, it is simple enough to construct a trellis for them. Keep in mind that some varieties grow up to 6 feet tall.

You can also grow tomatoes in containers. This is the ideal solution if you do not have a good site in the garden or if your soil type is not ideal. Tips on how to grow organic tomatoes in containers are pretty much the same, but you have more options. You can move the containers if you wish, even bringing them indoors in cold weather. Your plants also have a greater chance of escaping some of the earth-based pests if they are in containers.

There are many varieties of tomato plant. You will find that you have a little less choice of organic varieties, but most gardeners are not put off by this. There are so many benefits to eating organic, especially for your health.

Having chosen your seeds and planted out your young plants, it is important to keep checking on them. They need frequent watering when the weather is dry, or they will not produce much fruit. The leaves should never be allowed to wilt. You can mulch under the plants to keep the moisture in the soil when the weather is dry, and remember that small, frequent waterings are best.

How To Grow Organic Tomatoes: Dealing With Pests

No article on how to grow organic tomatoes would be complete without a few words on pests. Hornworms are probably the most feared tomato pest in North America. They love plants of the nightshade family, including tomatoes, eggplant, tobacco and potato, and they will eat all parts of the plant that grow above ground.

Hornworms can easily be squished, but you need to check the underside of all leaves frequently if you are going to rely on this method of hornworm control. The best organic alternative is to invest in some braconid wasps which will prey on the hornworms while being harmless to humans.

Eelworms or nematodes are a worldwide tomato pest. They live in the soil and you may not know that you have them until you first try to grow tomatoes. You can spray with an organic fungicide to prevent them attacking future crops. Rotating the location of your plants and having marigolds growing nearby will also help to discourage eelworms from establishing themselves in your garden.

Organic anti fungal sprays can also be used against tomato blight. If you find blight among your plants, it is very important to remove affected plants as fast as possible to stop it spreading. You can often prevent blight by making sure that your plants are not too crowded, but you may still be caught out in a wet summer.

If you are still having difficulty growing organic tomatoes, you could have somebody else show and tell how they do it. Ask your neighbors and friends and find somebody who is really successful with it. They may be doing something different that you never thought about, or they may simply have some tips for you. It could make all the difference to your own success to have somebody else show you how to grow organic tomatoes their way.

Worm Composting Preparations

The first and most important step is to create your worm composting bin. Though you can purchase a ready-made tub, it’s easy to create your own by simply re-using a cheap eight-gallon plastic tub that is already lying around the house.

To use a plastic tub, you will first need to drill or cut small holes (about a quarter inch diameter) in the bottom every few inches.  You will then need to place wire mesh that can be purchased at your local hardware store, to cover the bottom fully.  On top of your wire mesh you will place two to three average size bricks and top them with a drip pan.

After the overall structure has been completed, you will now need to start the compost.  Use moistened strips of newspaper and some dirt to sprinkle along the bottom of the bin.  Using leaves from your backyard, add a thin layer of dead leaves into the mix.  Ensure that your tub is at least ¾ of the way full of this preparation material.  If for some reason your layers are too moist, use more newspaper to soak up the excess moisture; you need to have just the right level of moisture in order for a healthy compost to form.  Once you have prepared the surface, you are now ready to add the next pieces to your compost.

Worms and Kitchen Scraps

After the base of your compost has been created, it is now time to add kitchen scraps and worms into the mix.  The best rule of thumb is for every pound of garbage you add in kitchen scraps you can feed up to two pounds of garden earthworms (which are rather easy to find if you already have enough moist soil in your yard).

Gather up your earthworms and place them gently on top of your compost pile.  Be sure to do this in bright sunlight or with a bright flashlight nearby.  The bright lights will force your worms to burrow into the dirt rather than try to make an escape.  After your earthworms have dug into the compost, replace the lid.

When it comes to kitchen scraps that you can and should toss into your compost, try using things such as vegetable and fruit scraps, crushed egg shells from breakfast, dry bread that you can no longer eat, lint from your dryer, coffee grounds, and even tea bags.  No matter what you add to your compost, however, it needs to be chopped enough for your earthworms to actually eat it.

Good compost takes about three months to fully form. You will know that you have created a healthy compost if it is brown, crumbling and has a nice appearance.  If you are going to use your entire compost pile for your garden, try creating another compost to start and add your old earthworms to it.  If you are done worm composting, then give your earthworms to a friend as a gift to start their very own pile.  No matter what, keep the green cycle going by reusing and recycling what you can when it comes to worm composting.

An indoor garden is often easier to maintain since you aren’t likely to have to use pesticides or other poisonous chemicals. It’s also healthier for you to share your living space with greenery. The humidity and oxygen produced by the houseplants create a people- and pet-friendly environment.

Organic Soil Choices

There are a variety of soils available for your organic container garden. Before you decide on a soil mix, however, you need know what you’ll be growing, since each plant has its own nutrient requirements. Some options for growing plants indoors include humus, which is moist and full of nutrients; manure, which is what it sounds like, though it’s been refined to the point where it no longer smells; or peat moss, which is harvested from peat bogs and is very rich in vitamins and nutrients for your garden.

Organic Fertilizers

While the soil you choose may appear to have adequate nutritional properties, many garden plants require a bit of extra help to produce top-quality vegetables. For example, bulbs such as onion and garlic – both of which grow well in small containers – like to have a healthy dose of bone meal. Tomatoes like an acidic soil, so adding decent dose of nitrogen keeps plants healthy and is a very important tactic for indoor organic gardening.

Remember to choose healthy plants for potting as they’ll fare better in the lower sunlight found in a typical apartment. However, you can also use artificial sunlight in the form of grow lamps or even simple fluorescent light fixtures to create better growing conditions. After purchasing keep the plants in a sunny place or in front of a window for two or more days before transplanting.  This helps plants to acclimate to their environment.

Growing Vegetables Indoors

Hanging baskets and containers can be used for planting bush beans directly from seed. Peas and other vines are usually planted in hanging baskets so that the plant can drape over the sides. Beans prefer morning sunlight, so an east-facing window is best.

Tomatoes can be planted indoors but individual pots must be used, not less than eight inches in diameter. Herbs like thyme, oregano, rosemary and basil can be planted in small pots in the kitchen. Plant them in separate containers and place them in the same window.

Apartment living doesn’t have to put an end to your gardening ambitions. Indoor organic gardening is a satisfying hobby that can be enjoyed in even the smallest of apartments. From tiny herbs like parsley and thyme to large tomato plants and even citrus trees, nearly every fruit and vegetable can be successfully grown indoors.

Creating Garden Soil

Ready-made soil purchased at your local gardening center usually contains chemically based nutrients. Instead of purchasing ready-made soils, consider using nutrient-rich compost. Compost bins are relatively easy to create and they are handy to keep around throughout the seasons. Essentially, compost is created from the natural waste of your kitchen with scraps such as egg shells, fruits, etc. If you are in a hurry to get your planting done, many garden centers sell organically created composts or compost starter kits as well.

Buy the Right Plant for the Site

Though you would love a blooming rose bush under the awnings of your front entranceway, without the proper sunlight your roses will most likely not bloom. Just the same, you will not be able to grow herbs in heavy clay soil. By understanding the current conditions of your planting location, you can plant the right flowers, herbs and other items that will grow successfully in that location.

Start with Healthy Plants

Though your local garden center is having a clearance on a few plants, a bargain is not the way to go when it comes to gardening. Purchasing plants that are already wilted or which have been grown in a pot in high heat for three months is not the best start to your organic gardening experience. Ensure you are purchasing fresh and new plants that have not been overexposed to the elements. You will also want to inspect your plants for any pest infestations or signs of spider mites. Things to look for are broken leaves, sagging petals, black spots on petals or leaves, and even small holes.

Organic Fertilizers and Garden Maintenance

All plants need some sort of routine maintenance to survive and there is no such thing as a no-maintenance garden. Always ensure that your garden has a solid three inch layer of organic mulch created from compost and replenish it as it decomposes into the soil over time. Water your established plants less often, but ensure that water reaches the roots. The best method for reaching the roots of your plants is the use of a soaker hose, which can be purchased at just about any gardening center. Purchase organic-based fertilizers, but use them sparingly and always according to directions; using too much fertilizer, even when organic, can burn your plant’s roots.

Pest Control

Garden pests are a way of life and they will never be completely out of your hair. One of the best ways to prevent a full-blown infestation is to monitor your garden regularly for signs of unwanted insects or pests. If you note any diseased leaves, prune them away immediately. By controlling problems early, you can prevent the spread of insects and diseases to other portions of the garden.

When it comes to the use of pesticides, commercial varieties can have over fifteen different chemicals and ingredients listed on their contents. Often these pesticides are harmful to essential insects such as bees, butterflies, and parasite-eating wasps. So instead of removing pests you want in your garden, purchase organically based pesticides that are specifically targeted to a particular type of pest. Also, it is important to note that a small amount of pests is actually okay. Nature brings to you the lady bugs, which are natural pest eaters, especially of spider mites.

Organic gardening can be a rewarding experience. You will notice the difference instantly in your flowers as they bloom or when you taste the vibrant and tantalizing flavors of fruits and vegetables from your garden. Without exposing your garden, nature or yourself to unwanted chemicals, you can live a healthier lifestyle and promote the health of your garden’s soil.

Isolate Infected Plants
If you are able to, immediately move the infected plants away from any healthy ones. Keep those that are infected clustered together. Since spider mites are notorious for using air currents to transport them to different feeding grounds, it is important that they are contained in an area in which they cannot easily jump to a healthy plant for feeding. Keeping the infected plants clustered will also help them retain moisture, which is something spider mites hate. Since spider mites rely on evaporative properties of dry air, they are not able to reproduce in moister environments.

Retain Humidity and Moisture
As stated before, spider mites cannot thrive in moist environments. Therefore adding moisture and aiding in retaining that plus humidity will help limit the reproduction and ability to feed of your spider mites. To do this, simply place your potted plants on plates or platters to help from any moisture leaking out from the bottom. You can also fill gaps in the soil with peat moss. If you are able to bring your plants in doors, this will aide in keeping them moist and humid. Mist your plants thoroughly at least two to three times per day. This can be done with outdoor plants as well. Be sure to only spray enough to drown the spider mites, but not your plants. For plants that you are able to take indoors, a cool mist humidifier works well to keep the humidity up.

Limit Late Afternoon Sun Exposure
Spider mites love the afternoon sun. If you are able to remove your plants fully from the sun and place them in well-shaded areas, you can limit the cozy environment you are providing for your spider mites. The best place to place your plants is indoors.

Spider Mite Treatments
If you are unable to rid your plants of spider mites even after you have increased moisture and limited sun exposure, then the next step is a treatment. This does not mean you have to use chemically-infused treatments, though. There are still many natural remedies that can be used first.
•Rubbing Alcohol – A simple compound of 1:1 rubbing alcohol to water can be effective against spider mites. Simply mix this solution in a spray bottle and apply to your infected plants up to twice a day. Rubbing alcohol is deadly to insects, but relatively safe to plants since it dries quickly and without leaving a residue. Be sure to spray your solution on the bottom of the leaves where spider mites tend to reside, but also cover the entire plant to ensure you catch any stragglers.
•Lady Bug Exposure – Another popular method for ridding your plants of spider mites is the use of lady bugs. Lady bugs are natural predators of spider mites and can easily rid your plant life of this pest in less than 24 hours. Purchase lady bugs from your local gardening supplier and carefully lay them on your infected plants to feed.
•Lemon Water – A solution of 2 parts lemon to 3 part water can work just as well at removing spider mites. The natural acidic properties in lemon juice will deter spider mites from reproducing or feasting on the particular leaves sprayed with this solution.

The Uses for Neem Oil

Neem oil is the best treatment for common garden ailments that can include insects, fungus and diseases.  When it comes to the problem of pests and insects, neem oil safely kills and prevents them from coming back to harm your garden.  Using neem oil will also protect your garden against diseases and fungus such as black spot, rust and even mildew.

The Advantages of Using Neem Oil

There are a lot of advantages to using neem oil, but the biggest one is that it is completely non-toxic.  That means that when you use a product containing this essential oil, you will not harm essentials to your garden such as earthworms, spiders, ladybugs, honey bees or even wasps.  It is also non-toxic to human beings and birds; therefore it is safe to use both indoors and out.  Not only is it non-toxic, but it is also an organic product derived directly from the neem tree and it is completely biodegradable so there will be no harmful residue left behind.  Neem oil is completely safe for fruits and vegetables and you will notice that there is no film or residue left behind on the items that are freshly picked from your garden.

How to Use Neem Oil Effectively

When you purchase neem oil, you will typically find it in both pure and diluted form.  It is usually recommended for beginners that you buy the pre-diluted form so that you do not have to worry about messing up the ratios or worrying about how much oil to water you will need.  Even when purchasing pre-diluted mixes, you will need to shake or stir them prior to applying them to your garden.  Oil and water tend to separate and this is no different when it comes to neem oil and water.

For insecticides that are organic, mix a dab of neem oil with insecticidal soap to create a strong treatment for your garden.  Prior to spraying the solution on your garden, ensure that your mixture is the right concentration for your type of garden.  Different solutions are meant for fruits, vegetables and flowers. Most manufacturers will have their own table and uses listed on the back, so be sure to follow instructions carefully.

Other Common Uses of Neem Oil

Believe it or not, neem oil is not just meant to be used in a gardening aspect. It is also a common ingredient found in things like organic cosmetics, shampoos (both human and animal), insect repellents, and even antiseptic solutions.  Though it is commonly used, you should always consult a physician prior to using it directly on your own skin and all fruits and vegetables should be washed regardless of how harmless the solution may be.

Dyna-Gro Pure Neem Oil – 8 Ounces

• Neem oil leaf polish solution
• 100% Natural, free of water and additives
• Simple to use and biodegradable
• Take your gardening to the next level

Price: $ 6.79

How Much?

Before you begin, sit down and think about how much compost you need, how much kitchen and yard waste you generate, and what kind of space you have. Depending on these factors, you’ll need to decide whether or not you want to go with indoor or outdoor composting, whether or not you want to use worms, and whether or not you want a bin.

Indoor composting is recommended for people whose space is limited, such as those with small houses and yards or apartment dwellers.

Worms are often used in small, indoor compost systems.

For those with larger outdoor areas, compost bins can be built outdoors for little money and effort. You can also compost without a bin and simply make a pile in a sheltered corner of your yard.

Build the Bin

If you are going to compost indoors, you will need a container of some sort, and worms are considered essential for indoor composting. You can purchase a ready-made worm composting system, or you can make your own by poking holes in an opaque, plastic container and setting it on a drainage tray. The worms initially feed on wet, shredded newspaper; then you begin adding kitchen scraps and more newspaper. The worm bin should never be allowed to get below 55 degrees.

For an outdoor bin, a low-cost, easy method is to use wooden packing pallets. Most stores that receive shipments in these slatted containers are fine with people taking them (use packing pallets are usually discarded). You just need four of the pallets to make an open-topped square to hold your compost. You can wire or nail them together; just make sure one side is easily removed so you can access the compost.

Piles of Compost

If you don’t want to build a bin, you can just make a pile of yard and kitchen scraps. You will need to turn it often to keep its heaped shape, but this basic method can work. It seems to work best if the compost pile is against a house or other building.

Compost Care and Feeding

Excepting dairy products, fish and meat, you can put most kitchen scraps into your compost, including egg shells, tea leaves, and coffee grounds. Any organic matter from your yard can be added, such as hay, straw, cut grass, leaves, mulch, wood chips, and slender prunings from shrubs. You can also add a modest amount of shredded newspaper. Any paper, however, takes longer to decompose.

If you have chickens, the cleanings from their coop can be added to the compost. Chicken manure makes the compost rich and full of nutrients. However, the waste from other pets (dogs, cats, etc.) should not be added to compost.

Turn your compost once a month or so, stirring to aerate it and get the top layer down into the middle.

Water your compost briefly with a garden hose if the weather is very dry. Better yet, water it with rain water from a rain barrel.

So to get the biggest and best fruit, vegetables and flowers from your garden you will need some type of organic garden fertilizer. If you have it, you can use compost produced in your own garden. If not, you have several other choices.

1. Manure and guano

One of the oldest forms of fertilizer used in both farming and gardening is manure or guano. If you have access to horses or other large animals you may be able to use their manure on your garden. However, it has the disadvantage of being rather odorous.

You will also want to think about whether the animals have been raised and fed organically. If not, their manure could contain chemicals and hormones that you may not want in your organic garden.

An alternative natural organic garden fertilizer is bat guano. This is one of the richest and most concentrated fertilizers for the soil that you will find. Containing high quantities of nitrogen and phosphorous, it is particularly good for flowering plants.

Bat guano is also reported to be effective in neutralizing or removing certain toxins from the soil. This makes it an ideal choice if you are converting a garden that has not been managed in an organic way in the past.

2. Seaweed

Seaweed or kelp is a vegetable-based source of fertilizer for gardens. It is particularly rich in iodine, potassium and other minerals. If used in its pure form, it contains no animal products and may therefore be more suitable for vegans and strict vegetarians than many other products.

Often, seaweed extract is used to produce organic garden fertilizer. The extract may be mixed with water or with other products to increase its mineral profile.

Seaweed based organic garden fertilizer can help to promote disease resistance and healthy root and seed growth in your plants. It is especially good for leafy plants like tomatoes, bell peppers and corn. It has the advantage of delivering its nutrients in a form that is very easily absorbed by plants.

3. Worm castings

Worm castings are the earth that has been ingested, partially digested and excreted by worms as they pass through the soil. You can often see them left as thin spirals of fine soil on the surface of beds. They make good fertilizer and are particularly beneficial for the roots of plants including root vegetables and grass lawns.

Worm castings will be formed naturally by the worms in your garden if you have plenty. If your garden is newly established or you want to increase the variety of worm castings, you can buy either the castings or live worms from garden supply stores.

4. Bone meal

Many regular fertilizers contain bone meal, but you can also find organic garden fertilizer that is based on by products of animal farming including bone and blood meal.

You can either choose a fertilizer that is 100% organic or one that is all natural but not certified organic. You may decide to choose the all natural option if you think that your garden has non-organic aspects anyway, for example from neighbors’ chemical sprays. But if you want to be sure that your garden remains completely organic, you will want 100% organic garden fertilizer.