Infolific » Organic Gardening

Potting Mixtures

Donna Winchenbach — Thu, 10 May 2012 22:48:05 +0000

Trial and error is the only way to evaluate commercial organic potting mixtures. Once you have found one that suits your plants, it is best to stick to it. Or you can make your own. Making potting mixtures To make soil-less potting mixture, add 1 oz Dolomite lime to every [...]

Grafting and Budding

Donna Winchenbach — Fri, 04 May 2012 08:17:35 +0000

These are two similar techniques used to put new varieties on to existing plants, particularly fruit trees, and certain ornamental plants. Grafting is generally used to change a variety of an apple or pear tree completely, or to put a pollinator on to an existing tree. With the latter, if [...]

Wild Flowers and Alpines

Donna Winchenbach — Mon, 30 Apr 2012 07:09:06 +0000

Wild flowers grown in a wildlife meadow associate very well with naturalized bulbs. Wild flowers can be also grown in the borders, where, manured and fertilized with the other plantings, they grow much bigger, with many more flowers. There are several specialists who sell wild flower seeds, and most retail [...]

Starting an Organic Garden From Seeds

Donna Winchenbach — Fri, 27 Apr 2012 06:25:53 +0000

The modern trend is towards "convenience gardening", and a whole industry has developed to service this market. We are encouraged to buy young plants from garden centers or nurseries. For the organic gardener, this "convenience" method is not good enough. First, you probably want to do the whole thing from [...]

Leaf Vegetables: A Guide to Growing

Donna Winchenbach — Sat, 21 Apr 2012 16:28:41 +0000

Most leaf vegetables are brassicas and therefore prone to club-root disease so crop rotation and careful soil preparation are essential. As for soil and site requirements for brassicas, lime soil if necessary to raise the pH to 6.5-7.0. Dig in any spare compost or manure. Add two handfuls of all-purpose [...]

Fruit Pests and Diseases

Donna Winchenbach — Sat, 10 Mar 2012 16:41:19 +0000

Fruit is attacked by a number of general garden pests and diseases such as aphids, birds, botrytis and mildew; and also some more specialized pests which attack only certain species of fruit. General Pests and Diseases Some pests and diseases will affect any plant, wherever it grows in the garden. [...]

Crop Rotation

Donna Winchenbach — Wed, 29 Feb 2012 13:35:38 +0000

Grouping crops with similar needs and planting them in a different place each year makes better use of your resources. This is known as crop rotation. It also helps against pests and diseases, though it does not always prevent them. Divide your vegetable plot into three, manure only a third [...]

Drawing a Plan for an Organic Garden

Donna Winchenbach — Fri, 17 Feb 2012 10:43:54 +0000

Once you have made your lists and have a good idea of your priorities, make a detailed plan of how you will carry out the work. First measure the boundaries of the garden, draw the area on a piece of paper, then transfer it to graph paper. If your house [...]

Pod and Seed Vegetables: A Guide to Growing

Donna Winchenbach — Wed, 08 Feb 2012 19:58:37 +0000

Aside from the pleasure in eating peas and beans and the like fresh from the pod, these leguminous plants have other benefits to the organic gardener. Their ability to "fix" nitrogen in the soil means that not only do they need little feeding, but that, if you dig the plants [...]

How to Make Good Compost

Donna Winchenbach — Sat, 04 Feb 2012 18:53:55 +0000

Obviously, the first requirement for good compost is something to compost. Then the heap needs air, nitrogen, lime, water, heat, and bacteria. There are a great many old wives' tales about what can and cannot be used, but the rule is very simple: anything entirely organic in origin can be [...]

Shrubs

Donna Winchenbach — Sat, 21 Jan 2012 14:41:05 +0000

Shrubs form the framework of any border as well as attracting birds and insects. Some plants, including the beautiful butterfly bush (Buddleia davidii), prove irresistible to butterflies. Birds, on the other hand, particularly appreciate dense, berried shrubs like the snowberry (Symphoricarpos doorenbosii). When choosing shrubs, cast your mind forward at [...]

Roses

Donna Winchenbach — Fri, 13 Jan 2012 11:20:52 +0000

A particularly popular shrub is the rose. There are many types of rose and classification can be confusing. Species roses are the original ancestors of modern, hybrid roses and should be grown in the same way as other shrubs. The modern, hybrid roses can be grown as bushes or standards [...]

Controlling Animals in Organic Gardens

Donna Winchenbach — Sat, 31 Dec 2011 22:02:04 +0000

The most destructive pests in gardens are the larger ones -- birds, deer, rabbits, moles, mice, and so on. There is no doubt that the most effective control is to prevent them reaching the crops by physical means. Animals Animals such as porcupines, frogs, and toads should be encouraged in [...]

Protecting Crops Against Cold

Donna Winchenbach — Sat, 22 Oct 2011 14:42:59 +0000

In temperate climates, the earliest crops have to be grown in a heated greenhouse, but many vegetables can be accelerated by at least a month by using cloches, teepees or row covers -- simple synthetic or glass covers -- outside, with no heating. To raise an early crop, use these [...]

Growing Citrus Fruit Trees

Donna Winchenbach — Thu, 06 Oct 2011 11:24:27 +0000

In temperate climates, grow citrus trees in a greenhouse, or varieties recommended for outdoor use in tubs of diameter at least 18 in, with soil-based potting compost at 45°F or more. Water well during growing season, but allow to dry out between each watering. In summer, spray foliage every morning [...]

Choosing the Right Garden Tools

Donna Winchenbach — Sun, 17 Jul 2011 06:22:33 +0000

If you are new to gardening, you might easily spend hundreds of dollars on a complete set of tools. Alternatively, by choosing the bare essentials, you can buy just what you need for relatively little money. Bear in mind, however, that it is a false economy to buy anything but [...]

Herbs: A Guide to Growing

Donna Winchenbach — Thu, 14 Jul 2011 05:35:00 +0000

he following pages explain how to grow a basic selection of herbs, but there are hundreds of different kinds with culinary and decorative attributes (such as potpourri, flower arranging, and cosmetics), so you may well want to experiment with others. Many herbs will grow from seeds and readily self-seed once [...]

Natural Pest Control

Donna Winchenbach — Mon, 11 Jul 2011 05:33:18 +0000

A natural balance in the organic garden ensures predators to feed on garden pests. A simple rule for distinguishing between "friend" and "foe" is that pests are usually slow-moving and predators faster and more agile. Attracting helpful creatures often eradicates or lessens the need for other forms of pest control. [...]

Useful Weeds for Organic Gardens

Donna Winchenbach — Fri, 08 Jul 2011 05:31:19 +0000

It is important to be able to recognize weeds that can play a constructive role in an organic garden. Do not grow weeds where they will compete with cultivated plants, but think again before digging up any of the useful weeds shown. Weeds can embellish your garden; attractive ones, like [...]

Ponds

Donna Winchenbach — Tue, 05 Jul 2011 04:46:27 +0000

The simplest way of making a pond is to buy a ready-made waterproof shell and dig a hole for it. Alternatively, dig a hole the size you want and line it with a flexible P.V.C. liner or a butyl-rubber liner (slightly more expensive, but much more durable). Dig the hole [...]