Easy Organic Gardening Tips

Decaying Material

• Microorganisms settle into the role of creating nutrient-rich soil. The more nutrients in the soil, the healthier the garden grows. Look for quickly-decaying material to add to your soil like grass clippings, vegetable scraps and straw.

Adding Nutrients

• Potassium, phosphate and nitrogen are vital elements in the raising of organic crops. Adding organic fertilizer is the first step toward making sure that your garden gets enough potassium. On top of fertilizer, add crushed rock phosphate to give your garden additional phosphate. Alfalfa meal can help provide more nitrogen, and green sand gives the garden more potassium.

Companion Planting

• Companion planting is an effective organic approach to dealing with unwanted pests. Peppermint can help stem the tide of red ants when planted alongside cabbage and peonies. Coriander controls infestation by aphids and spider mites and can be planted throughout an entire garden.

Homemade Insecticide

• A homemade spray can also be effective as an organic pesticide. Blend 1/2 cup of hot peppers or garlic with 2 cups of water. Place this mixture into a sprayer and mist it over infested plants.

Bonemeal

• Bonemeal should be applied close to the root zone. Make sure to use the finest-ground bonemeal that you can get. When planting trees, shrubs and bulbs, work the bonemeal into the holes.

Soil Replenishment

• The soil in your organic garden should be replenished every year with organic matter. This material is constantly breaking down, which is especially true in hotter areas of the country. The presence of live organisms actively breaking down can cause the soil to lose nutrients. Mulch between flower beds with compost or leaves. You should take every opportunity you can to dig into the soil, as this will help with the replenishment of nutrients.

Aeration

• The organisms that survive on organic matter in the soil need to be able to efficiently process the nutrients that plants need. The best way to facilitate this process, so necessary to an organic garden, is to open up the soil so air can effectively enter. An organic garden depends on proper aeration of the soil to ensure that those organisms can survive and hardily carry on their part in the process.