Your timing could not be better. Listed below are some tips that will help you get started with your organic gardening aspirations.
When planting perennials, seek out those that are resistant to slugs. These mollusks are capable of consuming an entire garden full of flowers in a single night. Young plants with smooth and tender leaves are their favorite. Perennials with hairy, tough leaves as well as those with unpleasant taste are not appetizing to snails and slugs. Several good choices include heuchera, campanula, achillea, and euphorbia.
A set of knee pads are a life saver if you're an avid gardener and a lot of your plants sit close to the ground. Gardening can really put a lot of pressure on your knees that will leave you cramped and uncomfortable. Having a good pair of knee pads will cushion your knees in comfort.
Divide your irises. If you divide the overgrown clumps of flowers, you'll find that your stock grows proportionally. When the foliage has died off, it is time to harvest the iris bulbs. The bulbs will then split naturally in the palm of your hand and if they're re-planted, they can flower next year. Divide rhizomes with a knife. Get rid of the center and keep the new pieces you cut from the outside. Each new piece you cut should possess at least one healthy offshoot. The quicker you can replant your cuttings, the better chances they will reappear next season.
Both cat grass and wheat grass are good for giving your errant feline pause. Alternatively, you can try putting mothballs, citrus peel or anything else with an odor that cats find distasteful in the soil surrounding the plants.
Keep your plants dry and aerated daily. Many diseases, as well as most parasites, prefer moisture. Fungi are parasites that are common in the plant world. Fungi can be controlled with fungicide sprays, but it is important to treat your area with the spray, before you see any problems.
Irises can be easily divided. Splitting up overgrown groups of irises will allow you to easily increase the number of irises in your garden. Lift the dead bulbous irises. The bulbs will then split naturally in the palm of your hand and if they're re-planted, they can flower next year. If you have a rhizome you will need to split it with a knife. Cut the new pieces from its outside and dispose of the older center. Every piece is suppose to have at least one durable offshoot. With this in mind, be sure to prune your heather while wearing gardening gloves.
Try placing evergreens that grow berries around your garden. They add color to your yard, throughout the year. Other plants that boast of winter berries include: Holly, Snowberry and Winterberry.
Pine mulch can be highly effective under the right conditions. Acidic soil is a favorite of garden plants that are high in acidity. 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 two inches of needles; acid will be dispersed into the soil as they decompose.
When your seeds sprout, they will not be in need of the warmth they needed to germinate.
