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Organic Gardening Tips

Organic gardening is the way of growing vegetables and fruits with the use of things only found in nature.

Why would one want to indulge in organic gardening?

- One can easily make compost from garden and kitchen waste. Though this is a bit more time-consuming than buying prepared chemical pesticides and fertilizers, it certainly helps to put garbage to good use and so saves the environment.

- Organic farming does not use chemicals that may have an adverse affect on your health. This is especially important when growing vegetables. Chemical companies tell us that the chemicals we use are safe if used according to direction, but research shows that even tiny amounts of poisons absorbed through the skin can cause such things as cancer, especially in children.

On the average, a child ingests four to five times more cancer-causing pesticides from foods than an adult. This can lead to various diseases later on in the child’s life. With organic gardening, these incidents are lessened.

Remember, pesticides contain toxins that have only one purpose – to kill living things.

- Less harm to the environment. Poisons are often washed into our waterways, causing death to the native fish and polluting their habitat.

- Organic farming practices help prevent the loss of topsoil through erosion. The Soil Conservation Service says that an estimated 30 – 32 billion tons of soil erodes from United States farmlands every year.

- Cost savings. One does not need to buy costly chemical fertilizers and pesticides with organic gardening. Many organic recipes for the control of pest and disease come straight from the kitchen cupboard. Sometimes other plants can be grown as companions to the main crop. An example of this is the marigold, which helps to repel aphids from vegetables.

Mixing 1 tablespoon of liquid dishwashing soap and 1 cup of cooking oil can make a cheap garden pest spray. Put 3 tablespoons of this mixture in 1 quart of water and spray on plants.

- A simple mulch of pine needles will help to suppress the growth of weeds as well as keeping the moisture in.

- Organic gardening practices help to keep the environment safe for future generations.

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July 15 2010 | Gardening | No Comments »

Portable Greenhouse Do’s and Don’ts

Portable greenhouses can be very beneficial to those who already have large gardens established or for those just beginning to show an interest in growing fruits, plants, and vegetables. These greenhouses often come in kits and can be put together in less than a couple of hours depending on the size of the structure. Portable greenhouse kits can be as large as a regular outdoor shed or as small as a tiny bookcase.

Once your portable greenhouse is assembled you certainly don’t have to keep it in one place. A main benefit of these structures is their flexibility. However, once you have the greenhouse put together some will obviously be easier to move than others. Smaller greenhouse kits will be easy to move but larger portable greenhouses may require a few people if you want to move it from one area of your yard to another after it’s been put together. You’ll definitely want to take this into consideration when deciding what type of portable greenhouse to purchase.

There are also a variety of smaller portable greenhouses that are designed to be kept inside your home. You can use these greenhouse for many purposes, including keeping sensitive plants indoors during cold nights, or protecting them from the long, cold winter. Many gardeners also use indoor greenhouse to start growing seeds which are then planted outside once they grow into seedlings or juvenile plants. You can also use these smaller greenhouses to practice your gardening skills before moving to the great outdoors.

Not sure if gardening is the hobby for you? A portable greenhouse is a great way to get your feet wet and practice planting vegetables and flowers without making a huge commitment in terms of time and money. All you have to do is simply pack up your greenhouse if you decide that you don’t have a green thumb. You can’t do this with a permanent greenhouse building that in addition to costing a lot of money, will become a fixed structure in your yard once it’s been established.

A small portable greenhouse also fits nicely on a small apartment deck or patio and is perfect for those that enjoy gardening but don’t have a lot of extra yard space. Most of these greenhouses come in kits that need to be assembled but are usually very easy to put together. Some are more structurally sound than others and if you plan on keeping your greenhouse outdoors during bad weather you may want to find a way to hold it down so it doesn’t topple over or blow away during a storm.

Some gardeners recommend tying the greenhouse down with additional stakes and ropes or adding weight to the floor with something like a black solar bag filled with sand or water. You can also purchase additional ropes and tie-downs to add a little extra security to your structure.

Before you order your portable greenhouse you want to make sure it meets all your requirements for size, storage, and portability. There’s no use purchasing a kit if it doesn’t fit where you want to put it or doesn’t have enough room for all your plants and flowers. There are many portable greenhouse kits available to choose from so make sure you do your homework before you spend a lot of money.

April 19 2009 | Gardening | No Comments »