5 tips to make organic gardening easier.

Organic gardening has many advantages and this article will offer you 5 tips to make organic gardening easier.

Organic Gardening Tip #1:
Mulch your trees and flower beds with 3” of organic material. When you use this organic gardening tip you will be able to add humus and nutrients. You can also conserve water and keep weeds at bay. If you are growing plants that need acid you can use a thick layer of pine needles. Organic gardening with pine needle mulch will be perfect if used in the fall because over the course of the winter they will decompose and the needed acid will be added naturally to the soil.


Organic Gardening Tip #2:
You need to maintain healthy soil if you want to be successful at organic gardening. The most important step in maintaining healthy soil while engaged in organic gardening is to keep on top of pest management. When pests are controlled in organic gardening the plants will be healthy and more able to withstand insect and disease damage. If you are bothered while organic gardening with aphids you can spray the infested leaves, stems and buds with a diluted solution of soapy water followed with clear water.

Organic Gardening Tip #3:
Try composting as part of your organic gardening regimen. When you make composting part of organic gardening you will improve the texture, soil structure and aeration. Composting also increases the capacity for the soil to hold water. There are organic and natural ways to fertilize when you are organic gardening. Try these instead of chemical fertilizers.

Organic Gardening Tip #4:
Organic gardening gardeners should always keep in mind the best plants for their soil, sun, temperature range and shade. All these factors come into play while organic gardening. Choosing well-adapted plant types is a way to ensure successful organic gardening. When you landscape your yard using organic gardening strategies you can increase your original investment by as much as 200%.

Organic Gardening Tips #5:
Organic gardening shade gardens are low maintenance. You will need less water and have fewer weeds to deal with. Speaking of weeds; try using full-strength household vinegar on a sunny day. Just spray on the plants and you have an organic gardening solution that is safe for people, pets, wildlife and the environment.

These organic gardening tips should come in handy for all organic gardeners, novice or experienced alike.

By: Cindy Mauro -
Article Directory: http://www.articledashboard.com
Cindy Mauro has been an organic gardener for many years and enjoys sharing her tips with others. She is a contributing author at 4BestGardening.com For more gardening tips go to: Gardening Tips

Growing Organic Food - Basic Guidelines

Everyone - including the backyard gardener - who wants to grow food in a way that is sustainable and that respects the natural environment can benefit from using the federal organic guidelines from the Organic Food Production Act that took effect in 2002. These federal standards for organic cultivation were designed by people with a profound knowledge of how to produce food ecologically.

With the home gardener rather than the market gardener especially in mind, what follows here is an overview and some highlights of the standards and regulations. For more details, visit the US Department of Agriculture (USDA) website: www.ams.usda.gov. Click "National Organic Program."

~~Soil~~
In an organic gardening system, soil health is fundamental to success. Even though natural fertilizers and other inputs are used in organic gardening, they are minimized by regular additions of organic material to feed and improve the soil. This material can come, for instance, from tilling in cover crops and from using approved soil amendments such as compost.

Raw animal manures are not to be used as soil amendments within six months of harvest for root crops. For crops where the edible part never touches the soil, raw animal manures are not used within three months of harvest. Sewage sludge is absolutely banned. Crop residues can be chopped into the soil, but not burned.

~~Pests~~
Biological pesticides can be used, but should be viewed as a last resort. Before spraying a pesticide, organic gardeners can use predators of the pest species, develop habitat to encourage the natural enemies of pests, and use controls like traps and non-synthetic repellants.

~~Diseases~~
Prevention is the idea. Plants grown in healthy soil are naturally resistant to disease. Crop rotation and selecting the right varieties also contribute to disease control. If, however, there is still a problem, visit the USDA web site mentioned above and select from the National List of biologicals and botanicals that are permitted to certified organic growers.

~~Weeds~~
The federal organic standards allow no herbicides. Control weeds by tilling, hand weeding, mowing, etc. Also, natural mulches (e.g. straw) are useful.

~~Seeds and Transplants~~
These must also be organic for the crop to be labeled organic.

The backyard gardener who is interested in growing organically for the nutritional and environmental benefit rather than for the purpose of marketing, probably doesn't need all the nitty gritty details of the Organic Food Production Law.

Just use the basic guidelines and act with respect for nature, and you're on the way to producing organic food. It's well worth it: healthier for people and healthier for the environment.

Judith Schwader specializes in organic gardening methods, and shares tips and advice for your gardening success at atozgardening.com. Visit now for valuable information to enhance your gardening experience. Also visit fbhome.com/ for additional home and garden information.
Article Source: http://www.articles.ask-me-about.com