Organic Forums: Garden

Showing posts with label Garden. Show all posts

Mushroom Compost - 7 Organic Vegetable Garden Benefits

Spent mushroom compost, also know as "spent mushroom substrate" or "mushroom soil," is fast growing in popularity for organic soil amending. Crops thrive with 7 organic vegetable garden benefits of mushroom compost. Generally containing coconut hulls, hay, corn cobs, cottonseed meal, poultry manure and straw horse bedding, the pure compost is dark, rich and odorless.

1) Completely recycled
This compost is the discarded after mushrooms have grown in it. Fresh compost can only be used once to grow mushrooms, so the used or spent compost must be disposed of. One excellent way to recycle these "leftovers" is to nourish your vegetable garden. Considered a renewable alternative to peat moss, recycled compost can also help save the peat bogs' delicate ecological balance.

Organic

2) Adds organic matter to the soil
Just like regular organic garden compost, microbial activity is created as it breaks down, creating humus. Excellent at breaking up clay soil, amend generously in your soil to create a rich loamy texture. Remember that all organics continue to break down. After a few months you may need to add a top layer to container plants. A 3 to 6 inch outdoor application is expected to last 2 to 5 years.

Mushroom Compost - 7 Organic Vegetable Garden Benefits

3) Drought resistant
Compost conserves moisture to plants by increasing the capacity to hold water, while aerating the soil at the same time. The fungal activity of previous mushroom growing creates a moist barrier against drought and searing heat. This is excellent for vegetable gardens by improving soil structure and saving water costs, especial in arid zones.

4) Controls Garden Pests
Mushroom compost is organic matter that creates good microbial action. Beneficial microbes in turn encourage beneficial insects, earth worm activity and discourage diseases. All these natural controls help gardeners avoid the use of potentially dangerous garden chemicals that can harm our earth and threaten our family and pet health.

5) Fast growing plants and vegetables
Research shows beneficial fungus or mycorrhizae work with plants to produce synergistic energy that results in rapid growth. Since spent mushroom compost used to host mushrooms, it is full of this good fungus and reports abound about fantastic plant growth. Naturally low in nitrogen, mushroom compost does not encourage over leafy growth, making it ideal for flower bearing plants like vegetables.

6) Weed free
Mushrooms must be grown in medium that has been sterilized and composted, so the left over compost is weed and plant pathogen free. This makes perfect mulch for vegetable and flower gardens, trees, shrubs and top dressings for existing lawns. With this compost you can be confident you are not bringing in unwanted weed seeds to compete with your plants.

7) Pleasant smelling
Properly made and stored, this compost does not smell bad. In fact, it has an almost sweet smell when fresh. Even that odor quickly dissipates once put in the ground. A refreshing relief for gardeners every where who may be used to cow or poultry manures as organic fertilizer. No longer will your neighbors shoot you dirty looks for growing organic. If spent mushroom compost has a foul odor, don't use it unless you re-compost.

Mushroom Compost - 7 Organic Vegetable Garden Benefits

Rhonda Abrons bags spent mushroom compost in Austin, Texas. For more information and a free sample of 100% spent mushroom compost, visit [http://mushroomcompostblog.com]

How to Make Your Own Organic Insecticidal Soap and Keep Your Garden Chemical Free

Many home plant pest problems can be easily solved by using a little insecticidal soap. It is easy and inexpensive to mix up your own organic insect killer at home. You will be saving money on pesticides and won't have to worry about dangerous chemicals on your food.

This recipe works best on soft-bodied pests like aphids, thrips, white flies and spider mites. These are among the most common garden pests. Insecticidal soaps kill insects by entering the pest's respiratory system and breaking down internal cell membranes. It is only effective when it is wet, so aim well. After it is dry it will not harm your beneficial insects. For heavy insect infestations, it is best to spray your plants again in a few days.

Organic

Here's a really simple recipe for insecticidal soap.

How to Make Your Own Organic Insecticidal Soap and Keep Your Garden Chemical Free

1 tablespoon of soap

2 cups water

Mix thoroughly and add to spray bottle. Spray directly onto the insects on your plants.

Be sure to check the label on your soap first. The key to this recipe is to use regular dish soap, not detergent or anything anti-bacterial. You can also use pure liquid castile soap.

You can super-charge your organic insecticidal soap to make it stick to hard-bodied pests like fleas. It also damages the protective waxy coating on insects. Add either one tablespoon of mineral oil or a vegetable oil to your mixture. Sunflower or olive oil will work well, any vegetable-based oil will break down faster in your soil. Oil will help the mixture stay on these pests so the soap has a chance to begin working. But it will also stick to your ladybug beetles so be careful where you are aiming.

Some plants (especially ferns) are sensitive to soaps. Do not use a soap mixture on ferns. New growth on plants may be too tender for soap, so apply sparingly art first. Plants under stress may have a bad reaction to any insecticide. Plants that are under stress from drought should be soaked with water the day before you treat them. You should always test your mixture first on just one leaf on your plant. If it is fine the next day, your solution should be OK to use. It is better not to spray your plants in the middle of the day. Full sun (especially on hairy plants) can turn the water droplets into little magnifying glasses which can burn the leaves.

Many garden pests like to hide underneath the leaves of plants. For best results aim upwards and get under that foliage. Aim directly at those bugs. You may need to spray your organic pesticide again in a few days if you have a heavy infestation of pests.

Making your own insecticidal soap is a great way to save money on your landscaping budget and keep your vegetable garden organic at the same time.

How to Make Your Own Organic Insecticidal Soap and Keep Your Garden Chemical Free

Laura Zinkan is a writer in California. She cultivates a gardening site at http://www.theGardenPages.com with plant profiles, growing tips about succulents and native plants. She also cooks up http://www.MomsRetro.com where you can find retro art and kitchen tips for busy cooks. 2009 by Laura Zinkan. Article may be reprinted if author credit is given with a website link. All rights reserved.

Garden Soil - Naturally Sterilizing Garden Soils With Solar

Most garden soils and especially organically created garden soil will never need the extremity of sterilization. However, in some instances such as nematode infestation, it may be desirable to completely sterilize the soil. The major drawback to this, whether naturally or chemically, is that it also kills beneficial soil organisms. However, depending on certain circumstances, it may be necessary.

It's almost impossible to eliminate all weeds seeds, diseases, nematodes, and insects. And especially organically or naturally. However, it is possible to cut the population of most to just a few simply by using the heat of the sun in the hottest part of Summer. That is, in most climates. I'll explain more on that later.

Organics

In the hottest part of Summer, usually August or July, it's possible to raise soil temperatures over four inches deep to above 120 degrees using clear plastic sheeting. Simply till or spade manure into the surface soil as deep as you can get it. The manure will help to generate heat.

Next, moisten the area and cover with clear plastic sheeting. Keep the sheeting on the ground and make sure all edges are tucked tightly, covered with dirt, or held down in another way. This will basically create an oven that will produce soil temperature often above 120 degrees. This will generally "cook" the largest percentage of unwanted soil problems. Keep covered and moist for at least four weeks.

In cooler climates where even Summer temperature don't get very high, it's possible that this method will actually help germinate some seeds and multiply unwanted soil diseases. It basically creates a cozy greenhouse atmosphere with good temperatures for germination.

On a smaller scale, you can have better success and possibly eliminate all unwanted diseases, weeds, nematodes, and insects. Placing soil in black pots, moistening, and covering tightly with clear plastic will produce soil temperatures in excess of 150-160 degrees. Keep covered for two weeks and make sure it stays moist. Not much can live in that.

Again, keep in mind that this also kills beneficial soil organisms. However, the tradeoff may be necessary. And you can rebuild the structure of the soil over time by adding lots of organics to the soil.

Garden Soil - Naturally Sterilizing Garden Soils With Solar

Article by Steve Boulden. Steve is the creator of The Landscape Design Site which offers free landscaping advice, tips, plans, and ideas to do it yourselfers and homeowners. For more landscaping ideas, visit his site at: www.the-landscape-design-site.com.

How to Use Chicken Manure in Your Garden For Fertilizer

Growing up in Central Florida, I was fortunate to have good year-round growing conditions. My grandparents were avid gardeners, and I remember the big jar painted white sitting on the counter to collect food for the compost pile. Once it was filled, my granddad would take it out to the compost bin and turn in, creating a rich soil. Although he composted, I was not introduced to chicken poop fertilizer until I was much older.

I was lucky to grow up with an awareness of composting, and once I moved and started a garden of my own, I had to investigate composting and fertilizing on my own, including chicken manure fertilizer. I went through quite a few plants that I "buried" instead of planted, since I did not take the time to invest in the right soil.

Organic

After a friend told me about chicken poop fertilizer as a great organic compound, I had to investigate on HOW to use, of all things, chicken poop! I had never heard of such a thing from my city grandparents, since ours was all turned food products mixed with dirt.

Upon reading up, I discovered that chicken manure fertilizer is the richest in nutrients of the animal manures. Because of the high content of nutrients, it's"hot manure". This means it will burn your plants if you just sprinkle it around. It works best to compost this manure before using it.

I had to learn how to compost with chicken poop fertilizer. It only took a few weeks for me to figure out what "burned" plants looked like from too much chicken manure fertilizer without enough other organic compounds.

In order to get your soil prepared with the chicken poop, add it to other organic ingredients. This can be vegetable and fruit leftovers, eggshells, coffee grounds, leaves and sticks. If you start in the fall and keep turning it, it will turn to rich looking dirt. Turn this into the ground when you till your garden, and the results with your chicken manure fertilizer will be amazing!

Experienced gardeners will tell you that you must use it when it is dry, not wet. Harvest the chicken poop yourself, or buy it from local farmers. If you raise the chickens anyway, then you might as well reap the benefits of the chicken poop.

As an aside, chickens also provide a great natural form of pest control and are very personable as pets. So if you have thought about using chicken poop fertilizer, there are more reasons than just the droppings to start a brood.

Now that I have incorporated chicken poop manure into my gardening, my potted plants and outdoor gardens have thrived. Try chicken manure fertilizer, just do it wisely to get the best results. Get the best vegetables and flower production from your plants possible - all while doing it "green" and using organic fertilizers.

How to Use Chicken Manure in Your Garden For Fertilizer

Suzie O'Connor is the owner of Chickenhousesplus.com who manufacturers Custom Built Chicken Houses and Chicken Coops in Central Florida, we also carry Fertile Chicken Eggs and Incubators for the homeowner who would like to start raising their own chickens for fresh eggs.

Mushroom Compost - 7 Organic Vegetable Garden Benefits

Organic

Mushroom Compost - 7 Organic Vegetable Garden Benefits

Rhonda Abrons bags spent mushroom compost in Austin, Texas. For more information and a free sample of 100% spent mushroom compost, visit [http://mushroomcompostblog.com]

Start a Small Farm or Make Money From Your Garden

Have you wanted to start a small farm? Interested in organic farming? Want to start a country Bed & Breakfast? Would you like to produce a nature-related home business income stream and make money from your garden? Any or all of these are more attainable now than ever.

Their size can range from an urban rooftop to a small town backyard to small acreage in the country. It's wonderful to have the sunlight and birdsong be your "office surroundings," and to tend the earth's life force while high class restaurants, world travelers, or your local community eagerly pay premium prices for your organic, heirloom and sustainable products.

Organic

You can grow many crops: Vintage cutting or edible flowers, rare ethnic and culinary herbs, medicinal herbs, heirloom and gourmet vegetables. There's a growing trend among those from urbanites to small town dwellers to those with small rural acreage (or in the process of buying it), who are starting sustainable home businesses that are earth and family friendly, or living the country life as real farmers again with rural traditions and the sound of birds and crickets from their porches. The huge demand for local, sustainable, and heirloom and gourmet foods, plus the growing demand for hand-made artisan foods and sustainably produced unique flowers and other unusual ornamentals is fueling this trend.

Farm examples include one who grows the crop used to make brooms, and sells hand-made ornamental or vintage brooms from his own crop. Or the spa mini-farmer who grows fresh ingredients for the facials for her local spas and estheticians, such as lavender, cucumber, and even pumpkin now proven to benefit the skin. Or the couple who raise tiny Shetland sheep that produce wool in many natural colors, and make hand-woven blankets sold for high prices online and to tourists who visit their area.

Whether you're planning to start a small farm, begin organic farming, start a country Bed & Breakfast, or earn money from your garden, to begin making this dream come true, start with the concept of the "Micro Eco-Farm" that brings them all together. It's the 21st century version of sustainably producing from the land in larger quantities in smaller space than anytime in history, because with technology and world travel, humans have now discovered and blended the best growing techniques that combine ancient discoveries (such as Chinese or French intensive growing methods) with cutting edge research on creating living soils and sustainable food supplies in smaller spaces than ever before understood.

To start a small farm, use micro eco-farming techniques to begin from as small as a half acre, and even stop there, or grow into a few more acres if you have the land. Start in your spare time until your business has built up enough to let you quit your office job. Micro eco-farming involves organic farming techniques, but adds beyond organics to make your mini-farm more productive than any farm in humankind's history.

To start a country Bed & Breakfast, plan your B&B's breakfast menus first, then design the small farm to grow the menu's products, the organic farm that will wrap around your B&B from the information gleaned from your menu. You may want to raise laying hens, blueberries, strawberries, a few antique apple and pear trees, an herbal tea garden, and a couple dairy goats. Your B&B customers will love this small farming demonstration and setting, and it all "synergizes." The goats and hens will provide organic fertilizer along with ingredients for breakfast omelets and yogurt, the chickens and goats can eat prunings from the plant crops, which will provide your customers with freshly baked blueberry muffins, strawberry jam and pear butter (which can also be sold as a product to your customers) and spicy apple bread and apple cider.

To make money from your garden, the possibilities are endless. You can grow a cutting garden with a flower stand out front to earn money from your garden, or sell the flower bouquets to in-town B&Bs that don't grow their own, or to restaurants and hotels; sell high priced rare gourmet food crops to nearby five star restaurants, such as rare edible flowers or fresh ethnic food crops.

Whether you plan to start a small farm, earn money in organic farming, make money from your garden, or open a country Bed & Breakfast, your livelihood will be helping restore the planet by maintaining green life and living soil to your outdoor "office."

Start a Small Farm or Make Money From Your Garden

About this Author

Barbara Adams
Hostess of the Center for the Micro Eco-Farming Movement
http://www.MicroEcoFarming.com
To find out more about the techniques and those who are making this dream come true, visit the Center for the Micro Eco-Farming Movement at http://www.MicroEcoFarming.com

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Barbara_Adams

Organic Gardening - Do Grass Clippings Make a Good Garden Mulch?

The topic of grass clippings to be used as a mulch is a very common question. It is an organic matter and will add benefits to the garden if used properly, but there are things to watch out for.

Understanding the basic function of mulching is very important when choosing a mulch. When applied properly it conserves moisture from both rainfall and other watering practices. You need a mulch that won't mat down and shed water, it needs to be a loose, course texture and a structure to allow water to penetrate through to get to the soil. It also needs to be able to maintain a thickness of about three inches without matting to be effective. A three inch layer of mulch is a good thickness to apply for weed suppression along with serving as an insulator to keep the garden soil warmer in the cold weather and cooler in the hot seasons to protect the root system of especially shallow rooted plants.

Organic

Organic mulches are a beneficial mulch to use because of there ability to add nutrients back into the soil as they decay, along with helping to improve the soils structure by creating an environment for the organisms that are beneficial to your gardens soil to survive.

Grass clippings are a common yard waste that shouldn't be or shouldn't exist if proper lawn care is practiced. Mowing a lawn at the proper height, 2/12 inches to 3 1/2 inches in with cool season grass and 1 1/2 to 2 1/2 inches for warm weather grass and mowing frequently by only cutting one third of the grass plants total height with a mulching blade on the lawnmower will allow the clippings to be fine enough to decompose in place.By allowing these clippings to decompose in place they will add nutrients back into the soil for your grass to benefit from. Grass clippings alone will provide about twenty five percent of the nutrients that grass needs alone, they contain about four percent nitrogen, two percent potassium and one percent phosphorus.

Now about using grass clippings for mulch in your garden. The first concern is contamination from insecticides, weed killers and other chemical fertilizers, especially if they have been applied to the grass within a three week period of when you want to use them. There are insecticides that are not to be applied to vegetable plants. Compaction is another problem with grass clippings. They tend to compact tightly and get soggy. They don't have a loose structure to allow for water to penetrate to the soil easily. When applied in a thick layer, grass clippings will heat up during the process of decomposing. This can damage the root system of certain plants, change the soil temperature that can lead to poor plant growth, and the possibility of disease development. The best method when using grass clippings as a mulch is to compost them first by the method of hot composting.

Organic Gardening - Do Grass Clippings Make a Good Garden Mulch?

A environment friendly and healthy way of gardening. Organic Gardening is away of gardening in harmony with nature. Growing a healthy and productive crop in a way that is healthier for both you and the environment.

John Yazo

http://www.organicheirloomgardening.com

Organic Garden Insecticides

I am an avid organic vegetable gardener. I take pride in my garden and all the vegetables that it produces for my family. Organic Gardening has saved me money and my family is eating healthier. My one problem is the bugs that eat my veggies. Finding natural, organic gardening insecticides to rid your garden of these pesky buggers is simple and easy.

Growing your own organic garden is rewarding, money saving and healthier for our families and our environment. Protecting your garden from plant eating pests with organic gardening insecticides is just as important.There are many ways that we can eliminate these pests with household items without causing damage to your family, pets and your environment.

Organic

There are many items that you have on hand that will deter pests in your garden and you can use as organic insecticides....

1. Eggshells are a great way to deter slugs. Crush the eggshells and spread them around your plants and/or in the soil. The eggshells are like broken pieces of glass to slugs. Use eggshells in your garden and no more slugs.

2. Dishwashing detergents is another household items that you can use as an Organic Insecticide. Just mix some dishwashing detergents with water and mix well. Spray your mixture and it will paralyze the pests eating your organic garden.

3. Garlic is a great organic garden insecticide, it's actually called an Allium, a bulb type plant that smells. You can crush your garlic, mix with water and spray your plants. Spraying your plants with this garlic mixture kills soft bodied insects and will even paralyze the flying insects.

Looking For Something A Little Stronger Yet Safe?

There are many organic insecticides that you can purchase that are environmentally safe for you and your family.

Natural garden insecticides made of Neem, which is used as one of the main ingredients for natural insecticides. Neem is from the Neem Tree and is a very low toxic insecticide. Neem will destroy soft body insects and will also help in increasing the reproduction of your plants.

Do You Count The Spots On Ladybugs?

Every time I see a ladybug, I have to make a wish and count the dots on their backs! Ladybugs are most common of all beneficial insects, as pretty as they are they are predators that feed on aphids, chinch bugs, asparagus beetle larvae, thrips, alfalfa weevils, bean thrips, grape root worms, Colorado potato beetle larvae, whitefly, and mites, as well as many other soft-bodied insects and eggs. Extremely cost effective, too!

Imagine ordering live ladybugs....but then again I had to order live ants for my son's school project, you just never know.

Organic Garden Insecticides

Ann Cohen is an organic garden who loves to share her tips and tricks about organic gardening. "There is nothing better than getting your hands in the soil and watching your plants grow!!! Getting a fresh organic tomato off the vine, doesn't get any better than that!!!"

Don't miss more tips and techniques...go Here!

Organic Gardening Guide - The Basic Elements You Need For a Healthy Garden

Having a garden is such a joy but building and managing is is so much better. There are many types of gardening styles and methods but probably the most popular and earth-friendly method is the organic gardening method or style. Organic gardening is basically the planting, caring, and harvesting of plants, crops, trees, and other flora using only organic substances such as natural soil, water, organic fertilizers, and complementary organic materials. In this organic gardening guide, you will learn more about the basic elements needed in order to produce a splendid and healthy garden for you and your friends to enjoy.

Basically, when it comes to organic gardening, there are three basic elements you need to remember and these three are: the Water, the Weather, and the Fertilizer.

Organic

It is extremely vital that you provide your organic water with enough water to help it stay moisturized every single day. Many plants and crops die due to the negligence of watering daily. Also, do not over water them. Plants and crops may also die from drowning because too much water traps oxygen particles in the soils thus leaving the plants and crops unable to breathe.

It is very important to know and consider the weather or climate of the place you will plant the garden. Only choose plants, crops, or any vegetative matter that can survive and thrive in your local temperature. This is very important as no matter how much time and effort you place in the garden, if the plants cannot withstand the weather, they will most certainly die.

The last element of this organic gardening guide is the use of the fertilizer. Inorganic fertilizers are a big no when it come to organic gardening as it produces long-term negative effects with continual application. Due to its high salt content, inorganic fertilizers may cause certain biological pathways such as water to be blocked by the salts taken in by the plant. That causes the plant to die. The best alternative is to make use of organic fertilizers which can be bought at your local gardening stores. You can also make use of dung or fecal matter as your organic fertilizer. It really helps a lot!

Those three are the basic elements you should have and be knowledgeable about. They are the most vital organic gardening guide to keep in mind. Just follow and consider them and you are sure to have a healthy organic garden.

Organic Gardening Guide - The Basic Elements You Need For a Healthy Garden

Melissa McKyler is a work at home mom and has been organic gardening for several years. She loves having fresh safely grown veggies to feed her family and enjoys sharing her knowledge about how to do that with others. For more information about learning to garden using an organic gardening guide [http://www.organicgardenanswers.com/organic-gardening-guide] be sure to visit [http://www.organicgardenanswers.com].

Putting Compost on Your Organic Garden

Organic garden fertilizers are not only great for your plants; they also slow the moisture loss of the soil reducing the need for watering. Chemical fertilizers usually destroy some of the nutrients of the soil, and by reusing of the soil is also reduced.

Plant this in your garden and forget about it. Apart from the nice North facing wall it sits happily in front of, there was nothing else helping it. Plant and animal matter is normally used and sometimes supplemented with fine dolomite lime (providing calcium and magnesium while raising the pH and " sweetening" the soil) and other mined ingredients. Hopefully the end result of all this work will give the gardener all of the mineral elements his or her next crop will require.

Organic

Plants that live in conditions that suit them require less maintenance and are less likely to succumb to diseases and pests.

Soil is prepared properly for the garden, Apply the water deeply for the plants. In summer we should spend the extra concentration for protect the plants. Soil solarization is an organic method of keeping weeds from taking over. Organic garden compost or mulch varies in cost and availability. Soil that has been mulched is also less likely to form a hard crust. Many gardeners have also discovered that they have fewer problems with plant disease when they mulch.

Soil in raised beds warms up and dries out faster in spring and is easer to work. You can reform the beds each spring or make the beds permanent by framing them with rot-resistant wood, plastic or stone.

Mulching helps the soil retain moisture, suppresses weeds, reduces temperature fluctuations, and can prevent soil crusting. Many organic gardeners find that plant disease problems decline as the health of the soil improves. Mulches are invaluable in both water conservation and slowing down weed germination.

Organic gardening Compost is where you recycle food scraps and other waste products into the soil so that it helps to feed the plants. Things you would normally throw away such as eggshells, leftovers like meat, potatoes, tomatoes, cheeses, anything that you would normally eat can be composted into the soil to help it become rich in nutrients and help to feed the new plants. Compost and composted manure, mixed with peat moss, make great soil for organic container gardening. You can also use straight peat moss.

Putting Compost on Your Organic Garden

Author: Gregory Wadel

Tips To Producing An Awesome Organic Garden

[http://wadeshealthmatters.info]