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The Benefits of Growing Your Own Organic Vegetable Garden

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More and more people are becoming so health conscious nowadays. They want healthy food on their table, and the best way to get healthy food is to choose organic food products. Organic food products are pretty expensive though. This is because the crops were cared for the old way. No pesticides, no insecticides, and no artificial methods of controlling pests. Just the old, time-consuming, back-breaking methods of taking care of your vegetable garden and seeing to it that they’re kept pest-free. However, the cost of organic food products doesn’t stop people from buying them though. In fact, organic food products have become all the more in-demand.

Growing your own organic vegetable garden may be very intensive, but the rewards are plenty.

Healthy Food

As mentioned earlier, no artificial means of pest control are used in growing your own vegetable garden. There are no chemicals used to make the crops healthier, tastier, and bigger. Only natural and organic methods are utilized in caring for the plants.

Because the plants are chemical-free, you can be assured of fresher and healthier vegetables. This also guarantees you of safer and tastier food crops. Vegetables grown organically may not be bigger though, but they more than make up for it in the health benefits they offer.

By eating healthy and chemical-free vegetables, you can improve your family’s health.

Save Money

Another benefit of growing your own organic vegetable garden is that you can save some money on groceries. After all, you no longer need to purchase vegetables in the supermarket because you only have to pick them in your garden.

You can preserve some of your food crops. You can can the tomatoes and preserve them for future use; you can dry your herbs and use them in your cooking; you can even keep the seeds for the next growing season. Having your own vegetable garden can tremendously help you save some money.

Reduce Stress

Tending to your own vegetable garden can also help reduce stress. Going to your garden, doing the mindless task of pulling weeds and picking pests, watering the plants, trimming the shrubberies, cleaning the garden – all these may be very repetitive and tiring, but there is something very meditative about gardening that pretty soon you’ll feel yourself relaxing and the stress leaving your body. After tending to your garden, you’ll feel more invigorated and more optimistic to face the day. After all, the task has given you time to calm down and think things over.

Gardening can help boost emotions, relax you, ease stress away, and make you feel more positive and optimistic.

Earn Money

You can also earn some money from your hobby. There are so many people looking for organic vegetable products, and through word of mouth advertisement, you can sell your products. This is a good way to increase your savings.

Growing your own vegetable garden is indeed very rewarding, but it can also become very tiring especially if the garden is infested with pests. If you have pest problems in your garden and you need the help of a professional pest control company, then always choose a contractor that offers eco-friendly, green pest control services. Their products won’t harm your organic vegetables and the environment.

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Jennifer Dallman writes for PreventivePestControl.com. Growing your own vegetable garden offers a lot of benefits, but you also have to protect them against pests.

 







Chemical Free Gardening: 3 Natural Pest Control Methods

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Healthier crops can easily be grown without them being exposed to toxic chemicals especially when dealing with pests. You simply must ensure that your garden full of crops stays eco-friendly when you eradicate pests that can destroy your hard work. When you do your research and utilize different methods such as rotating crops, natural pest control and sustainable garden techniques, your garden will successfully be healthy and free from pests. Here are a few simple and inexpensive gardening methods you can practice if you are determined to maintain healthy crops and an eco-friendly garden. Remember that patience, determination and regular care will help you along the way, so do not give up easily.

Proven Natural Pest Control Methods

Here are three eco-friendly gardening pest control methods used in many gardens throughout the years.

Crop Rotation

One simple method of controlling pests is by implementing crop rotation. As there are different plant families, you can opt to invest in one plant family for the year and then plant another family in the following year. Many professional gardeners have been using this method of gardening to prevent pests from attacking their gardens. Keep rotating your crop planting every year and keep in mind to add in plants that attract beneficial pests to help keep harmful pests away.

Sustainable Garden Techniques

Garden techniques such as plant spacing, mulching, plant inspection and eliminating infected plants have always been used through the years. They ensure that natural pest control methods are only used in gardens and they also assist in the healthy growth of plants. When pests are detected on the plants, these pests are hand-picked and killed. This will also help you identify which type of pest has been attacking your garden, thus allowing you to apply the correct method of pest control according to the pest you are dealing with. Even weeding and removing the debris whenever you practice sanitation schedules, will help you have a garden that is ready and healthy for the following year’s planting.

Natural Pest Control

Surely there are plenty of over the counter pest control products being sold in the market today, but a majority of them are actually harmful to a garden. If you are looking for pest control products that are effective, you can use products made from natural ingredients or make your own formulations at home. Such products are called natural because of the ingredients being used and chemicals are avoided. If you are planning on making your own pest control products you can look for pure essential oils and extracts being sold in specializing stores. Even fresh and dried herbs can be used to make such products.

Stick To Natural Methods

When the soil of your garden is healthy, your crops will be healthy as they will be able to resist pests and other plant diseases. There are many garden treatments that are rich in nutrients, but are not made from natural ingredients. These treatments must always be avoided. Instead of pesticides, the application of beneficial pests and natural pest control products can keep the annoying critters away without harming the crops. However, if you only notice a pest infestation too late and it has already inflicted massive damages to your garden, then you must consult with a pest control professional who can also help you keep your garden safe from toxic chemicals when eradicating pests.

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  •  License: Royalty Free or iStock source: http://mrg.bz/2S3Xg

Valerie Banks is a freelance writer specializing in natural pest control methods. She regularly contributes pest control articles for Rove Pest Control websites where a well experienced professional can be consulted.

6 Natural Alternatives to Lawn and Garden Chemicals

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In the recent years, potential hazards associated with lawn and garden chemicals have been on a steady rise. With extensive scientific studies it has been proved that several pesticides and chemicals used in lawns and gardens are tracked into our home and can be found in carpets, on tables or other surfaces. Many municipalities have banned certain chemicals to bring an end to the dangers caused by their use.

Why Natural Alternatives?

Many lawn and garden chemicals not only pollute water and environment but are also hazardous for children and pets. Since the internal organs of the children are in the developmental stage, it is difficult for them to detoxify toxins. The pesticides used commonly in our homes consists of several carcinogens, some chemicals could even cause birth defects, damage to liver, kidney and disrupt the endocrine system.

Refuse Lawn and Garden Chemicals

This is the high time to prevent your family and environment free from harmful chemicals by adopting natural and safer alternatives to these chemicals. Here is the list of six natural alternatives to lawn and garden chemicals.

1. Lawn Care: The first and foremost step is to know about your garden. Have your soil tested and determine its pH and nutrient needs. Accordingly, choose the right grass; mow it to the right height and water wisely. This will keep your lawn free from weeds and healthy.

2. Companion Planting: It is a planting in which different crops are planted in proximity so that they could help each other in pollination, nutrient uptake and pest control. When a certain crop is planted in a garden for a long time it becomes a permanent target of a particular pest. This could be avoided by growing certain plants which repel a variety of pests. These plants include asters, marigold, garlic, petunias etc. This method hence cuts down the use several lawn chemicals.

3. Composting: This method effectively reduces the dependence on fertilizers. It provides free soil amendment as it increases the soil’s ability to hold water and nutrients. It also protects the plants by providing mulch (a protective covering of organic matter to prevent evaporation of moisture, growth of weeds etc.).

4. Biocontrol: It is a method to control weeds and pests in your garden. Select the plants which can attract the insects and animals that destroy the weeds and bugs in your garden. You can purchase beneficial insects such as ladybugs, ground beetles and praying mantis which eat the harmful insects. Loose them in your garden. Certain plants such as garlic, petunias, chives etc. also repel aphids.

5. Aerate and Dethatch your garden: It is very important to aerate the soil in order to reduce the dependence on fertilizers. Remove the plugs of soil by using aerating machine. Dethatching involves removing the woody parts of the grass on the surface of lawn. For this dethatching rake could be employed. These methods will keep your lawn healthy in a greener way.

6. Hot water: Hot water could be effectively used for weed control. Pour the boiling water directly on the weeds. This will stop the growth of the weeds. Pull out the weeds from the surface and then pour boiling water where the weeds were in order to destroy the roots completely. Hot water could also be employed for killing pests. Pour hot water on the ant nests to destroy them completely.

The Bottom Line
In addition to the above methods, there are certain chemicals which are non-toxic and can effectively be used as an alternative to lawn and garden chemicals. These include hydrogen peroxide, vinegar, epsom salt etc. Certain natural and organic chemicals are also available in the market if you don’t want to make your own garden chemicals; for example: bone meal and blood meal.

Going for natural alternatives is worth it as it will not only make your lawn and gardens healthy and free from toxic and hazardous chemicals but is also safe for your family and environment

Paul is a freelance writer that loves to share tips when it comes to gardening. You can have a look at his site where you will be able to buy wall fountains as well as large wall water fountains.

First batch of Alfalfa tea for the garden

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My husband and I are a little behind in getting things done in the garden this year.

Why?

Well it’s because we had a big delay due to our neighbors having a new fence put in. Part of their new fence was on our property line and that affected one “major” side of our garden, so we delayed a lot of our regular garden activities for about two months while we waited and waited for the fence to go in .. finally, around June 6th the fence started being put in and ever since then we’ve been furiously maintaining our garden and planting annuals and perennials to fill in any bare spots.

One of the regular activities that we were behind on was making up our batches of Alfalfa tea for the garden. We usually start brewing this up in two big garbage cans in the driveway in early May. It takes a few weeks to brew before it’s ready for the garden.

Our Alfalfa/ compost tea is a rich nutrient “tea” that we pour on our garden beds at least twice each season to give our plants a boost. Alfalfa is full of natural growth hormone for the plants and within about a week or adding it to our garden beds there’s always an amazing difference in our plants.

I’m not sure how much water our garbage pails hold, but the garbage cans are about 3.5 feet high and we fill them up to about three or four inches from the top with water after we’ve added all the ingredients. Now, I mulched my garden this year with red cedar mulch but before I did that I gave my garden beds another treat by adding a Little bit of sheep manure compost … there was a little bit of that left so I added perhaps as much as three cups of sheep manure compost to each garbage pail. It’s a little bonus in the Alfalfa tea since I rarely put compost in it.

The ingredients that I usually put in each garbage pail are:

4 cups of Alfalfa pellets
1 cup of molasses
1 cup of Epsom salts

Once all of the ingredients are in the pail I stir it up and then put a lid on it. I try to stir it every day. The ingredients will ferment a bit and it’s very important to stir it up well and aerate the mixture.

Depending upon the ambient temperatures outside it can take anywhere from two to four weeks for the mixture to be ready to use on the garden. For example since I live in Toronto, Ontario when I start up a brew in early May it’s still usually kind of cool in my area at that time of year so it could take three to four weeks. The mix that we just made a few days ago should only take two weeks since it’s starting to get fairly warm.

If you make a batch of Alfalfa tea for your garden I highly recommend that you put it on your garden either early in the morning or late in the evening because it does smell quite a bit. At least it does to me! I do find that if I lightly water the garden after pouring the alfalfa tea on my garden beds the smell dies down very quickly.

The Herbaceous Or Perennial Border, An Option For You?

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If I say herbaceous border or perennial border to you, what comes to mind?

To many people this conjures up images of gardens filled with colourful blooms all summer, only to become empty and barren of flower or leaf during autumn and winter. Many more of you will think of landlord’s estate grounds, staffed by teams of subservient garden workers. These workers tend the herbaceous borders requiring constant deadheading, pruning, staking, mulching, feeding, watering and division. Now those impressions may have been the way perennial borders were thought of in the past, today however, perennial borders are somewhat different.

They are actually seeing a bit of a mini revival.

* Perennials, alternatives to large lawns

Homeowners who have become tired of the never-ending cycle of feeding, weeding and mowing lawns, have decided to decrease the size of these green areas.

Instead, replanting them with colourful perennial or herbaceous borders. These may have been lawns that their all grown up children once ran and played on, now devoid of that activity. On the other hand, perhaps the homeowner became tired of having the same mirror image lawn as his neighbour; I can tell you there is nothing like a perennial border to change that situation.

* Perennial form and growth

Planting a new perennial border can really help improve your garden.

The plants overall are much faster growing and softer in form than shrubs. It is also interesting to watch these new perennials grow and develop, often shedding their skin of last season foliage only to replenish it the following spring.

* Layout and Soil Preparation

The first thing I would suggest when creating a perennial border is to become nosey.

When out driving or walking, have a look into others gardens, you may see something you like or an idea you can borrow. Another good way to learn new planting ideas is to visit garden open days or gardening exhibitions. When you have an idea of what perennial plants types you like, you can then select a point in your garden to position a border. Try to determine how much sun or shade your chosen location gets. Do not try to make sun-loving plant like the Michaelmas daisy grow in an area that gets a lot of shade.

* Border Shape

Decide the shape of your border.

Do not make your perennial border too narrow, a wide border will be easier to maintain and look far more awash with lush planting. Go gentle on the curves, we all like a curving border but avoid a very fussy serpentine shape. Try to make the border lengthy, you will be able to accommodate many different-sized and blooming plants. Use a long length of hosepipe or heavy rope to mark out the shape of your border, this allows you to adjust until you achieve a comfortable shape. When your shape is decided, you can mark the ground with marker spray or simply by scratching with a stick.
* Preparing Your Soil

Now its time for soil preparation before planting.

Most new garden beds and borders benefit from additional organic material being added to it and dug in. This is especially true of the perennial border. So, dig over the ground thoroughly and remove all traces of perennial weeds and large stones, leave the small stones as they aid drainage and help to regulate the soils temperature. Dig or till in lots of organic matter to improve the soil for your perennials at this stage as well. If you have a good back and you feel up to it, this organic matter is most effective if dug in to a depth of 12 inches. Choose from the following source of organic matter… garden compost, leaf mould, well rotted farmyard manure, spent mushroom compost, garden centre soil enricher. An ideal situation would be to have half your soil made up of organic matter, a great reserve of plant food.

I would advise adding grit at this stage as well if your soil is very heavy, sticky or poorly drained. Digging in a good quantity of sand grit or gravel will open up your soil and allow channels for drainage.

After all this is done, you must allow the soil to and its amendments to settle for around a week or two before planting.

This gives you ample opportunity to select and source the plants you would like to inhabit your newly created border.

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