I am about to move and would like to start organic gardening. Any tips on composting, making beds, watering, planting times and tips? I have a dog too and am not sure how she'll act. And i'm pretty cheap(read-broke)
I would suggest the first thing you do is read all you can on square foot gardening. You can get the book "The New Square Foot Garden" by Mel Bartholomew at your public library.
Also, look up information on the EarthBox growing system. They are self-watering containers that enable you to grow lots of produce (I've seen a picture of a very large tree growing in one) in a confined space. There are also knock-offs that you can build yourself with comparable results.
I would also suggest you read all you can on the internet about composting. The best time to start composting is yesterday ;o). I've always bought bags of compost from the store, but there's a great amount of satisfaction you get from doing it yourself.
I don't know how much space you're working with, but if you have a relatively large amount of space, I would suggest you grow your own seedlings. The biggest investment you'd have to make would be buying a florescent light fixture and a rack to put your plants on. You'll save big bucks over buying a lot of plants from the garden center. You will need to research planting times for your area. The biggest mistake people make (me included) is getting too excited and starting their plants too early.
One last comment. Check out the Gardenweb website. It's a wonderful community of knowledgeable folks who are glad to answer whatever questions you have.
Good luck.
I would suggest the first thing you do is read all you can on square foot gardening. You can get the book "The New Square Foot Garden" by Mel Bartholomew at your public library.
Also, look up information on the EarthBox growing system. They are self-watering containers that enable you to grow lots of produce (I've seen a picture of a very large tree growing in one) in a confined space. There are also knock-offs that you can build yourself with comparable results.
I would also suggest you read all you can on the internet about composting. The best time to start composting is yesterday ;o). I've always bought bags of compost from the store, but there's a great amount of satisfaction you get from doing it yourself.
I don't know how much space you're working with, but if you have a relatively large amount of space, I would suggest you grow your own seedlings. The biggest investment you'd have to make would be buying a florescent light fixture and a rack to put your plants on. You'll save big bucks over buying a lot of plants from the garden center. You will need to research planting times for your area. The biggest mistake people make (me included) is getting too excited and starting their plants too early.
One last comment. Check out the Gardenweb website. It's a wonderful community of knowledgeable folks who are glad to answer whatever questions you have.
Good luck.
References :
http://www.gardenweb.com
http://www.squarefootgardening.com
http://www.earthbox.com
try this link
http://gardening-tips-idea.com/GardeningComposting.html
http://gardening-tips-idea.com/organictomatofertilizer.html
http://gardening-tips-idea.com/HowtoGrowVegetables.html
some time that could be useful
hope its does help you
References :
Ahhh….Organic! There is no better reward and flavor!!
I have better luck starting by seed. The best seed company is "johnny seeds", in my opinion. They have organic seeds and heirloom seeds as well.
I have 2 black labs who love to eat my produce!! So I had to fence in my garden with 4 foot fencing. The garden is 400square feet and it cost me $75.00 for fencing and posts. The funny part is that I grow pole beans along the fencing and the dogs eat the beans as fast as they grow! But they only eat what they can reach, and if you are growing organic….no worries about poisons.
Do you have a tiller? Or know someone who has one? Every fall I rake the leaves into my garden and then till them in every spring.
Plant basil and carrots around your tomatoes! All three plants help each other with pests.
Also, plant some pretty cosmos right by the veggies because they attract the good insects.
Another great source is "Gardens Alive"….All organic products and tips. For $120.00….You can send them some samples of your earth and they will send you fertilizer that is custom made. Of coarse the price depends on the size garden you have.
It is too late to start a garden this year….So if you are broke, just do some research this year and save what money you can for next year.
References :
Yep. Helping Nature by Composting If you are still find it hard to understand the nature of composting, it can actually be simplified. It can actually be compared to recycling. Instead of throwing out all your waste and garbage, or at least what you consider as garbage, you can sort that out. In recycling, you need to pick the things that can still be transformed into other materials so that you can use them for different purposes.
References :
http://composting.wpblogspot.com/2008/07/19/helping-nature-by-composting/