Organic Gardening Shortcuts

Whether you’re new to organic gardening, or your existing garden has fallen into a rut, consider the following tips that can make your brown thumb verdant.

Aphids are one of the ubiquitous pests in the organic flower and vegetable garden, but also one of the most vulnerable. Catch the infestation early, and treat with a blast of water.

Biological Controls include naturally occurring predators like beneficial insects and pathogens that infest the pest. Buy biological controls to supplement nature’s defenses.

Compost is essential to a healthy organic garden. Even the smallest plot has room for a worm-composting bin.

Damping-off causes seemingly healthy seedlings to keel over. Prevent this disease by not overcrowding seedlings and raising your plants in a well-ventilated location.

Earthworms aerate the soil and build tilth with their castings. Lay out the welcome mat with a 3-inch layer of organic mulch.

Fungal diseases ranging from black spot to rust can be controlled with good garden hygiene. Remove and destroy all affected plant parts.

Grass clippings are free mulch and compost ingredients. Ask friends and neighbors for their bagged clippings; don’t let this resource go to the landfill.

Hydroponics allows organic gardeners with impossible soil to raise fruits and vegetables in a small space. Buy a complete hydroponic kit to grow plants plagued by soil-borne diseases.

Irrigation can encourage disease when performed incorrectly. Water your lawn and garden early in the morning, as wet leaves overnight invite mildew and fungi.

Japanese beetles begin as destructive grubs in the soil. Kill them with commercially available milky spore disease or parasitic nematodes.

Kitchen waste is a misnomer. Every fruit and vegetable scrap enriches the compost pile, and you can throw in your paper towels and paper plates for good measure.

Leaves are the best source of carbon to balance out nitrogen-rich grass clippings and kitchen scraps in the compost pile. Shred them for fast decomposition.

Mulch is not only essential in the garden; it keeps container plants from drying out too quickly. Use fine-textured mulch like cocoa bean hulls in your pots.

Newspaper added to the garden soil in several layers can suffocate weeds. Cover it with a thin layer of mulch for aesthetics.

Orange peels make a quick slug trap. Set them out in the evening, and discard the next day when slugs gather under these shelters.

pH is hospitable for most garden plants in the slightly acidic range. Reduce the pH of alkaline soils by digging coffee grounds into the garden.

Query your local county extension service when you need to identify a pest or disease problem.

Rain gardens keep runoff from overburdening storm drains. Aim your downspout directly towards this natural filtration area.

Sanitation in the fall denies pests a place to over winter. Clean up fallen leaves and fruit.

Toads are a sign of environmentally sound gardening practices. A small water feature encourages these visitors.

Uproot plants that perform poorly for more than two seasons. Sometimes the gardener has to choose his battles.

Weeds are easiest to control before they sprout their second set of true leaves. Hoe and hand pull them diligently.

Xeriscaping means more than cacti and gravel. Cheerful sunflowers, zinnias, and yarrow thrive in dry conditions too.

Yields increase when you water your plants with a weak solution of compost or manure tea each week.

Zones don’t account for microclimates. Determine your actual zone with a thermometer in a shady spot of the garden.