George K.
Did you know it only takes 400 square feet to grow enough fruits and vegetables for a family of 4? A thriving garden is not just beautiful but if properly cared for, it can feed your whole family.
Even master gardeners are always experimenting and fine-tuning their systems. If you too are looking to take your garden to the next level, follow these tips and reap a harvest like never before!
1. Get Some Chickens
If you have room in your yard, having a small flock of chickens is an organic way to cut down on unwanted pests. Garden chickens love to peck slugs that want to feed on your plants. Chickens are also natural grazers and will keep your grass from overgrowing.
Be sure to nurture healthy and happy birds by using proper poultry raising equipment, like what you can find at Dalton Engineering.
The fresh eggs you’ll get are just another benefit of your organic garden.
2. Save Your Seeds
Saving seeds is the sign of a serious gardener. Growing new crops from the seeds of last year produces heirloom fruits and vegetables.
Heirloom produce has a flavor unique to your garden. You should select seeds only from your best and most delicious crops to start a cycle of high-quality produce.
Saving seeds also gives you a closer connection to your garden and the entire process of growth and yearly regeneration.
3. Use Tape For Pesticide Free Insect Control
An infestation of aphids or other unwanted plant munchers can be a gardener’s worst nightmare. Will the plants die? Will you have to use harmful pesticides?
Try taking some packing tape and wrapping it around your hand, sticky side out, and gently pat the affected areas to remove the bugs.
This life hack will stop insects in their tracks without pouring harmful chemicals into your soil.
4. Start A Garden Journal
Keeping records will make you a more aware gardener. Every time you plant a seed write down the day and its placement to see how the seasons and sun exposure alters its growth and yield.
Make a note when you water your plants, change the soil, and add compost to maintain a full understanding of your garden.
By monitoring all your crops you will better understand what thrives and what fails. This takes out the guesswork for next year, and you can start the growing season with last year’s knowledge.
5. Use Your Own Compost
Compost is the best supplement you can feed your garden, and everything you need for it is already in your kitchen. This is a great way to easily add nutrients to your garden and create strong, mineral-rich soil.
Almost half of all food waste can go to your compost. But avoid composting meat, bones, fish, and anything that could have pesticides on it, like store-bought fruit.
Once you have a sufficient amount of compost, work in the compost to the top 5 inches of soil before planting. If you add new plants later in the season, then toss in a fresh handful every time you dig a new hole.
6. Learn Frost Dates
Understanding frost dates is a must. Do not start planting in March if your soil is still going through a freeze-thaw cycle. Make sure you know when in Spring it is safe to start your garden, or you risk losing all the crops from just a couple of days of cold weather.
Circle the average first day of frost on your calendar. Harvest all your crops before the soil turns solid, so you can start saving seeds for next year.
