Organic Gardening Solutions

There has been a recent resurgence of organic gardening both for serious gardeners and hobby gardeners. The environmentally friendly solutions to common problems gardeners face are popular with new and experienced gardeners alike.

Soil building is one of the key management techniques you can add to your general gardening habits. Composting and using natural mulch materials are good ways to maintain the health of your soil. You can purchase compost enhancing products at garden supply stores which will speed up the decomposition process so your kitchen and yard waste will become usable compost faster. These products are useful if you have limited space or use a commercially available compost bin. Adding compost to your garden not only increases the humus in the soil, it provides a variety of plant nutrients as natural fertilizer, so you do not need to use chemical fertilizers. The humus properties of compost improve soil structure and texture. It increases the water retention ability of your soil while providing improved aeration. All of these factors promote good root growth and healthy plants.

Natural mulch materials are valuable because they keep water in the soil from evaporating too quickly, and they eventually break down to add more organic matter and nutrients to the soil. Mulching also discourages weed growth.

Organic pest control products are available at garden supply stores, and there are some simple home remedies, too. For aphids, spray a very diluted soap and water solution on the plants, then follow with clean water. Introducing natural predators such as ladybugs and praying mantis to control harmful insects is a great solution to many infestations.