Last Updated on June 15, 2023 by Paul Guzman
Get good at Growing Healthy Organic Plants. Organic gardening can be a great thing for a healthier diet. Consider your garden an investment of your time and hard work. Many gardeners can get stressed because they’re not quite sure where to start. Here are some solid tips to help you get started.
Killing Weeds Organically
One truly easy organic way to kill weeds in your garden is to use boiling water. Using this method will kill weeds down to the roots. It is important to keep the boiling water away from other wanted plants and yourself.
This method works mainly on young weeds that are just emerging. If the weed is large and has been there for quite some time it will only kill the top portion of the plant. It will grow back and produce more seeds thus more weeds!
The best way to remove weeds organically is to pull them out by hand, oh I know it is a tuff chore but you could hire someone to do this. After pulling weeds out remember to apply an organic preemergent to keep the weeds from germinating again, and again.
More about killing weeds here at “How to Get rid of Weeds”.
Does Vinegar work to kill weeds?
Another easy to kill weeds organically is to use vinegar, salt, and dish soap. Did you know that vinegar is more toxic than Roundup? Especially if they are purchased at local nurseries or greenhouses as most contain up to 20% acetic acid. The grocery store vinegar is typically 5%. Something to think about before looking in your kitchen pantry for Vinegar to kill weeds. Read more about using Vinegar to kill unwanted plants.
Choose plants that produce high yields
Below is a list of plants that produce high yields. There are many more but this list is a good start and will do well in the American Southwest States.
- Tomatoes
- Squash
- Potatoes
- Okra
- Peppers
- Basil
- Chives
- Thyme
- Mint
- Dill
There are normally non-genetically modified plants. If you are starting from seeds look for the “NON-GMO” label on the seed packets. These often give higher yields due to higher survival rates.
Use organic fertilizers to feed your plants
The smart gardener is now going organic to produce plants that are free from toxic chemicals. There are many types of good organic fertilizers. Below is a list.
Top 10 organic fertilizers
- Bone Meal
- Blood Meal
- Fish Emulsion
- Manure
- Corn Gluten
- Cottonseed meal
- Kelp
- Bat Guano
- Worm Castings
- Compost Make Your Own
Fox Farm™ organic fertilizers are also good for feeding your plants.
Which is best? There are many factors on which are best. Where you live, soil, weather, rain, and much more. But if I had to choose one it would be Fox Farm fertilizers with Bat Guano a close second. Yes, Fox Farm products do have a Bat Guano fertilizer.
What about ornamental plants?
The same thing applies to plants that do not produce edible food. Planting and growing bulbs are very simple, and once planted the bulbs will grow for years. It’s important to choose your plants carefully, you could have flower blossom from the first weeks of spring to the end of the summer. How to choose the right plants for your garden.
Mowing your lawn
It is a good idea not to trim it too low to the ground. The rule of thumb is to go at about medium level in early spring then move the lever up one notch as time goes on. Eventually up at the end of the fall season.
Another good tip is to you leave your grass growing a bit longer so that the roots can grow deeper. This results in a stronger lawn and less likely to dry out. I have seen neighbors, relatives, and friends who cut their lawns low every time, this is not good for your lawn. If the grass is too short that will lead to shallow roots, which will cause a brown/yellowish and dried-out lawn.
How to irrigate your garden
Healthy Organic Plants
Paul Guzman – Husband, Father, Grandfather, Gardener, and Webmaster of GuzmansGreenhouse.com – Please share this post below.
