Many perennial plants grow in a pattern that becomes a constantly widening clump. Eventually you will need to decide when is the right time to divide this plant creating many new plants along the way. The plant itself offers a good gauge as to when the time has come to divide. When the clump starts to die off in the center, leaving an outer ring of growth, it is time to divide.

Dividing of plants keeps them alive and healthy and blooming more. The best time to divide plants depends on what type of plant it is and how fast it grows. While an open centered clump is a good indicator that it is time to divide, you don’t have to wait until your plant starts to resemble a doughnut. Look for clumping plants that have doubled or tripled in size in three to five years. Any clump that is outgrowing its space in the garden or has already become overgrown is also an excellent choice to be divided.

Spring is typically the best season for plant division. As plants are growing leaves, they are less established and can better tolerate having their roots shaken up a bit and still manage to feed the top of the plant without too much distress. Some plants fare better when divided at the beginning of fall. It is best to do a little research to see what your particular plant species prefers and will tolerate better.

While dividing perennials is good for the plants down the road, the process is still a shock to their system. Immersing the roots in a good long soaking, at least 24 hours prior to dividing, helps to minimize shock and maximize your best odds for success. When you uproot any plant, the plant’s ability to feed itself and receive hydration is affected. Well hydrated roots help reduce the risk for trauma.

When dividing a plant that is heavy with top growth, cut back about one-third of the leaves in order to diminish the workload on, the plant roots’ and maintain the foliage growth. When you are ready to divide your plant, be sure you have already dug the new hole for the new divided plant. This spares the plant any extra root stress by allowing it to get back into the ground quickly.

It is easiest to divide a plant by digging up the entire clump, then breaking it apart once it is fully out of the ground. Do your best to keep the root ball intact with dirt amassed around it. If you soaked the plant first to protect the roots, it is likely the dirt will adhere to the roots.

A preferred method to divide the plant is to use two pitchforks. Wedge the pitchforks into the center of the root ball with the back of the pitchforks facing toward one another. Interlink the tines of the forks and start to pull away from one another. When you are successful, it is likely you will hear a cracking sound of the roots and plant splitting apart. Divide as many times as necessary depending on how large the plant is, using the same method repeated.

In order to create a garden that draws and sustains wildlife, the garden must feature food sources first and foremost. Many times by planting native plant species, you will automatically draw wildlife who will feast upon the berries, nuts, fruits and seeds that these plants produce. Flowering plants are also beneficial as they help attract birds and other creatures that use the nectar, sap or pollen as food.

In addition to food, animals also need a water supply. The water supply might be a natural resource such as a nearby creek or lake, or it can be much smaller and manmade such as setting out a birdbath or a shallow dish in the garden for butterflies to drink from.

If you watch out your window next time it rains, don’t be surprised to find birds or butterflies splashing about in mud puddles. No matter the source, animals will make use of water in any form they can find it.

Just as we do, animals need shelter. Again, plants, shrubs and brush provide this well.

It is also nice to leave hollow logs or tree stumps available for animals to nest in or raise young in, protected from the elements and predators. Ground cover and evergreens make good year-round shelter for a variety of creatures, particularly in winter when other trees and plants are sparse. Rock walls or mounds make good homes for lizards, and beneficial snakes. Leaf or straw mulched areas are an excellent spider habitat.

If you have a very small garden, you might wish to place a roosting box in your yard to offer a home for various creatures. Fennel or parsley plants make great homes for hungry caterpillars.

In order to create an organic variety wildlife garden, it is important that pesticides or other chemicals not be introduced into the garden. Organic gardening not only benefits the wildlife, keeping them safer and healthier, but also the environment, keeping our air and water cleaner and safer too. Instead of chemical fertilizers, organic gardens rely upon compost, which is a natural means to fertilize any garden, chemically free, while recycling food wastes, all at the same time. Composting is a great way to be both earth-friendly and wildlife-friendly.

Wildlife gardens can be watered in an eco-friendly fashion via the use of conservation measures. Rain barrels are an excellent way to collect and reuse rainwater for both plants and animals. Soaker or drip hoses make great alternatives to more wasteful watering or irrigation systems. Consider relying upon one or more of these methods to be as efficient as possible when watering your wildlife garden. You can naturally reduce your water needs via the use of native plant species, as native plants inherently require less water than non-native plants.

Another way to be environmentally aware when creating a wildlife garden is by reducing lawn space to create a sustainable garden. Allowing for less lawn and more natural habitat will naturally draw more creatures to your garden and is a more green way to live, requiring less water and no harmful chemicals.

Applying chemical pesticides to your plants may not only be toxic to your plant, but also to you. On the other hand, using natural pesticides to rid your vegetable garden of unwanted bugs can be time consuming, and not all natural remedies work for every gardening situation.

To control pests in your vegetable garden without using any form of pesticide, natural or chemical, you need to physically pick the bugs off the plants several times a day. Some of these plant-eating bugs feed at night. Therefore, you would need to patrol your garden 24 hours a day picking bugs. This method of pest control is very unlikely. So, if plant-eating bugs have invaded your vegetable garden, you need to decide how to handle the pests; use chemical pesticides or a find a natural organic remedy.

Chemical pesticides will work in ridding the garden of unwanted bugs. If used correctly, chemical pesticides claim to be safe for use on foods that are consumed. The question remains, what the long-term affects of these chemicals are. What are the chemicals doing to the soil and the area around your garden where rainfall and runoff occur? Could this pesticide affect your water source? Can the chemical pesticide harm animals or children if they come in contact with it? These questions should be considered before choosing which chemical pesticide you use.

On the other hand, while a chemical free, natural organic garden, may take more time and effort, natural remedies for pest control are less expensive. Most of the ingredients and tools you would require are probably in your kitchen, or lying around your house.

Vinegar is a very popular choice as a natural pesticide for bug control in your garden. Vinegar has been tested as a weed and grass killing herbicide with wonderful results. Therefore, take caution when spraying on your vegetable plants. The vinegar may indeed kill the bugs, but may also kill your plant as well.

Also insecticide soap has been proven to kill and deter pests. Precautions must be taken when using soaps. If sprayed onto the plant in full sun, it could burn the leaves. Also, the soap is meant to be sprayed directly on the bugs. This remedy may take several days to actually kill the bugs so keep an eye on the plant destruction.

Garlic is also known to be a natural deterrent to the plant eating bug population. Some bugs find their food through smell. Garlic has a pungent odor and therefore bugs and plant eating critters stay away.

Used coffee filters also deter bugs. Place the filter around the base of the plant. Bugs don’t like the feel of the paper or the grounds, and won’t venture to the plant. Also, the filters are biodegradable and the coffee that remains on the filters contains beneficial Nitrogen.

Choosing natural methods of pest control in your garden will take more time to maintain. But the fact remains, chemical free gardens are better for you, your family, and the environment.

One of the easiest ways to introduce young children to gardening is to give the children a row of their own to plant and look after. It is a good suggestion to make their row away from your gardening area. Little feet get tripped up on a regular basis and your plants may be stepped on. Little ones also like to pick things in the garden whether it is time for harvest or not. This will help alleviate any chance for frustration on your part while also allowing little ones to really take ownership and pride in their own independent endeavor.

Allow the children to learn from the mistakes they make in the garden. Digging up a seed they just planted to see if it is growing yet, is not going to produce anything. While your natural instinct may to be to reprimand this type of behavior, take a step back and realize that this behavior provides a lesson just as important in understanding how things grow and thrive. Use this opportunity to explain and clearly illustrate how the garden grows, or doesn’t grow, and how seeds germinate and pollinate. You can then suggest they leave the remaining seeds in the ground so they can grow and see what happens next.

When bugs invade the garden, explain the importance of using natural organic pesticides as opposed to chemical pesticides. Allowing them to spray their plants with an organic pesticide such as a mixture of garlic, red pepper, soap and water will not harm them if it comes into contact with their skin. Although, it is important to remind them that these sprays are for the bugs only and they should try very hard not to get any on themselves or on anybody else.

When the vegetables the children have planted finally reach maturity, encourage the child to pick the vegetable gently so that the plant will be able to continue to produce more. Let the child bring their vegetables inside and show them how to wash them thoroughly to clean them for eating.

The best part of harvesting is, of course, getting to feast upon your garden’s bounty. Look for recipes that will allow the children a hands-on opportunity to participate in preparation. Allowing the children the opportunity to help you prepare a dish using the vegetables they have lovingly grown and have picked out of the garden lets them understand the whole food process full circle. Your children are sure to beam with pride when they are allowed to prepare a meal using the vegetables they grew and share it with the whole family.

Not only does gardening help teach children about plant life as well as offer a lesson in patience, it is also a sure way to get them to try different vegetables. Kids are super excited to eat what they grew and this may be the first time many kids are willing to try a vegetable that they formerly turned their nose up at. Once they try the new veggie, they may just find that they like it!

Organic gardening revolves around the concept of using all natural products to grow your garden. Organic gardeners depend on Mother Nature to rid their gardens of unwanted byproducts, forgoing their chemical counterparts that have devastating effects on the Earth.

Decomposing plants and animals are excellent fertilizers for enriching the soil. Enriched soil allows plants to grow and thrive using the available nutrients from the dead organisms, all while increasing the soil’s microbial life.

Organic gardeners know that it is important to know a fertilizer’s nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium ratings. These micronutrients promote leaf growth, fruiting, flowering and rooting. The N-P-K fertilizer compound can be applied by either the method known as top dressing, which is a process in which the gardener adds the fertilizer to the top couple of inches of soil by the root zone and mixing it to avoid run-off, or by brewing a tea of fertilizer mixed with water. Either method will encourage increases in microbial life.

Worm castings are also a great, natural fertilizer. Worms eat the compost and soil in the garden and excrete castings that are five times as rich as what they had eaten. They also aerate and oxygenate your garden by digging tunnels as they eat. This act provides much needed oxygen to the roots of the plants.

Compost is often used as an organic garden fertilizer and can be created easily with home items such as grass clippings, table scraps, and dead plants.

Of course, these are just a couple of natural fertilizers that can be used in your organic garden. A gardener could also use such fertilizers as manure, bat guano, fish emulsion, seaweed, and many products that are available commercially now. If every gardener would use one or many of these methods to fertilize their fruit or vegetable garden, they will surely reap the benefits of their organically grown produce.

When you are in need of mulch it is not necessary to get in your car and drive to a garden center. Mulch is readily available at your own home and free for the taking. Read on to learn how to make your own mulch which can not only save you time and money, but also be more earth-friendly.

Grass clippings are great for annual gardens including herb and perennial gardens. They are free and abundant in summer when lawns must be cut frequently. Simply attach the bag to your lawn mower and collect the clippings as you cut the grass. When you are finished, simply spread the clippings over the garden bed. It is important, however, to never use grass that you think may have been treated with herbicides.

Leaves are mulching superstars. Leaves from most any deciduous tree will do the job nicely. Be sure to shred them first by running over them with a lawn mower to help keep them from blowing around. Spread them 2 inches deep and be sure to replenish the supply as the leaves decompose. Leaves will attract earthworms, which in turn will help convert the decaying leaves into wonderful fertilizer for your soil.

Pine straw or pine needles make excellent mulch. It looks nice and smells great. Straw can be piled up to 8 inches thick. If you live in a wet climate, avoid straw mulch as it can draw slugs.

Wood chips work well, but should not be used too close to homes, as chips can draw termites. Chips work nicely to cover paths easily. If you have to get a tree stump ground ask that the chips be left behind. Some tree trimming companies or arborists will allow you to haul off wood chips for free.

Newspaper can work surprisingly well when layered as a weed barrier. Thicknesses of 4 layers should be laid wet in the garden. You may then cover with a more decorative form of mulch such as wood chips. Do not use paper sections that feature colored inks or slick advertising papers in vegetable or herb gardens.

Applying chemical pesticides to your plants may not only be toxic to your plant, but also to you. On the other hand, using natural pesticides to rid your vegetable garden of unwanted bugs can be time consuming, and not all natural remedies work for every gardening situation.

To control pests in your vegetable garden without using any form of pesticide, natural or chemical, you need to physically pick the bugs off the plants several times a day. Some of these plant-eating bugs feed at night. Therefore, you would need to patrol your garden 24 hours a day picking bugs. This method of pest control is very unlikely. So, if plant-eating bugs have invaded your vegetable garden, you need to decide how to handle the pests; use chemical pesticides or a find a natural organic remedy.

Chemical pesticides will work in ridding the garden of unwanted bugs. If used correctly, chemical pesticides claim to be safe for use on foods that are consumed. The question remains, what the long-term affects of these chemicals are. What are the chemicals doing to the soil and the area around your garden where rainfall and runoff occur? Could this pesticide affect your water source? Can the chemical pesticide harm animals or children if they come in contact with it? These questions should be considered before choosing which chemical pesticide you use.

On the other hand, while a chemical free, natural organic garden, may take more time and effort, natural remedies for pest control are less expensive. Most of the ingredients and tools you would require are probably in your kitchen, or lying around your house.

Vinegar is a very popular choice as a natural pesticide for bug control in your garden. Vinegar has been tested as a weed and grass killing herbicide with wonderful results. Therefore, take caution when spraying on your vegetable plants. The vinegar may indeed kill the bugs, but may also kill your plant as well.

Also insecticide soap has been proven to kill and deter pests. Precautions must be taken when using soaps. If sprayed onto the plant in full sun, it could burn the leaves. Also, the soap is meant to be sprayed directly on the bugs. This remedy may take several days to actually kill the bugs so keep an eye on the plant destruction.

Garlic is also known to be a natural deterrent to the plant eating bug population. Some bugs find their food through smell. Garlic has a pungent odor and therefore bugs and plant eating critters stay away.

Used coffee filters also deter bugs. Place the filter around the base of the plant. Bugs don’t like the feel of the paper or the grounds, and won’t venture to the plant. Also, the filters are biodegradable and the coffee that remains on the filters contains beneficial Nitrogen.

Choosing natural methods of pest control in your garden will take more time to maintain. But the fact remains, chemical free gardens are better for you, your family, and the environment.

An organic garden is a great way to help save money in tougher times, as well as enjoy the benefits of all-natural produce. An organic garden may seem intimidating at first, but with a little time and research, you can be on your way to an abundant crop and healthier eating.

Start your garden by doing a good deal of research on the subject. The Internet is full of websites (like this one) dedicated to the art of growing your own organic fruits and vegetables. Learn what grows the best in your specific climate, and what will more than likely fail. Take books out from the library (or buy them on this website) and talk to others who have grown organic produce before. Educate yourself on the ins and outs of the subject as much as possible.

Choose the best area for your garden by figuring out where the sun hits the most. You may also want to choose a spot where your crops will be protected by the wind. Also, make sure you can easily water your plants, since they will need to be watered every day to flourish. Start your composting early by saving your kitchen scraps and grass clippings for an easy, natural and free fertilizer. You can also research various chemical-free pesticides that you can use on your fruit and vegetable plants to keep pests and diseases away. A fence may also be needed to keep deer, rabbits and other animals from tearing up your garden.

If you are planning to try and sell what you produce from your organic garden, it is very important to understand the rules and regulations concerning the subject. The United States regulates the sale of organic foods carefully, and you will be required to get an organic certification from your state to sell your food under the label of organic. The United States Department of Agriculture can give you all the information you need to sell your products, which can be found at their website.

The basics of organic gardening are quite simple. You can have healthy produce in no time with a little patience and practice!

Many individuals who start growing organic gardens think that it is easy and there is not much to master, but growing an organic garden is not as simple as you may think. Organic gardening is not the hardest thing to accomplish, but it does take some skill. When thinking of growing an organic garden you should know beforehand that this type of gardening requires time and patience. You cannot expect to get everything perfect the first time if you have not tried this before. Listed below are tips for beginners to help to learn step by step how to grow an organic garden.

First, you will need to create your planting bed. You will need to make sure that the soil is dry and is not clumpy. It is important to let the soil sit for about three weeks until ready to plant. Pull any weeds that you see growing in the garden area. Letting the soil sit for the three week length will force the weeds out of the ground that were still contained in the soil and allow you to minimize weed growth in your bed.

Next, you will want to water the area where you plan on planting or creating your organic garden. The soil should only be a little damp, not soaked. Now it is time to sow the seeds by spreading the seeds throughout your garden area. Once the seeds are sown, you will need to cover the seeds with soil. Gently sprinkle soil over the seeds then tamp the soil down lightly afterwards to press the seeds into the ground. Make sure the seeds are fully covered with soil. Sprinkle water over the seeded area until the seeds begin to sprout. Do not let the soil become too dry or the seeds may not grow. Water the garden area when you notice the soil becoming dry.

By following this step by step guide beginners can look forward to growing their first organic garden with hopeful ease. Be sure to take your time when planting. Rushing through the gardening process may cause you to miss important steps. Gardening requires time, effort and patience.