Grow a Beautiful Garden the Water Wise Way
Grow a beautiful garden the water wise way
Saving water and enjoying the beauty and environmental benefits of plants are not only possible, but easy says the American Association of Nurserymen (AAN). “Water Wise” gardening is built on some basic, commonsense principles:
Planning
Planning a water wise garden or landscape is as easy and fun-as planning any type of garden. Talk to the professionals at your local center/landscape firm to see which plants will do well in your area. You may be surprised to find that some very beautiful, colorful plants are low on water consumption-and they may fit into your landscape perfectly.
Group together plants that require the same amount of water. Plant trees and shrubs to provide shade to cool buildings, air conditioning units, patios, decks, and other landscape features. Shelter container plants by moving them to shady areas. Spike or aerate lawns to insure maximum water penetration. Control weeds which compete with useful plants for water.
Soil Improvement
Soil improvement is another easy and beneficial step in building a water wise garden. Soil that is well prepared at the time of planting influences the plant’s initial development and yields the best results. And plants placed in the proper soil will be healthier, often needing less water.
Soil characteristics include texture, structure, depth, and nutrients. To find out more about your soil content, test your soil with the following garden products: Accugrow Soil Test Kit or the Sunleaves Three-Way Meter.
Wise Irrigation
Efficient irrigation is a critical part of water wise gardening. Your irrigation system can be simple, such as a hand-held hose, or elaborate, such as an in-ground sprinkler system. Consider a drip water conservation system, which can save up to 60% of water used by sprinkler irrigation. Whatever you choose, make sure you plan your watering to get best results.
Deep, infrequent watering, promotes root growth and is the wisest use of water and encourages strong rooting. This provides greater tolerance to dry spells. Water early in the day, and on less windy days, to reduce evaporation loss. The ideal time is from dawn to 9:00 a.m. Turn off sprinklers before water is wasted as runoff into gutters and streets.
Mulching
Mulching is always a benefit to your garden and can help prevent soil erosion and evaporation, conserving the water that is available and keeping your plants healthy and strong.
Maintenance
Maintaining your water wise garden means learning how to water all over again. You may find that watering less means having more time to sit back and enjoy your garden. Generally, plants should be watered less often and for a long period of time. Drip, soaker, or deep root watering promotes healthy plants and less water use.
Water Wise Gardening Tips
Follow these handy watering tips from AAN, and you’ll soon be started on your own environmentally sound garden or landscape. For garden products mentioned in this article, please visit http://www.spray-n-growgardening.com
Watch the video related to organic gardening
Scott Meyer, Editor of Organic Gardening Magazine, gives you step-by-step instructions for creating a new garden bed where grass is currently growing. For more information visit www.organicgardening.com
Help answer the question about organic gardening
Tags: clone, dig, dirt, dirty, garden, green, House, nitrogen, organic, pest, ph, phosphate, pipe, Plant, play, pvc, scale, sodium, soil, weed
September 3rd, 2008 at 1:23 am
As someone who isnt a gardening perfectionist, I think it’s cool that there are a million ways to do a garden – every climate, every property has it’s own personality & elements. That’s why there are so ways to do it and why there are tons of books about it.
I totally love Scott’s video – good instructions and he is really sincere in his delivery. xoxo
September 3rd, 2008 at 1:29 am
What about the ink in the paper?
September 3rd, 2008 at 1:53 am
Pepper plants are good for unwanted insects.
You can also use dish soap. Nothing fancy just regular "Joy" soap cheap soap only. But, there is a good chance you will kill the good insects too.
1st: Get a bucket, fill it with water
2and: Pour the soap in (not to much because you don't want to get rid of all the good insects)
3rd: stir it up so it can blend. (not to much suds)
4th: Let the bucket of soap sit out in the sun for at least a couple of hours.
5th: Use a sprayer and distribute it all over your plants.
See the soap gets in the insects esophagus and the insect dies because it can't breath.
You can use this anywhere in your yard.
works GREAT for cinch bugs.
September 3rd, 2008 at 2:05 am
Organic gardening is a total myth. there is no such thing. The last organic gardening on this Earth was in N.W. Europe 400yrs ago before the rich landowners forced villagers off the land with the enclosure acts. They even used their own excrement on their fields. They were doing so well they wouldn't work for the rich, so the Tories ( Republicans)stole their land from them.
September 3rd, 2008 at 4:20 pm
anything to get more victory gardens is ok with me!!! i use cardboard with EM-1 Bokashi beneath and on-top. then strata continuing with rock dust, neem cake, spirulina,,, then compost and mulch! it has never failed me!!!
September 3rd, 2008 at 1:21 pm
I have been making my living growing produce organically for the past 14 years. For 8 years i was certified organic. I assume you don't care to get certified, you just want to grow pure food.
http://www.idigmygarden.com/forums/ is a great forum to learn the ropes. Organic gardening also has a really good forum and the magazine is an excellent resource http://www.organicgardening.com
It will take many years to get you soil in shape and learn the techniques for successful organic growing so don't expect a great garden for a few years. Start small, no more than a 10' x 10' (3m x 3m) garden the first year or you will get overwhelmed in august when the weather is hot, the insects are out and the weeds are growing high.
Mulch everything with straw (not hay as hay tends to have a lot of weed seeds) and mulch well-at least 6" thick. Straw mulch will keep weeds down, moisture in the soil and blight from happening on plants like tomatoes. It also adds organic matter to your soil.
Have a good hoe, rake, wheelbarrow, trowel and garden fork as your basic garden tools.
Start a compost pile ASAP, compost will be the main thing you will feed to the soil/plants. Compost is the best thing to build healthy soil and organics is all about building healthy soil as any organic grower worth their salt knows soil is alive and healthy soils means healthy pest free plants.
Good luck
September 4th, 2008 at 5:22 am
Hi Scott,
Interesting video but I was surprised you didn’t get it. “It” being the lasagna method based on the three books I wrote for Rodale. The first part was OK up the part about 60 days and digging holes to plant. It’s never good to give bad information but this video was all wrong. Please refer to any one of three Lasagna Gardening books by Patricia Lanza for the proper method: Lasagna Gardening, Lasagna Gardening for Small Spaces, or Lasagna Gardening with Herbs. Cheers, Pat Lanza
September 4th, 2008 at 3:11 am
In organic gardening, soil quality decides vegetable quality. That's why you need good quality compost to keep the soil productive for organic vegetable gardening.
Compost can be made from leaves, dead flowers, vegetable scraps, fruit rinds, grass clippings and manure. The ideal organic soil has a dark color, sweet smell and is full of earthworms. Some soil may need more natural additives such as bonemeal, rock phosphates or greensand. A simple soil test will tell you the pH balance and which nutrients you need to use.
September 4th, 2008 at 5:41 pm
Well, far from self sufficient now. But organic gardening is fun. We started that idea from 40 over years ago. In those days, My dad would collect all the garbage and incinerate them and use the ashes as fertilizers. Our garbage bin is always empty. After harvesting all the beans, he would chop up the vines and bury them under the ground to keep it fertile for the next crop. We used to plant corn, long beans, kale, peanuts and sweet potatoes and cucumbers. Of course we have the problem of snails and catepillars. Organic was unheard of then. He just could not spend money on fertilizers. We had a big land area surrounding our house. All used water from the house flows into a pool and we use them to water the plants. Come to think about it, it is what people have been trying to advocate these days. Going green and organic and all that. Alas, Dad passed away at 1994 at age 85. Also, would be great to be still staying at that place. Keep it up, you are fortunate to have land like that.
September 5th, 2008 at 4:23 am
As times get a little more difficult in America, it is good to see people like yourself who are spreading the word concerning home gardens and how productive and healthy they are. Good job!
September 5th, 2008 at 12:28 am
I love the book Secrets of Companion planting. I've never used any chemicals, but thats probably why I spend at least a hour a day in my gardens pulling weeds. Composting is another great thing (and I have horses!)
September 5th, 2008 at 6:51 am
Corn Gluten is a pre-emergent; meaning it wont kill any existing weeds it just keeps the new weeds from sprouting. You can apply the gluten now, but I wouldn't use it in any beds that you'll be starting seeds in. It's safe for beds that will be planted with starter size plants or existing plants.
September 5th, 2008 at 2:44 pm
See the trailer to a new film on natural health foodmatters[dot]tv
September 6th, 2008 at 3:06 am
“Full sun” some places in Texas is TOO much. Some shade, resulting in a few less hours of full sun is better for many plants in Summers here. While last Summer we encountered a “monsoon season”, this Summer has been relentless heat and drought. Only my slghtly shaded garden areas have done well. Gardening must reflect the specific area & climatic conditions where it is done. Betty Saenz REALTOR® Eco-Broker®, GRI, SRES®
September 6th, 2008 at 1:35 am
Square Foot Gardening.
http://www.squarefootgardening.com/
September 6th, 2008 at 9:09 am
Contact your county extension agency and ask if there are any gardening classes.
Some websites
http://www.rodaleinstitute.org
http://www.gardenweb.com/forums/organic
http://forums.farm-garden.com/index.php
http://alanbishop.proboards60.com/index.cgi
http://www.johnnysseeds.com