I have finally taken the plunge and started my own organic garden (in a very small way but with great plans for expansion as my knowledge expands). Getting to that point proved tremendously difficult and caused a real internal battle for me. I knew I wanted to save money, do my bit for the environment, save my family from the pesticide ridden, tasteless, mass produced excuses for vegetables and feel the tremendous pride derived from growing ones own food. However, I was severely lacking in confidence and ever making lame excuses for not biting the bullet.

For some people, gardening is a passion while for others garden it is an enjoyable and rewarding hobby. Increasingly, people are turning to gardening as a way to feed their families. We think Shirley MacClaine’s character in “Steel Magnolias” said it best. “Because that’s what Southern women do – we wear funny hats and grow things in the dirt.” You don’t have to be from the South or be a woman, or even wear a funny hat to enjoy gardening (although I’m sure it helps). They say the thrill of seeing your first red, ripe tomato or watching your first stalk of corn reach from the ground can be an earth-shattering experience (ok, less bad puns and hyperbole!).

Gardening is also a great way to provide healthy food for you and your loved ones. When you buy (plastic, tasteless) produce from the store, it just isn’t the same as presenting a salad to your family that came exclusively from your garden worked by your own two hands (this is what I’m looking forward to albeit my 4 year old will probably baulk at my offerings). Many people choose to garden so they can have control over what type of food they eat without fear of chemicals or preservatives. More often than not, commercially grown produce is cultivated in greenhouses with the use of pesticides and chemicals to enhance their growth.

Any quick study on these types of artificial applications can be unnerving for the most stout hearted. The side effects of chemical pesticides on the human body can, overtime, truly take its toll. So, many people are jumping on the “organic bandwagon” as a way to minimize the risks to themselves and their loved ones that often comes with commercially prepared foods. You don’t have to be a health nut to embrace organic gardening – I’m a prime example of that. But, just imagine the wonderful way you’ll feel knowing that you are serving foods that were grown all naturally without the risks that come from applying chemical fertilizers and pesticides.

They say it’s easier than you think. If you’ve been gardening for years or are just beginning to grow your own food, organic gardening can provide you with peace of mind and pride in your produce. Don’t have any clues how to start? Neither do I so, let’s begin this journey of learning and dirty fingernails together. Let’s explore the advantages of organic gardening as well as the best way to begin an all-natural garden. Let’s delve deep into the world of mulching, weed control, and composting. Soon we’ll be regaling our friends with ideas on all-natural pest controls and ways to make sure the garden thrives – without chemicals! Watch this space for our continued journey into “Organic Gardening for Beginners”!

It’s easy,very inexpensive and they taste better too so lets get started!

STEP 1: Which tomatoes should I grow? If you have a long growing season then you would want to go with an indeterminate variety which grows all summer long. If your growing season is short then you would go with a determinate variety which produces its fruit quickly (in as little as 85 days or less) and ripens all at once.

Step 2: Now that I have bought my seeds what do I do with them? Six to eight weeks for the end of winter I line up little paper cups filled with peat moss and put one seed in each cup. I then place them in a sunny window sill and water almost daily as peat tends to dry out quickly. Make sure not to over water or let the seed/roots sit in excessive water as this will kill them.

As your seedlings grow transplant them into larger and larger containers, each time burying them up to the first set of leaves. The plant will send out roots from the buried stem and will develop a stronger root system by the time they are ready to be planted outdoors. Once your seedlings have taken off and the threat of frosts are over move your plants outdoors for a few hours each afternoon to get them acclimated, or hardened off, before actually planting them in the garden.

Will any soil work? Tomatoes need a rich, well-drained soil ideally full of organic matter, so get started on that compost pile early.

How much sun do they need? Tomatoes require full sun which translates into no less than 6 to 8 hours a day. Plants will be weak and unhealthy with anything less.

STEP 3: Okay it’s time to transplant. Transplanting is an important step and if you do it carefully, you can look forward to an abundant crop of healthy mouth watering tomatoes.

Once your tomato plants have been hardened, or acclimated to outdoor conditions, and night-time temperatures continually exceed 50 degrees, it’s time to set your plants out into your garden or patio containers.

After planting your tomato plants its a good idea to place organic mulch around them. mulch helps keep the soil most and helps keep fruit off the ground, preventing rotting. The advantages to Mulching is that the soil retains moisture requiring less waterings. Also, the mulch acts as a slow release fertilizer and helps keep the weeds down.

STEP 4: It’s a good idea to prune your plants by pinching off the small leaves which appear in the crotch above a larger stem. Don’t pinch off too many large leaves or the sun will burn developing fruit. Pinching back the top of the plant after it reaches the top of your stake or cage encourages more flowering and fruit.

How often should I water them? Your plants should be deep watered 2 to 3 times a week or more depending of your soil type. If the plant is seen wilting in the middle of the day, ignore it. They will perk right back up by late afternoon. If the plants look droopy in the morning, they need water.

All that hard work gardening is getting ready to pay off and depending on what type of tomato plants you chose more than likely you will have an over abundance of ripe tomatoes.

When the fruits have ripened, pick them by bending back the fruit at the notch on the stem. They can be eaten straight from the plant, or can be stored for up to a week in the fridge.

Tomatoes store well in a cool, dry location. Do not put them in the refrigerator. While they last longer in the refrigerator, they will lose their flavor and texture. To slow down ripening keep them out of direct sunlight.

Good luck and happy gardening!

Organic Gardening Articles: http://www.organicgardenarticles.com/

Weeds can become a nuisance, if ignored and not properly controlled. The Organic Control Method can produce a weed-free garden to avoid the side effects of herbicide poisoning.

Weeds aggressively grows in lawns, gardens and natural areas. These unwanted plants block sunlight and get the important nutrients needed by growing plants. Determining the two weed life cycles such as annual or perennial is important in exhibiting control methods.

One of the best methods is the Organic Weed Control. This method is cheaper and simpler to manage. Mulching and the use of gardening tools are good practices for getting rid of weeds.

Mulch

Garden mulch is a protective layer on top of the soil that suppresses weeds. It is used for protection from threading, compaction and erosion. This method can act as an aid to plant culture. It conditions and retains warmth in the soil. The best time to mulch is during autumn and spring.

Mulch can be categorized in three methods:

1. Sheet Mulch – This is the best method of suppressing perennial weeds. It is easy to cut into shape, relocate, plant and store. Sheet mulch can avoid damages onto vegetables and roots of fruits. It can also improve the use of its top covering of bark or chippings.

Types of Mulch can be identified as:

• Geotextile – This is a woven or non woven permeable sheet and needle punch made from polypropylene and polyester. This can be used as a barrier between the soil and loose mulch in order to diminish perennial weeds.

• Black (White) Plastic Sheet – These are black plastic sheets (400-600 gauge of silage sheeting) that warms the soil. It keeps its moist.

• Fibre Sheets – This is a bio-degradable bonded wood developed for garden applications such as tree and flower seeded mats.

• Newspapers – These are whole 8 sheet thick papers that go together with weed-tops, including straws that hold and compost in order to suppress weeds on vegetable plots. This becomes a paper mash that can be forked and added as organic matter for the soil.

• Cardboard – A brown cardboard is more effective when it breaks down and encourages earthworms. This material allows air flow and even penetrates water.

2. Ornamental mulch – This enhances the landscape along pathways and the entire yard. It blends with house colors and decors. Using permeable barrier membranes, wood chip and gravel, this will prevent the sinkage of the soil.

3. Organic Mulch – This is widely used mulch meant for fruit bushes and flowers. It conditions and feeds the soil. It also protects it against drought in the summer and even improves drainage. Some of its properties are as follows:

• Easy to apply with a reasonable price.
• Freely drains and permits good aeration.
• Not too low Nitrogen content.
• Water will not become saturated.

Organic mulch can act as a leaf mold It can be used as a base for composting seeds. By gathering fall leaves inside a bag and leaving it to rot will eventually help add nutrients to the soil. Pine needles and lawn cuttings can retain soil moisture. For “no dig gardening”, farmyard manure is best applied in roses, pumpkins and cucumber among others, especially during the spring or late winter seasons. Other types used include straw, hay, weeds, green tops, and garden composts.

The use of the right gardening tools will satisfy the implementation of organic weed control methods. This will help gardeners maintain and remove weeds with no hassle. Fork tools can also remove underground stems of perennial weeds, without slicing the roots of plants or even damaging crops. While garden claws act as a cultivator of small gardens in order to loosen weeds, the claw can easily use top dressings or fertilizers for repetitive action. For tap roots and disturbed weeds, you can use a Dutch hoe, spade and shovel.

For successful usage of the organic control method, one must aim for a 100% soil coverage and clear off open ground. Regular inspection or an immediate spotting of weeds while young is necessary. Regular mowing is also sufficient. Nothing is safer than using organic method for removing weeds.

Organic Gardening Articles: http://www.organicgardenarticles.com/

Our contemporary lifestyle, crammed schedules and crushing workloads tend to make gardening a threatened pastime. Especially if you have a long commute to and from work, you’ll start whining if your precious time is consumed by running around trying to maintain your garden. Pruning land mowers, pulling out weeds, tilling and fertilizing, trimming grass and sweating away can really sound nightmarish, if you don’t have a proper gardening plan. Done right, gardening isn’t really such a strenuous work and the results you get are worth the efforts. A few restful hours soaking in the beauty of a lovely garden can really lift your spirits and rejuvenate you when you’re stressed out. Not mentioning the joy you get when folks compliment you on its possession. So how do you get about creating your corner of sanctuary in a low maintenance manner? Here are some tips to get you going:

Analysis: The first thing you should do is to logically analyze your existing property. Which area catches your fancy and also requires less care? Which area has a higher weeding problem? Which area is more difficult to mow? You don’t want to run out of breath mowing uphill! Is there any area that requires too much care already? You may need to compromise a bit if your favorite areas require more maintenance than expected. So take notes on your examination and write down the garden activities that you prefer the least, and the ones you enjoy doing the most. We all have our own choices.

Goals: Next comes the goal. What exactly is your goal? Are you planning to have a vegetable garden to provide pesticide-free food for yourself and your family? Or are you planning to have a flower garden just to relax and add to the charm? Or you want both? Perhaps your goal is to increase the value of your property? Perhaps you want to create more privacy by blocking the view with thick plants? Or you want to beam with pride when your friends and neighbors applaud on your skills? Make a note of all your gardening goals.

Planning: Once you’re ready with your goals, you now have to plan it out. Be as realistic as possible, don’t go by emotions and don’t be adamant. Run your imagination and formulate your ideas by drawing it out on paper. Make compromises willingly, not grudgingly. Berry gardens are great but you may make do with some flowery trees. Ditto for a vegetable garden to a salad garden. There are several plants that hardly need any care. You can have a wild flower garden to replace a shade garden. Understand the limitations of your property, your budget and your time. We all have our own dreams, so save them in a little corner of your heart – you never know when they will come true in future!

Tips: First of all, you need to accept that gardening takes its own sweet time. If you try to hurry things up, you will not have anything done at all. Worse, you may end up creating more problems for yourself. So take things slowly, take up one area / job at a time and don’t be over enthusiastic.

Next, begin with plants that are suited to your climate, soil, temperature and moisture in which you are planning to grow them. Else you will end up wasting your time.

Formal hedges can be converted into naturally shaped informally pruned hedges, which require very less maintenance.

If you plan to have a lawn, exclude areas which has too many slopes, surface root interference, and where there are many trees or plants, where trimming around the trunks is difficult. Avoid the fence and low hanging trees where you need to stoop a lot. Also avoid shady areas.

Leaves and grass clippings can be transformed into compost and used as mulch. They can also be burnt but this pollutes the air and is also against the law in some places. Remember to shred the leaves first – this will speed up the compost process.

Organic Gardening Articles: http://www.organicgardenarticles.com/

Organic gardening is growing and marketing health foods that have not been treated with commercial chemicals. Only natural fertilizers and pest repellents are used to qualify for the higher, health food prices.
The primary equipment for health food growing is to not use the chemical fertilizers or toxic pesticides.  Natural and organically grown foods command higher prices because they cannot easily be mass-produced and generally require more TLC.
Not only are natural foods more expensive, they are mandatory for people who cannot tolerate many of the chemicals commonly used by the majority of growers today. There are also many people today who feel very strongly about chemicals and are willing to pay extra for all natural products.
The organic grower screens pests from the garden, uses insect repelling plants (like marigolds) and natural enemy insects (praying mantis, ladybugs) and natural, nontoxic pesticides to reduce crop damage.
Some organic growers confine their operation to green houses or shade houses, where control is easier.
Natural foods include fresh fruit and vegetables, dried, frozen or canned foods, as well as seeds, powders and juices.
They can be sold through health stores, directly from your garden roadside stands, or to markets in the area. It is also important to note that processed natural foods are equally as much in demand.
When advertising your organically grown produce, be sure to emphasize the “all natural” aspects, which is one of your best selling points.
Setting up to grow health foods is very much like readying a normal garden, except that you take special care to avoid the use of “forbidden” chemicals.
Fertilizers are restricted to barnyard products and natural plant leftovers which can be combined into an excellent (and low cost) garden fertilizer.
In the natural food garden business, you will soon develop a routine to make your own compost almost exclusively from waste products, plant trimmings, and fruit hulls. All plant parts that are not otherwise used (or diseased) are recycled into compost, along with other materials that you have on hand or can buy inexpensively.
The degree of isolation needed for an organic garden depends on its location. If you live in a hot area, consider a shade cloth enclosure to screen insects as well as the direct rays of a hot sun.
Greenhouse enclosures are often used in the more temperate areas where frost is a consideration.
If your garden is in a relatively insect free and not down wind from fields that are sprayed with commercial chemicals, you may need no special considerations other than some of the accepted insect deterring techniques.
Perhaps the most needed assistance for your organic garden will be compost, which is sometimes called (ironically) artificial fertilizer.    The purpose is to fertilize and simultaneously, add humus (decayed animal and plant matter) to your growing medium.
Depending on the needs of your soil, it may be necessary to add specifics to attain the desired composition.
If you cannot test it yourself, take several small samples from different locations in your garden and have them analyzed.
State universities and some large (especially, chain) nurseries will often provide this service at little or no charge. Call your county agriculture agent to find other sources of soil analysis (and remedial actions that may be unique to your area).
In a commercial operation, you will undoubtedly want to generate at least some of your own compost. You should have at least two compost piles so you can be using one while the other is “working.”
One way to build an inexpensive compost box is to make an enclosure of wood and chicken wire, some 3 feet wide, 15 feet long and perhaps 4 feet high.
Use metal or treated for the four corners and re-enforcing posts every 3-4 feet on the sides. There should be no bottom (just bare soil).
Add the compost materials: dry leaves, grass clippings, cotton hulls, straw, fruit peelings, sawdust, vegetables, and manure (clean sacked is fine) in one foot layers.
Kitchen scraps are usually avoided because they give off odors and attract flies, as are any diseased plant parts. Mix in a shovel full of regular garden soil here and there, along with some hybrid earthworms if available.
Between layers, sprinkle well with some 8-8-8 or 5-10-5 commercial fertilizer (about a pound per square foot of compost surface).
This small amount of commercial chemical doesn’t count as a directly applied chemical. It acts as a catalyst to speed the decomposing action.
Keep the compost pile moist and use a fork to turn and stir the material every few days to help foster decomposition. Add more clippings as the pile shrinks (decomposes).
When restarting a compost pile always leave a couple inches of the old compost on the ground to act as “starter”. Depending on the weather and how well you take care of your compost pile, it should be “ready” in 6 to 8 weeks. Of course, if you use heavier products, such as wood that has gone through a compost machine, it will take a little longer.
Tip: If you can’t afford a compost machine, put leaves and other small clippings into a clean metal garbage can and insert your weed-eater. This won’t work with larger pieces, but does fine with the light material.
Another idea is to mount a barrel so it can be turned daily. Have one made with a door and good latch so it can be turned without its contents falling out. The barrel can either be mounted on rollers or have axles welded on each end and fit into receptacles on a sturdy stand.
Organic gardeners learn which insects and garden denizens are helpers and which are “bad news”. Some may look bad but do a lot of good.
Examples are garden snakes that eat mice and insects, spiders and eat insects, wasps that each roach eggs and lay their eggs in insects, dragon flies, and ground beetles and caterpillars.  Other beneficial creatures may be more easily recognized: praying mantis (insects and aphids), ladybugs (aphids, scales, spider mites), bees (pollination), lizards (large quantities of insects), frogs, toads (ditto), pirate bugs (mites, eggs and larvae of other insects), birds (worms, bugs), dragonflies (flies, mosquitoes, etc.).
There are also “organic” pesticides that are used, but one must be very careful not to step over the line to toxic chemicals and lose their “organically grown” label!
As you learn more and more about organic gardening, you will discover many other tricks that work in your area. Some are iron clad rules; others may be debatable, but in the final analysis, what works for you is best for you! Some organic gardeners NEVER plant anything in the same row twice, to reduce the possibility of pests and disease.
For example: Tomatoes are especially sensitive to nematodes (root insects) as well as tomato worms. A crop of tomatoes may be followed by onions of cereal (not regular winter) rye for a winter green fertilizer (turned) under in the spring).
The latter is reputed to kill nematodes which become tangled in the thick rye roots. Many organic gardeners routinely place marigolds and other insect repelling plants between rows and/or 5 castor beans to help repel flies and moles.
By subscribing to a good organic gardening magazine, and trial and error in your particular locale, you will soon become an expert for the products you raise.

Article Source: http://www.articlesbase.com/gardening-articles/getting-started-in-the-business-of-organic-gardening-534436.html

About the Author:
Louanne welcomes you to visit  http://www.EZ-Gardening-Tips.com  for a large data base of extremely helpful gardening articles and gardening resources.

Organic gardening is a skill that most people should learn. In these dire times, pesticides and chemicals have poisons the very ground that crops are grown in, learning to grow your own food at home is probably one of the wisest decisions that anyone could make. However, before making the leap into the organic gardening arena, there are a few supplies that you need to get before you can begin to grow your own food. Here are a few tips on what you need before planting season begins.

If you are a regular gardener, or an organic gardener, most of the needed supplies needed are relatively the same. Everyone needs a hoe, pail, shovel, and a hose to get water to your crops. Themain difference is that most organic gardeners will not be at the local hardware store purchasing weed killer or other pesticides or herbicides in order to take care of their garden quickly and easily.

Most organic gardeners know that by using these types of products, you can affect your food in a detrimental way and you can end up eating many of these poisons which become part of the food you are ingesting. You have to ask yourself if you would actually drink the poison that you are spraying on the plants. If not, then why would you want to eat it alter when it has become part of the plant you are about to eat!? The answer is that you wouldn’t and that by taking a time out, looking at a game plan, and deciding what to do way in advance, you are ensuring your success with your crops now and in the future.

You will also notice an overall shrinkage to the crops and the yields will be lower. Of course, if you are an organic gardener, you will be subject to the same things that all other gardeners will face. You must simply take care of them in a different way which will allow you to create a better tasting, and better for you, line up on your kitchen table.

Typically, an organic gardener, or any gardener for that matter, you will need some kind of a shovel with a spading fork by which to dig into the soil to begin to prepare it for planting. A pair of gloves is also necessary so that you can begin to take the weeds and the rocks out to of your soil, sometimes even with the help of a hoe or a pry bar to dig up even the toughest stones invented in your ground.

Once your soil is ready, and you have properly prepared additional product for your soil such as compost or worm castings, it is time to mix your soil with the organic fertilizers and do so in about a month in advance. This will allow the compost to break down further and will allow a proper mixing of the compost with the soil to make it even more healthy for the seeds to grow in.

Organic gardening supplies can be purchased at virtually any store. The supplies you will need as far as tools are basically the same as those needed by conventional gardeners. What you will need that is different are the composting additions that are typically bypassed by ordinary gardeners that will use pesticides and chemicals to protect their crops from on coming pests.

One might wonder why there are so many pests in the world. Most every insect or plant has some sort of purpose which has to do with the natural equilibrium of the area where they are located. If these insects are killed off, this causes an imbalance that cannot be replaced except over time.

This is why using strategies that are involved in the organic field, you will need to find an organic gardening supply store that can help you get all of the tools that you will need in order to make your endeavor a success.

Timing is everything, therefore get your supply list going for your organic gardening needs. Planning too late will lead to a lack of preparedness for event that may arise that will literally kill your crops overnight. So be forewarned and take the time a few months in advance so you are ready for any organic gardening problem, no matter what it is or when it arises.

If you have not created one yet, you will need to box in an area for your composting pile or even an area for your works so that you can create your own worm castings. By doing these things in advance, you will be prepared as you begin to get ready to plant your organic garden. Organic gardening supply tips can also be found by consulting local neighbors that also grow organically.

Dealing with pests is one of the biggest problem of organic gardeners. An infestation of aphids or cutworms can absolutely devastate a garden. An entire row of plants can be wiped out in a matter of days or even hours.

Hence, prevention of infestations rather than treating them as and when they occur is crucial. This can be done by spraying your plants with solutions that deter many of the most common garden pests. There are many organic solutions available. However, you can make your own by using recipes that can be found in most organic gardening books. Most of them are similar to tea and are concocted with ingredients like hot pepper sauce and garlic.

Organic or Biological Control of pests in agriculture is a method of controlling pests including insects, mites, weeds and plant diseases that relies on predation, herbivory, parasitism or other natural mechanisms. Biological Control reduces pest populations by using natural enemies of the pests and typically involves active human participation. Classical Biological Control is the introduction of natural enemies to a new locale where they did not originate or do not occur naturally. One of the earliest success of biological control was with the cottony cushion scale, a pest that was devastating the California citrus industry in the late 1800s. The vedalia beetle, a predatory insect and a parasitoid fly were brought in from Australia. Within a few years, the cottony cushion scale was completely controlled by these introduced natural enemies.

Whenever possible, you should try to plant species that are native to the area where you reside as these plants have natural immunity to many common diseases in the area. There are also plants that are pest-resistant, and will not have as many problems with pests of other varieties.

You should also try planting early to avoid the worst part of the bug season. Insects have just a short period of each year in which they will be active and eating your plants. Thus if you plant early, you may just be able to harvest before those insects terrorize your plants.

One other method is to encourage natural insect predators like ladybugs, praying mantis, ground beetles, and birds to come into your garden. Plants like mint and rosemary can help attract many beneficial bugs that can help you keep the destroying insects under control.

It pays to keep a close eye on your plants as you will then be able to spot potential problems before they get out of control. If you see a hornworm on your tomato plant, pluck it off quickly and drown it in soapy water. By keeping a close watch on your plants daily, you have a chance to stop these problems before they become too difficult to handle.

If you are having trouble with a particular pest, you can take pictures and then try to identify the pest. Go online and try to search for it. If you cannot identify it, you can take your pictures to your local county extension office or library and ask for help identifying it.

Some pests can be prevented by installing netting over your plants. This is probably the last resort you would want to use to save your plants from utter devastation especially when you are experiencing a particularly bad season of beetles or other such bugs.

Just remember, netting will also prevent beneficial insects from reaching your plants, so if some pests make it through, it may be harder to detect them and for predator insects to control them.

Pest control is a very difficult part of organic gardening. If you lose a crop to insects, you may be tempted to abandon organic gardening and rush out to buy a chemical spray. A lot of organic gardeners experience this so do not feel bad. It can be frustrating dealing with pests especially when you have put in a lot of effort to take care of your plants all season.

But just remember, organic gardening has many benefits that is truly worth going through all that extra work. Your entire family will be rewarded with healthy foods that are safe to eat!

Weeds compete with other crops and convert many productive land into unusable scrub. Weed is also often poisonous, distasteful and interfere with the use and management of desirable plants by contaminating your harvests.

Many weed control strategies have hence been developed in order to contain the growth and spread of weeds. One of the basic methods is ploughing which works by cutting the roots of annual weeds. Another commonly used technique is by using chemical weed killers known as herbicides. However, these cannot be used in an organic garden. So what can you do?

First and foremost, you will need to identify the kind of weeds that is found in your garden. You can then use the appropriate method to get rid of them. We will now look at a few of the most commonly found weeds and how to get rid of them.

You should always pull them up with a hoe before they flower. And you can spread corn gluten over the areas you wish to remain free from dandelions in the early spring. This will help keep a lot of the seedlings from growing.

Crabgrass is a major pest in many yards and gardens. It is very tough to pull up, and especially difficult to get rid of. You must pull up the entire plant, including all of its roots. To suppress further growth, you can spread corn gluten in the early spring. You can also mulch to prevent the seeds from germinating.

Poison ivy is one horrible plant that causes severe rashes even with a very mild exposure. You should always wear gloves when handling poison ivy and do not ever let in come in contact with any part of your skin.

To get rid of poison ivy, you must cut the plant at the base and then let it dry out completely. Bury the vines or throw them away in the trash. You must never ever burn them because even the smoke can be fatal! Do not compost poison ivy either.

Lamba Quarters is an edible wild green. There are some who grow these for food but most people think of them as common weeds. Removing them can be quite a task. You can hoe or pull up the plants when you seen them and then mulch heavily to suppress the seedlings.

Ragweed is one weed which many would want to extricate. It is a very common allergen, and its pollen is a major cause of hay fever. There are several ways to get rid of them. You can try to hoe up the seedlings, and use a mower to mow down the full-sized plants. You can also mulch to cover the areas where it grows. Thirdly, you can also compost ragweed if it has not yet gone to seed.

Purslane is an edible plant which can be removed by hoeing them individually. If you pull the plants, do not leave them lying on top of the soil because they can re-root themselves. Do not compost them either as the seeds of this plant can mature after the plant has been pulled. You can mulch to prevent them from growing.

Prickly lettuce is an annoying little plant which causes itching and burning if it comes in contact with skin. Always put on your gloves when you handle it. You can pull or hoe plants, or cut the taproot below the soil. You also might wish to leave it alone, as it can attract beneficial insects. However, be sure to keep it away from your lettuce patches as it can carry lettuce diseases.

Cocklebur is poisonous to livestock, so you should be sure to keep it away from your animals. You can hoe or pull plants beneath the soil line. You can compost it if it has not yet gone to seed.

Another method of weed control includes covering the ground area with several layers of wet recycled paper for several weeks. In the case of using the wet recycled paper, the multiple layers prevent light from reaching all plants beneath, which kills them. Saturating the recycled paper with water daily speeds the decomposition of the dead plants. Any weed seeds that start to sprout because of the water will also be deprived of sunlight. It will be killed and decomposed.

After several weeks, all the germinating weed seeds present in the ground will be dead. Then the recycled paper can be removed and the ground can be planted. The decomposed plants will help fertilise the plants or seeds planted later.

The rainwater tank craze that has swept across the globe has been in full swing for more than 5 years now and is showing no signs of slowing down. With so much talk around the world about global warming over the last few years many home owners are only just starting to notice the effects.

Many home owners are now commenting that in 25 years they have never run out of rain water in their existing water tanks and are now buying larger water tanks as a backup supply to complement their current supplies.

For example Australia has only just recently come out of an extended drought period and many parts are still suffering the effects. The effects of the drought in rural areas have filtered down to the urban areas with many of Australia ’s major cities now affected by water restrictions.

Water restrictions are now something every consumer will have to get accustomed to as population growth and global warming stretch our precious water reserves. A few years ago many local governments introduced a water tank rebate which still continues today.

The rebate was introduced to try to encourage the consumer to take responsibility of their own non essential use of potable water. It is far easier and cheaper for the government to make everyone get rainwater tanks than for them to build new dams, not to mention better for our environment not flooding so much land and trees and altering the natural flow of rivers.

The introduction of the water tank rebates sparked a boom in the rainwater tank industry with many now “global warming conscious” people jumping on the eco band wagon and installing a water tank. This has seen a huge rise in water tank manufacturing companies on the east coast of Australia trying to cope with the demand driven by the new urban market.

The water tanks market has now been flooded (no pun intended) with tanks and under cutting within the market is now prevalent. Great for the consumer but not for struggling manufactures. Many manufacturers and resellers have now closed the doors due to too much competition and only the astute businesses are rising to the top to take their share of the water tank boom.

The rainwater tanks boom has also been great for the plumbing industry as it is law to have your tank installed by a licensed plumbing contractor if you wish to connect your tanks supplies to your house for the flushing of toilets and washing of clothes etc.

It is also necessary to have a plumber sign off on the tanks installation in order to receive the maximum rebate offered by the government.

The other windfall for the rainwater tanks industry has been the introduction of BASIX. BASIX is the building sustainability index, which is an evaluation tool developed by the NSW Government, to ensure that natural resources such as energy and water are conserved.

Simply, BASIX is designed to reduce the impacts of new housing on the environment. The BASIX tool currently assesses the potential performance of proposed new housing against various sustainability indices, including landscape, stormwater, water, thermal comfort and energy.

As a minimum, a new development must be able to demonstrate the commitments selected will use 40% less mains water, and 25% less energy than conventional buildings of a similar type.

All new development now have to comply with BASIX regulations which means in part water tanks for everyone building a new house or doing major renovations.

This has injected a whole new line of prospects for the water tank reseller and manufactures alike. Builders are now lining up to purchase rainwater tanks in order to have their building passed off by the building inspectors.

What a lot of builders are fast finding out is that due to high demand the availability of rainwater tanks is not as easy as picking up some timber from the hardware store.

Many tank manufactures are so in demand that a wait of up to 12 weeks is common for some tanks. This is time frame varies from time to time and is to the extreme but a wait of 3 to 4 weeks is normal.

You can get off the rack tanks faster if you know where to shop but in these cases you don’t get a choice of where you fittings are positioned and get a limited choice of colors.

If you are building a house or are just thinking of getting a rainwater tank make sure to order your tank well before you need it to avoid disappointment.

Rainwater tanks are here to stay, not a passing fad and something you are going to see more and more in the suburban back yard from now on. They are great for the environment and it ’s a great feeling to be able to do what you want, whenever you want with the water you collect off you roof without fear of being reported by nosy passersby and prosecution by the water police.

Modern technology has allowed many of us to receive benefits that primitive societies did not have. Unfortunately, in the area of organic gardening, pest control has lost its way in our technologically advanced society. We have forgotten that pest control for our crops can be done in an organic way. The spreading of pesticides over our crops that lead to build ups within the aquifers that provide the crops water can become devastating over time. Here are a few tips on how to successfully create organic compost and maintain pest-control a natural way.

Finding the right way to take care of pests that will attack and destroy all of your hard work is a very challenging task. One problem actually comes from yourself as you try to stay away from the inorganic pesticides that could harm your aquifers and plants that you are growing alike.

Most alternatives present the easy side of life and alow you to quickly spray and be done with your pest control. However, this is not the best way at all as most organic farmers know. This movement is growing with each and every day, a need to go away from things and alternatives that can lead to not only a poisoning of our planet, but also the poisoning of the very food that we will eat at the dinner table.

If you have ever wondered how the people of old used to do this, it was because they had more of a knowledge base with nature. Though simple, they were in tune with what worked and what did not. They had limited possibilities and this honed their skills for survival over the course of hundreds if not thousands of years.

Pesticides have often been thought of as the savior for our ever-increasing human race. The ability to spray a substance over our crops that will stop natural invaders was a dream come true until science discovered how harmful these pesticides could be. By using organic garden pest control, a methodology that has been around for centuries, we can effectively grow crops and maintain pest control the natural way.

What is missing from modern thinking is that we have been taught that most bugs and pests that infiltrate our garden area are primarily harmful to the crops that we are growing. However, by using organic garden pest control techniques, we can still eliminate the pests and create a product that is better tasting and less toxic for everyone that eats it.

Taking this a step further, it is easy to forget that our planet was once a much greener place to live. Through the modern industrializing of our natural world, we have created a situation that may lead us to the brink of some kind of ecological disaster unless each of us decides to do our part and use our individual choices to become aware of what we use to keep our plants healthy and safe.

One of the best ways to control pests on a large or small scale is introducing bugs that eat certain bugs. One of the most well-known organic ways to control pests is with the ladybug. The ladybug preys upon other insects like aphids and will not damage the crops that it cohabitates with. Another wonderful insect to have in your crop area is the praying mantis. This insect feeds on the larger insects that can also severely damage your organic crops.

If you have a family and you are wanting to grow organic food because you see it as more healthy, using these techniques to protect the crops that you grow is not only better for the environment but better for your family as they will be the ones primarily ingesting this food. Likewise, if you are growing and organic garden with the purpose of marketing what you grow, you will feel better knowing that the crops that you are providing the public are free from chemical and toxic residues.

Take a few moments every day to realize that your world is one that can be taken away in a heartbeat. With over 6 billion people on the planet, it is easy to understand how our individual choices, like a collective hive, and make or break this world and our food supply for our children. All we need is the knowledge to do this, and we can begin, if you use common sense, to make better choices with the food we grow each day.

Whether you are growing an organic garden that is only a few feet wide or the size of your backyard, using organic garden pest control techniques will allow you to grow healthy foods at the same time as you protect the area in which you live. By focusing upon health conscious solutions, you will be providing the best possible food for your family and anyone else that will benefit from your organic gardening.