Natural Homemade Solutions To Your Organic Gardening Problems

Gardening organically is a great way to ensure your family and friends eat healthy and treat the earth well, but it does present some challenges.  The biggest challenges are usually in taking care of pests and fighting disease in order to grow a beautiful and bountiful harvest.

In today's post, we'll take a look at some natural, homemade solutions to these organic gardening problems.

Aphids:

Pea aphids extracting sap from the stem and leaves of garden peas. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Aphids can be successfully treated with either of the following sprays. The key to either is making sure you are diligent in spraying all the leaves, including the undersides.

Oil and soap spray - Take 2 teaspoons of Mineral oil or Neem oil and add in 2 or 3 minced garlic cloves. Let it steep for about 24 hours, then strain. Next add 1 teaspoon liquid dish soap and 1 pint of water. Use 1-2 tablespoons of this mix with a full spray bottle of water.

Always test it on a leaf first to make sure it does not harm it. If it does, dilute it with more water and try again.

This spray is not picky as to which insects it eliminates so if you do have some beneficial insects around that you don't want to harm, you should try the next spray instead.

Tomato leaf spray - Add 1 cup chopped tomato leaves to two cups water and let sit for 24 hours. Strain and add this mixture to a large spray bottle, filling it up the rest of the way with water. Spray liberally on all affected areas.

Animal Pests:

Use red pepper spray and many critters won't come back for seconds.  It makes the plants just too spicy for rabbits, mice, birds and squirrels. Mix 3 tablespoons of Tabasco sauce and 1 teaspoon dish soap. Add this to 1 quart of water and spray around the area. I have also found that squirrels don't like cinnamon. Sprinkle it liberally on the ground around your plants to keep squirrels from digging there.

Slugs:

 In the spring, go on a nightly slug hunt. Using a flashlight, locate the slugs and sprinkle table salt on them. A couple nights of this should sufficiently decrease your slimy slug problem. You can also pour beer into shallow lids and set on the ground. Many people report that this will attract slugs which will crawl in and drown.

Powdery mildew, a Biotrophic Fungus (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Powdery Mildew:

This is a serious fungal disease that hits many types of plants, including squash and cucumbers in particular, but weekly spraying of 30% skim milk or raw milk to 70% water can take care of it.

Weeds:

Good old vinegar can kill most weeds but it can also kill your plants. Do not pour it on weeds in your grass or you'll end up with dead grass spots. If the weeds are close to other plants, try using a paint brush to brush the vinegar on the weed's leaves. Or just pull them out by the roots.

Not only are homemade organic remedies good options for your garden, they're also inexpensive and use everyday household items. Try any of these options to take care of your organic garden problems and reap the rewards with a great bounty.

Compost Smells, & Other Composting Myths

Composting is a natural and simple process and yet it has been complicated by machines, fallacies, misinformation, myths, and misunderstandings. Some of these misinformed facts have been passed around so many times that the general perception has become accepted fact. An example would be the idea that all compost smells bad. But before we go into that, let’s discuss some other composting myths first.

Myth: Composting requires a lot of work

Natural decomposition of a compost pile. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Truth: Composting is a natural process which involves the elements of nature doing the majority of the job for you. All you need is to gather all the materials, lay it on, and let nature do her job. Composting is a low maintenance activity as well. You only need to turn the compost pile every once in a while to keep the air flowing to quicken the decomposition process and that’s it. (You really don't even have to do this - it just speeds up the process.) You practically sit and wait for the the compost to finish.

Myth: Composting is limited to farms and wide open spaces

Truth: On the contrary, people living in urban areas who have even a very small space can create their own composting bin from a trash can. How much space would that take up? If you don't want to build your own, there are also many small-sized compost tumblers available for purchase at farm stores and over the internet. Also, there is another technique which you can use, called vermicomposting, which involves the use of red worms in a contained bin where you feed them table scraps. You can even do this indoors!

Myth: Composting needs precise measurements

Truth: Even though composting ideally would be best achieved with the right combination of greens and browns elements, having the exact measurements is not that necessary. Estimates work just fine. And those neatly piled up layers of composting piles you see in commercials, books, pamphlets and brochures of composting products - those are all for show. You don’t need to copy those, composting works the same way even if you pile them up haphazardly.

Myth: You need specially formulated chemicals as starters or activators

Truth: Despite the claims of commercially available products that applying them to the compost pile will speed up the process of decomposition, buying them is not really necessary. It is good practice to just throw in some finished compost (if you have it) into the newly formed compost pile and that itself will serve as the activator to get things started. But there’s no need to buy that expensive stuff.

Myth: Adding yeast will boost the compost’s performance

Truth: This is not true at all. What you’re doing is just wasting your money by adding yeast to the compost pile. Yeast does not do anything to the compost pile and neither does it affect the performance or quality of the compost.

Garden materials in a compost bin. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Myth: Animals are attracted to compost piles

Truth: This is true to some degree. Composting piles do attract the occasional cat, dog or raccoon - especially if you have a totally open pile that is not protected or enclosed. Small critters will likely go for open compost piles and for piles that have kitchen scraps like meat, fat, dairy products, bones and pet manure added to them. Therefore, it is usually best to avoid adding these items to the compost pile - especially if you live in an urban area - and these can also cause your compost pile to smell - which brings us to our final myth.

Myth: Compost smells bad

Truth: Compost should not have a bad smell. If you find bad smelling compost, then the maker did a poor job picking the materials for the compost pile. If your compost includes only green and brown items and vegetable matter, is properly exposed to air, and is not kept too wet, it should have only a mild earthy smell.

Hopefully clearing up these myths will help you in your decision to start a compost pile. It will be the best thing you ever did for your garden!

Product Review: Good Ideas Rain Wizard

I’m always thankful for the rain when it comes to my garden. It means my plants are happy and watered without me needing to head out and take care of it. Wouldn't it be nice if I could just always use rain instead of adding to my water bill? As a sustainable gardener, in my apartment, I usually try to collect rain in 5-gallon buckets during the summer, but it's not always enough. Now that we're moving into our new house, a rain barrel is a must for my garden planning next summer!

One good option is the Good Ideas Rain Wizard. This, like other rain barrels, is a big plastic barrel that you put outside and it collects water as it rains. There is a spigot on the bottom where you can hook a hose up and water your lawn or your garden without worrying about what it’s doing to the water bill. I always feel bad about wasting water on grass, and it’s also much better for the environment.

As an added bonus, this is a great idea for people who live in places where there are water shortages during certain times of the year. Collect as much of the rain as you can when it comes, and then use it to water your garden during dry periods!

Features of the Good Ideas Rain Wizard

Good Ideas Rain Wizard - Oak.

• It’s made of BPA free plastic so it’s not going to contaminate your water even if it’s sitting in there for a long time. 
• The 50 gallon size means you’ll be able to capture a ton of rain water and you don’t need to worry about it running out too fast. 
• The hole on the top has a grate over it to keep pets and children safe. It also keeps out bugs and debris. It’s easily removable in case you want to set it up so your gutters drain the rain into it. 
• No flimsy plastic spigot, it’s made of brass so you won’t need to worry about it breaking off when you attach the hose. 
• Plastic sides are thick and sturdy so there won’t be any breaks or leaks. Direct sunlight won’t dull or ruin the barrel in any way. 
• It also comes in a bunch of colors and in my opinion it looks quite decent.

 Are There Any Downsides?

There are a few cons to this and other rain catching barrels.

One is that you don’t want to leave them out during the freezing months. Like a hose, you want to empty it and move it into a shed or garage once temperatures get low enough to freeze.

Also, it's only 19 pounds empty but as it fills up don’t expect to be able to easily move it. Fifty gallons of water is HEAVY! 

Conclusion

The Good Ideas Rain Wizard is a great way to save money on your water bill and is great for the environment. Rain water is perfect for watering your plants and lawn sustainably. It’s sturdy and pretty much set and forget as long as you empty it before the first freeze of winter. All-in-all, a rain barrel like this can be a great investment considering how much money you can save on your water bill when you no longer need to pay to water the lawn or your garden.

4 Easy-to-Grow Culinary Herbs Ideal for Small Spaces

Fresh herbs are a great way to bring the flavors of your dishes to life. Unfortunately, they can be expensive to buy at the grocery store and they aren’t always in season. Although you can use their dried counterparts in your favorite recipes, they just don’t deliver the same flavor profile.  Fortunately, you can enjoy fresh herb flavor all year long and you don’t need a ton of space to do it.

If full-scale gardening isn’t your thing or if space is at a premium in your garden, you’ll want to get the most bang for your buck from your plant choices. Not only do you want to select herbs that are easy to grow, you’ll also want to select versatile options that pair well with a diverse selection of recipes. The following list of easy-to-grow culinary herbs can help you get started.

Here are 4 Easy-to-Grow and Versatile Herbs

Basil (Photo credit: Skrewtape)

1. Basil. Basil tops the list because it is so versatile and is super easy to grow from seed. All you need is a small pot and sunny windowsill and you can have fresh basil at your fingertips all year long.

After all, what could be better than juicy tomatoes paired with fresh mozzarella and fresh-picked basil?  Top with a balsamic reduction, some good extra virgin olive oil, and a little salt and fresh-cracked pepper and you’ve got a delicious and easy lunch entrée or dinner salad.

Basil is also an important ingredient in fresh pesto recipes and it pairs beautifully with tomato-based pasta sauces. For a unique twist, add julienned basil and Brie cheese to sourdough bread for a fabulous grilled cheese sandwich.  If you want to get even more creative, plant a pot of purple basil to make a beautiful and delicious purple basil jelly.

Fresh Cilantro (Coriander). (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

2. Cilantro (Coriander).  This herb does double duty. The fresh leaves (cilantro) of young plants are a staple in Mexican cooking. Fresh cilantro is a key ingredient in homemade salsas and also adds a unique flavor dimension to salad greens. It can also be used in a wide variety of marinades for beef, chicken, pork and vegetables. It is especially well suited for marinating meats for fajita recipes.

Cilantro is also very easy to grow from seed. You can extend the life of your plant by keeping it plucked down and keeping it in cooler areas. In spite of your best efforts, however, it will eventually “bolt” to form lacy flowers that will set seeds that can be harvested. Those seeds can be lightly toasted and ground down to create coriander, which is much more mellow in flavor than its fresh counterpart and is a nice complement to many recipes.

Rosemary (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

3. Rosemary. Rosemary can also be started from seeds, but you may find it easier to pick up small plants from your local garden center each spring. They can then be brought indoors during cooler weather, but you will need to keep them moist and provide access to a sunny window, preferably with a southern exposure, * to keep them happy. If cared for properly, they will live for many years.

Not only is rosemary delicious in marinades for roasted chicken, pork, or beef, it also imparts a wonderful earthy aroma to roasted new potatoes and homemade focaccia bread.

Rosemary is also a very pretty plant with decorative appeal. It adds structure to the herb garden with its elegant upright growth habit. Plus, it can easily be shaped to look like a Christmas tree. As a result, rosemary makes a lovely hostess gift around the holidays.

Thyme (Photo credit: Erutuon)

4. Thyme. This is another classic culinary herb that is so easy to grow. Fresh thyme is a staple in many types of cuisine and adds a distinctive flavor to meat-based dishes and is wonderful in stews and soups, as well. For a special treat, grow lemon thyme to add an unexpected hint of citrus flavor to your dishes.

Another thing to love about thyme is its beauty. It has a beautiful growth habit that makes it ideal in pots next to taller herbs like rosemary. Use it outdoors to edge walkways and paths to add a fragrant element to your landscape.

Of course, these four easy-to-grow culinary herbs barely scratch the surface of what you can grow in a limited space. The herbs listed here are easy to grow and can be found in a diverse range of recipes, so not only will you enjoy growing them, you’ll love using them, too.

*Southern exposure in the Northern hemisphere.