Cozy Little House

Small Space Living & Gardening

5 Tips For All Natural Gardening

Filed Under: Gardening

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I don’t use chemicals in my gardens. There are ways to garden pesticide-free. I have 5 tips for all natural gardening.

 How To Check Your Soil’s pH Levels

 
Do you know the pH level of your garden soil? The dirt your plants grow in is what feeds them – impacting fertility and plant growth. So it can be very important to figure out if your soil is too acidic or too alkaline.
In many areas of the country, you can contact your local University Extension and send them a sample of your soil to be tested. You’ll receive in-depth and very accurate results on the pH levels of the soil on your property, as well as other information such as nitrogen levels. 
In addition, there are soil testing kits available at most home and garden stores.

 Make Your Own Homemade Fertilizer

Adding compost to your garden is an excellent way to improve the quality of soil with natural fertilization. However, not everyone has the space or time for composting.

No worries! There are some other easy ways to fertilize your garden naturally. For one thing, instead of a huge compost pile, you can simply save some of the stuff from your kitchen you’d normally throw away.

Coffee Grounds – adds nitrogen to the soil and is ideal for acid-loving plants like tomatoes.

Banana Peels – decompose quickly, replenishing potassium and other minerals to the soil


Egg Shells – can add calcium carbonate and help avoid blossom rot in peppers and tomatoes

 
Molasses – Another common kitchen ingredient to help fertilize your garden is molasses

Just mix a few tablespoons of molasses with a gallon of water and then water your plants with it.

Use Marigolds To Repel Pests
Many gardeners put marigolds in their vegetable gardens. It is believed that the pungent smell potentially repels pests while attracting beneficial insects.
 
Some say that the aroma of marigolds might even help keep rabbits and other rodents away from your vegetables as well.
 

Use Orange Peels To Eliminate Pests

Orange peels can be placed around plants or attached directly to the stem to ward off and eliminate some pests. 

That’s because orange peels contain a natural chemical known as d-Limonene, which can kill off ants and aphids. The chemical destroys the waxy substance around the bugs, causing them to suffocate.

Even the scent of orange peels, as well as other citrus peels, can keep those plant-destroying aphids and ants away.

 Use Baking Soda to Stop Mildew and Fungus Growth

Besides weeds and insects, other potentially harmful things, like fungus and mildew, can start growing on your plants and in the soil.

Use baking soda to make a non-toxic fungicide. Just mix 4 teaspoons into a gallon of water and spray it on your plants. 

You can also use baking soda to prevent mildew growth on plants like cucumbers and squash. 

This is especially useful during times of high humidity. For preventing mildew, mix a tablespoon of baking soda in water and apply to the vegetation.

Using natural remedies for your garden, you won’t have to worry about your pets getting poisoned. 

And you can pat yourself on the back that you aren’t adding to the pollution problem via water run-off.

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  5. Brenda,
    I'm pinning this post to my Pinterest board, Jardin Chateaux, for future reference. One of the reasons we bought our small plot in the country to build our house was so we could keep a natural yard. Living in the suburbs forces home owners to conform to manicured grass lawns that require lots of work and often need lots of chemicals to keep them looking that way. In our last house in the suburb I was growing daylilies in the little spot between my drive, my neighbor's yard and the curb. My neighbor's father mowed his son's yard and mowed down my 'weeds' for me at the same time. Fortunately, I no longer have to worry about pleasing the neighbors.

    Judith

  6. We don't use chemicals, as our son has a lot of chemical sensitivities. I had never heard of orange peel! I'm definitely going to try it around my veggie garden!

  10. My dear Brenda,
    thank you for sharing all these useful advices of yours, so very precious to me !

    Hope your week is off to a great start, I wish you much love for your days to come,
    sending love to you

    Dany