3 Tips for Having the Best Vegetable Garden Naturally

Let's save some money,and improve our health by growing our own vegetables!
If you have some space around you, you too can have a garden,even if it is in pots on the verandah. We all know the benefits of growing our own fruit and vegetables. They taste better and are healthier for you,being fresh and full of anti-oxidants,no transport involved which is good for the environment and you don't have to use chemicals or pesticides either.

Here are three tips for growing the best vegetables for you and your family.

1. Mulch -
Mulch is a protective covering that is laid on the top of the soil. It reduces the moisture loss from the soil by preventing evaporation . Mulch also prevents erosion by protecting the beds when it rains.

Another advantage of using mulch is that it helps to regulate the soil temperature. By regulating temperature mulch helps encourage plant root growth.  Healthy roots,healthy plants! Mulch reduces the need for other weed control measures because it effectively smothers weed seedlings, and prevents air-borne seeds from germinating.

Mulch has the added advantage of enriching the soil as it breaks down and releases nutrients back into the soil. Mulch that is not completely decomposed will encourage microbial organisms that are beneficial to healthy plants.

Common mulches include chipped hardwood bark, softwood bark, compost, straw, hay, rice husks, peat moss, sawdust, wood chip, peanut hulls and lawn clippings.

2.Natural Pest Control -
We have become too dependant on chemicals and these may not be good for our health instead interest in non-chemical pest control has increased in recent times along with the notion that natural is best!  All plants release different chemical agents which attract or repel insects, and either help, or discourage their growth and reproduction.  These chemicals are released, either above ground through leaves, or below ground from roots. Investigation into companion planting can be extremely helpful here.

There are a number of ‘natural’ sprays you can use to control or eliminate pests and diseases in your garden. For example, garlic, pyrethrum, chilli, wormwood, and rhuarb all make excellent sprays for different garden pests and diseases.

If you have an infestation of aphids, spray the infested stems, leaves, and buds with a very dilute soapy water, then clean water.

3 - Organic Fertilizers
There are many ways we can fertilise our garden and maintain its natural status.
Chicken,horse,cow and sheep manure can be added to the soil,before planting.
 One of the most effective fertilisers is to use worm castings. Liquid worm castings make very nutritious fertiliser. If you set up a worm farm it serves two purposes. You will have a ready disposal for your kitchen scraps. You will also have a seedling mix from the worm castings, and you will have liquid worm castings for fertilising your vegetables

A great fertiliser for young plants is one quarter liquid worm castings and three quarters water. For older plants the mixture can be stronger – about 50/50.

Before fertilising your vegetable garden make sure it has been well watered as this will help the plants to absorb the nutrients from the liquid fertiliser and prevent the risk of burning the plants roots and leaves.

There are some plants that do not like liquid fertilisers or even don’t like fertilisers.  These are root crops such as carrots, potatoes, turnips etc. A good rule to remember is that crops above the ground (leaf and fruit crops) like liquid fertiliser, compost and manures, plants that grow below the ground (root crops) dislike much liquid fertilisers, compost and manures.

Now if you are feeling inspired  and I hope you are go to Click Here!
to find out lots more great tips to start your own vegetable garden the natural way.