Organic Gardening Tips and Plants – How to

Keep an eye on out on houseplants that have been
outdoors all summer and are now being brought
inside. Unwanted stowaways can flourish indoors
where they have no natural enemies. Keep a bottle
of soap spray handy to dislodge them before their
numbers multiply.  :

If you want your Christmas cactus to bloom by
the holidays, it’s time to put it into a cool,
dark place where it gets less than 8 hours of
light per day. The change in temperature and light
levels triggers the plant to begin bloom production.  :

Time to bring in houseplants and non-hardy species.
Give all your plants a good once over with soapy
spray or insecticidal soap to prevent unwanted
stowaways.  :

Cilantro can be started now for early fall production.
Sow seeds often in short rows so that you can
keep picking through the fall.  :

Keep tatsoi producing well into the fall by picking
individual leaves instead of harvesting the whole
plant. Older leaves can be clipped from the bottom
and will encourage a new flush of younger leaves.  :

If you’re having trouble starting your winter
garden seeds in the heat of the sun, you’ll have
much better success starting the seeds indoors
where you can keep an eye on soil moisture. Transplant
your greens outside once you have a couple of
sets of leaves.  :

Recent research has shown that milk is an excellent
control for powdery mildew disease. Dilute 1 part
milk in 9 parts water and spray on your plants.  :

The imported cabbageworm butterfly is a pest of
brassicas including kale, cabbage, broccoli, Brussels
sprouts and mustard greens. The adult butterfly
lays single, white eggs on the underside of brassica
leaves. Squish the eggs when you see them to prevent
them from hatching.  :

As you start your winter garden this month, protect
young seedlings like kale and carrot from pests
by using a floating row cover. These row covers
prevent insects from laying their eggs around
your plants.  :

Time to start kale, winter cabbage, winter carrots,
parsnips and winter beets. Start your brassicas
indoors for better germination. Outside, use a
light mulch over your seeds to help conserve moisture
and aid germination.  :

If powdery mildew is a problem in your garden,
water your plants in the morning to allow the
moisture to evaporate off the leaves during the
day. High humidity is one of the factors that
helps the spread of fungal diseases.  :

With warm days and cool nights, powdery mildew
can soon cause damage to your roses, tomatoes,
peas and squash. Control is easy using your own
home-made baking soda spray.   :

If carrot rust fly is a problem in your garden,
spread onion and shallot skins around your carrot
seedlings to repel the flies and prevent them
from laying their eggs.  :

To repel many common insect pests, use members
of the allium family such as chives, onions, scallions
and garlic as companion plants. Plant whole rows
or slip in seedlings wherever you can fit them.  :

White grubs are the bane of home gardeners trying
to maintain a healthy lawn. At this time of the
year, they are plentiful and beginning to pupate.
Keep your lawn aerated and well-drained to discourage
females from laying their eggs.  :

Begin the process of hardening off your seedlings,
especially the tender ones like tomatoes peppers
& eggplants. Gradually expose them to outside
temperatures, beginning with 4 hours per day and
working up by 2 hours until they can spend the
whole night outside.  :

As your tomato seedlings grow, you’ll need to
pot them up into larger containers. As you do
this, plant the seedlings deeply, covering the
stem until the first set of leaves. This will
encourage more roots to grow for a stronger, healthier
plant.  :

Before the honey bees come out to pollinate your
garden, Orchard Mason Bees are the primary pollinators.
You can attract them into your garden by providing
places to nest. They’ll ensure a good crop of
fruit with all your early flowering fruit trees.  :

Ladybugs will control a variety of pests in your
garden, especially aphids. Keep them in your garden
by providing nectar plants like dill, parsley
& fennel. You’ll soon see their bright orange
eggs all over your garden.  :

Attract beneficial insects to your garden by planting
angelica, cilantro, dill, fennel, & parsley
and allowing them to go to flower.   :

To get a head start on growing potatoes, allow
them to sprout indoors by moving them into a warm
place. This process, called chitting, will give
you at least a week jumpstart.  :

If you’ve given up the thought of growing potatoes
due to lack of space, think of vertical gardening.
Potato stems can be buried to encourage more tuber
production. Growing potatoes in barrels is just
one way of taking advantage of this phenomenon.  :

If your outdoor compost pile is under a blanket
of snow or you have no room to start a compost
pile, don’t let your kitchen scraps go to waste.
An indoor composter is easy to use and will help
you turn your waste into gardener’s gold!  :

Sprouters aren’t just for growing alfalfa and
bean sprouts. You can sprout your garden seed
on your sprouting trays to give your seedlings
an extra jump. Soak your garden seed for a couple
of hours & then place them on the trays. Keep
them moist and within a few days, you’ll see the
root emerging. Plop them in the soil and watch
how quickly they emerge!  :

When growing organic sprouts, make sure they are
rinsed at least once a day to maintain freshness.  :

When growing seedlings indoors, use a fan to simulate
a natural breeze. Not only will it help increase
air circulation, cutting down mould problems,
but the fan will help build stronger seedling
stems.  :

If your seedlings tend to get leggy, try building
your own indoor light system. Supplemental light
helps to keep seedling short and healthy.  :

Use the winter months to read-up on how to grow
a butterfly garden or a medicinal herb garden.
Or, even better, take a class at your local college
where you can meet fellow gardeners with common
interests.   :

Leaving seedheads in the garden through the winter
not only gives interest to the garden landscape
but provides a source of food for birds.   :

Forcing paperwhites indoors can sometimes be tricky
when leaves become large and floppy. Try planting
the bulbs in deep, glass vases so that the leaves
are supported as the grow. Otherwise, grow dwarf
varieties that won’t require the additional support.  :

Bring spring colour indoors! Narcissus bulbs will
bloom within 5 weeks and only require pebbles
and water!  :

Squash and pumpkin are so delicious in the winter
time but actually cutting into them can be a struggle.
Heat the whole squash in the microwave for 3-5
minutes to help soften it and make it easier to
peel and cut up.  :

Pumpkins are far more versatile than just sources
of jack-o-lanterns. Pumpkins can be baked, steamed
or added to soups. To help them keep longer, wipe
down the outsides with 10% bleach solution.  :

Frost will actually improve the taste of many
winter vegetables. Kale, cabbage, parsnips, and
even Brussels sprouts become sweeter after a cold
snap.  :

Wait until the ground freezes before applying
a mulch over plants. The mulch will act as an
insulator and prevent freeze-thaw cycles over
the next few months. In milder areas where the
ground doesn’t freeze, use mulch as a weed control
and apply it around plants (not over them)and
in pathways.  :

Wait until the ground freezes before applying
a mulch over plants. The mulch will act as an
insulator and prevent freeze-thaw cycles over
the next few months. In milder areas where the
ground doesn’t freeze, use mulch as a weed control
and apply it around plants (not over them) and
in pathways.  :

If slugs are a problem in your area, try this
trick in your cabbages. Remove the older, yellowing
leaves closest to the soil. Not only will the
garden look better, slugs will have a harder time
crawling into your cabbages and doing any dammage.  :

Do not overfertilize garlic or plants will become
leafy. Choose a fertilizer with a high middle
number (phosphorus) to encourage bulb formation.
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