Notes From the Garden #2
By Stacy Pearman
Here at WRF, both in the garden and greenhouse, we strive to keep the use of chemical products to a bare minimum. This week we are going to touch on a few ways we biologically care for our plants. (You can borrow some of our techniques, it’s ok!)
Not only are tillage radishes amazing to look at, they help prime our ground for the following year’s crops. Their large taproots help aerate the ground and also help water to penetrate deeper into the soil. This, in turn, loosens up the ground, allowing our crops to root deeper and stronger.
Neem oil is an all-natural option for both gardens and decorative plants alike. This oil can be applied as a topical spray or as a soil treatment. It is then ingested by any pest that may be chomping on your plants, causing most pests to stop eating completely. Neem has also been proven to halt the growth of larvae that it comes into contact with. Beneficial bugs, which do not eat the plants, will have no side effects from the applications.
One of my favorite beneficial insects is the ladybug. These little fellas are extremely hungry and can eat hundreds of pests daily! They feed on many nuisance bugs such as aphids, mealybugs, and mites. There are also many plants that can be added to a garden to help attract these mini powerhouses. Any open-faced flower can be grown, but the ladybugs loved our Daisies, Lobelia, and Coneflower.
These are just a couple of our natural “tricks” that we incorporate to keep us as chemical free as possible. Here at WRF Nursery we know how important the environment is to both your family and ours. Until next week, get outside and enjoy the beautiful weather we have been blessed with.
