Organic gardening is not as easy as some may think! There is a lot more to it than just watering some seeds or digging around in the dirt. It is truly an art form. It has requires many techniques and products that require a green thumb as well as some hard work to achieve a great organic garden. Here are some tips to help you with your own:

If you have a high priority for sustainability in your organic gardening, try leaving a corner of the property undeveloped as a mini wildlife refuge. You will find that many of the supporting cast of insects and birds that aid in plant production and pollination will be present on your land and actually help your developed gardens to produce better.

Vegetable

Be sure to test your soil before you plant your garden, if you want to be successful without the need for chemicals. A home testing kit can tell you the pH of your soil, which indicates the likelihood of plant survival. A vegetable garden requires a pH of about 6.5; if your soil is off, you can supplement before your plants start to die.

Marigold flowers are quite the powerhouse in an organic garden. As their flowers and leaves decay, the marigold releases chemicals that attract frogs, repel snakes and kill nematode pests that attack many vegetable plants, including tomatoes. Look for ways to let the bright yellow marigold bring brilliant color and decoration to your garden, as it goes to work to protect the health of your plants.

Fruits

You will need to rotate the plants on a regular basis when you have an indoor organic garden. Plants need to get light from all directions in order to grow properly. If they are not rotated, plants will bend toward a light source, which can actually cause them to produce less fruits and vegetables, than they would have if they had been rotated.

Make easy work of washing your organic produce with a laundry basket. As you pick your produce, lay them in a plastic laundry basket, which works as a strainer. Hold the hose over the top and the water can make quick work of rinsing all the dirt and other matter off of your fruits and veggies.

An organic alternative to chemical fertilizer is compost. You can make your own compost by using fruits, vegetables and other organic wastes from your home. Compost gives your soil the nutrients it needs and improves its structure.

Soil

When building or maintaining a compost pile, it is important not to add coal ash or charcoal to the pile. Both ash and charcoal have high amounts of iron and sulfur, as well as other unwanted chemicals, that may pollute the soil and potentially harm the health of your plants.

To naturally rid your soil of nematodes, which are soil-dwelling pests that can hurt tomatoes and potatoes, use marigolds. The chemicals released by the marigolds’ roots and decaying leaves is toxic to nematodes. Plant marigolds near your tomatoes or potatoes, or till them into the soil before planting.

If your backyard soil isn’t conducive to an organic garden, try installing a raised bed. Within the raised bed, you can create your own mix of soil and compost to achieve the ideal soil for raising your crops. Just be sure the bed is at least 16 inches high so that roots have room to flourish.

So, organic gardening is a lot more that dropping seeds in the ground. It takes skill and hard work outside. No doubt, you want to enjoy the fruits of your hard labor! Use the handy tips above to help you get the most out of gardening the natural way!