Organic gardening revolves around the concept of using all natural products to grow your garden. Organic gardeners depend on Mother Nature to rid their gardens of unwanted byproducts, forgoing their chemical counterparts that have devastating effects on the Earth.

Decomposing plants and animals are excellent fertilizers for enriching the soil. Enriched soil allows plants to grow and thrive using the available nutrients from the dead organisms, all while increasing the soil’s microbial life.

Organic gardeners know that it is important to know a fertilizer’s nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium ratings. These micronutrients promote leaf growth, fruiting, flowering and rooting. The N-P-K fertilizer compound can be applied by either the method known as top dressing, which is a process in which the gardener adds the fertilizer to the top couple of inches of soil by the root zone and mixing it to avoid run-off, or by brewing a tea of fertilizer mixed with water. Either method will encourage increases in microbial life.

Worm castings are also a great, natural fertilizer. Worms eat the compost and soil in the garden and excrete castings that are five times as rich as what they had eaten. They also aerate and oxygenate your garden by digging tunnels as they eat. This act provides much needed oxygen to the roots of the plants.

Compost is often used as an organic garden fertilizer and can be created easily with home items such as grass clippings, table scraps, and dead plants.

Of course, these are just a couple of natural fertilizers that can be used in your organic garden. A gardener could also use such fertilizers as manure, bat guano, fish emulsion, seaweed, and many products that are available commercially now. If every gardener would use one or many of these methods to fertilize their fruit or vegetable garden, they will surely reap the benefits of their organically grown produce.

When you are in need of mulch it is not necessary to get in your car and drive to a garden center. Mulch is readily available at your own home and free for the taking. Read on to learn how to make your own mulch which can not only save you time and money, but also be more earth-friendly.

Grass clippings are great for annual gardens including herb and perennial gardens. They are free and abundant in summer when lawns must be cut frequently. Simply attach the bag to your lawn mower and collect the clippings as you cut the grass. When you are finished, simply spread the clippings over the garden bed. It is important, however, to never use grass that you think may have been treated with herbicides.

Leaves are mulching superstars. Leaves from most any deciduous tree will do the job nicely. Be sure to shred them first by running over them with a lawn mower to help keep them from blowing around. Spread them 2 inches deep and be sure to replenish the supply as the leaves decompose. Leaves will attract earthworms, which in turn will help convert the decaying leaves into wonderful fertilizer for your soil.

Pine straw or pine needles make excellent mulch. It looks nice and smells great. Straw can be piled up to 8 inches thick. If you live in a wet climate, avoid straw mulch as it can draw slugs.

Wood chips work well, but should not be used too close to homes, as chips can draw termites. Chips work nicely to cover paths easily. If you have to get a tree stump ground ask that the chips be left behind. Some tree trimming companies or arborists will allow you to haul off wood chips for free.

Newspaper can work surprisingly well when layered as a weed barrier. Thicknesses of 4 layers should be laid wet in the garden. You may then cover with a more decorative form of mulch such as wood chips. Do not use paper sections that feature colored inks or slick advertising papers in vegetable or herb gardens.

Applying chemical pesticides to your plants may not only be toxic to your plant, but also to you. On the other hand, using natural pesticides to rid your vegetable garden of unwanted bugs can be time consuming, and not all natural remedies work for every gardening situation.

To control pests in your vegetable garden without using any form of pesticide, natural or chemical, you need to physically pick the bugs off the plants several times a day. Some of these plant-eating bugs feed at night. Therefore, you would need to patrol your garden 24 hours a day picking bugs. This method of pest control is very unlikely. So, if plant-eating bugs have invaded your vegetable garden, you need to decide how to handle the pests; use chemical pesticides or a find a natural organic remedy.

Chemical pesticides will work in ridding the garden of unwanted bugs. If used correctly, chemical pesticides claim to be safe for use on foods that are consumed. The question remains, what the long-term affects of these chemicals are. What are the chemicals doing to the soil and the area around your garden where rainfall and runoff occur? Could this pesticide affect your water source? Can the chemical pesticide harm animals or children if they come in contact with it? These questions should be considered before choosing which chemical pesticide you use.

On the other hand, while a chemical free, natural organic garden, may take more time and effort, natural remedies for pest control are less expensive. Most of the ingredients and tools you would require are probably in your kitchen, or lying around your house.

Vinegar is a very popular choice as a natural pesticide for bug control in your garden. Vinegar has been tested as a weed and grass killing herbicide with wonderful results. Therefore, take caution when spraying on your vegetable plants. The vinegar may indeed kill the bugs, but may also kill your plant as well.

Also insecticide soap has been proven to kill and deter pests. Precautions must be taken when using soaps. If sprayed onto the plant in full sun, it could burn the leaves. Also, the soap is meant to be sprayed directly on the bugs. This remedy may take several days to actually kill the bugs so keep an eye on the plant destruction.

Garlic is also known to be a natural deterrent to the plant eating bug population. Some bugs find their food through smell. Garlic has a pungent odor and therefore bugs and plant eating critters stay away.

Used coffee filters also deter bugs. Place the filter around the base of the plant. Bugs don’t like the feel of the paper or the grounds, and won’t venture to the plant. Also, the filters are biodegradable and the coffee that remains on the filters contains beneficial Nitrogen.

Choosing natural methods of pest control in your garden will take more time to maintain. But the fact remains, chemical free gardens are better for you, your family, and the environment.

An organic garden is a great way to help save money in tougher times, as well as enjoy the benefits of all-natural produce. An organic garden may seem intimidating at first, but with a little time and research, you can be on your way to an abundant crop and healthier eating.

Start your garden by doing a good deal of research on the subject. The Internet is full of websites (like this one) dedicated to the art of growing your own organic fruits and vegetables. Learn what grows the best in your specific climate, and what will more than likely fail. Take books out from the library (or buy them on this website) and talk to others who have grown organic produce before. Educate yourself on the ins and outs of the subject as much as possible.

Choose the best area for your garden by figuring out where the sun hits the most. You may also want to choose a spot where your crops will be protected by the wind. Also, make sure you can easily water your plants, since they will need to be watered every day to flourish. Start your composting early by saving your kitchen scraps and grass clippings for an easy, natural and free fertilizer. You can also research various chemical-free pesticides that you can use on your fruit and vegetable plants to keep pests and diseases away. A fence may also be needed to keep deer, rabbits and other animals from tearing up your garden.

If you are planning to try and sell what you produce from your organic garden, it is very important to understand the rules and regulations concerning the subject. The United States regulates the sale of organic foods carefully, and you will be required to get an organic certification from your state to sell your food under the label of organic. The United States Department of Agriculture can give you all the information you need to sell your products, which can be found at their website.

The basics of organic gardening are quite simple. You can have healthy produce in no time with a little patience and practice!

Many individuals who start growing organic gardens think that it is easy and there is not much to master, but growing an organic garden is not as simple as you may think. Organic gardening is not the hardest thing to accomplish, but it does take some skill. When thinking of growing an organic garden you should know beforehand that this type of gardening requires time and patience. You cannot expect to get everything perfect the first time if you have not tried this before. Listed below are tips for beginners to help to learn step by step how to grow an organic garden.

First, you will need to create your planting bed. You will need to make sure that the soil is dry and is not clumpy. It is important to let the soil sit for about three weeks until ready to plant. Pull any weeds that you see growing in the garden area. Letting the soil sit for the three week length will force the weeds out of the ground that were still contained in the soil and allow you to minimize weed growth in your bed.

Next, you will want to water the area where you plan on planting or creating your organic garden. The soil should only be a little damp, not soaked. Now it is time to sow the seeds by spreading the seeds throughout your garden area. Once the seeds are sown, you will need to cover the seeds with soil. Gently sprinkle soil over the seeds then tamp the soil down lightly afterwards to press the seeds into the ground. Make sure the seeds are fully covered with soil. Sprinkle water over the seeded area until the seeds begin to sprout. Do not let the soil become too dry or the seeds may not grow. Water the garden area when you notice the soil becoming dry.

By following this step by step guide beginners can look forward to growing their first organic garden with hopeful ease. Be sure to take your time when planting. Rushing through the gardening process may cause you to miss important steps. Gardening requires time, effort and patience.