Organic Garden - Helpful Ideas and Tips

Organic gardening is growing in popularity as people increasingly see the need to avoid chemicals and synthetic products. Organic gardens also provide protection form genetically modified organisms (GMO) in the garden.

Those who take up organic gardening often are at a loss as to where to buy supplies. They don't know what products they need for soil nourishment or pest control. They may not know how much water to supply, or how to go about composting kitchen scraps for their gardens. They need more than a few organic garden tips and ideas.

Organic garden helpful ideas and tips are widely available, if you know where to find them. Here are a few places to begin your search.

Organic Garden Helpful Ideas

One of my favorite organic garden tips is this one. The most important thing you can do to control pests in the organic garden is to keep the soil healthy. Healthy soil produces healthy plants. Healthy plants, like healthy humans, are better able to withstand disease.

A second helpful organic garden idea I like is to control pests with ladybirds (ladybugs). These beautiful little red insects with shiny black spots control aphids naturally and totally. You can order them from several organic garden places on the Internet. Until they arrive, spray every part of aphid-infested plants with well diluted soapy water. Rinse with clear water.

My third favorite organic gardening idea is to plant guardian plants around and among tender vegetables. Marigolds make the organic garden border colorful, and ward off many pests. Onions and garlic are also great deterrents to pests that would like to break in and steal organic produce.

Sources for More Organic Garden Helpful Ideas

We do not give specific websites here, but most of these groups or products can readily be located on the Internet. Simply use key words from any one of these categories in your search engine to find more organic garden ideas.

* Cooperative Extension Office: The Cooperative Extension System is a nationwide network. Every U.S. state and territory has a state office at its land-grant university. They also have a network of local or regional offices. The staff at these offices includes at least one expert who can give you useful, practical, and research-based organic garden helpful ideas.

* Park and Recreation Departments: If you live in a large neighborhood, your local park and recreation department will be a good source of helpful ideas for your organic garden. Classes may be available on topics such as organic garden plans, planting seed, and how to compost.

* YMCA / YWCA: In some areas, these organizations provide workshops on organic garden topics, with plenty of helpful ideas and tips. These are led by local organic garden experts. They may include vegetable organic gardens and organic gardening of flowers.

* Gardening Stores: An increasing number of gardening stores are beginning to offer organic garden products, seeds, and supplies. Many try to have at least one person on staff who can give organic garden helpful ideas.

* Nurseries: Local nurseries may have helpful ideas and tips for your organic garden. As the demand becomes greater, they are learning that they must provide not only organic fertilizer and seedlings, but advice also.

* Magazines: Organic gardening magazines have been around for many years now, and are filled with organic gardeners' helpful ideas and tips. Visit your public library and browse the magazines. Some are aimed at small farming size organic gardens. Others focus on organic gardening of vegetables for family or farmers' market. Choose one that has the most helpful tips for you, and subscribe for ongoing organic garden help.

* Seed Catalogs (catalogues): Many times, seed catalogs have not only organic seeds, but also ideas and tips for the organic garden. Look for major seed companies' catalogs.

* Books: If you are new to organic gardening, you will want to invest in at least one good book on organic gardens. Books can explain how seeds and produce are certified organic. They can provide organic gardening advice from ants to weed control.

* Family and Friends: They say we all have a circle of 250 acquaintances. Within that circle, you will likely find at least one person who is experienced in organic gardening and has ideas or tips that will help you. Their own organic garden may be only a container, or it could be 50 containers. Anyone who does any organic gardening will be eager to share the tips and helpful ideas they have received.

* Internet: The Internet excels in providing information. It is a wonderful source of organic garden helpful ideas and tips. Become a member of an organic gardening forum and share ideas. Read organic gardeners' blogs. Finally, visit Cornell University's organic garden website. They offer an online class in organic gardening. The professor is sure to have helpful organic gardening ideas and tips.