Establishing an organic garden is a smart way to work towards a healthier diet. However, organic gardening does require a commitment. This probably has you wondering where to start your own garden.

If you want to grow vegetables, but do not have the room, consider planting vegetables that grow on a vine. Vegetables like squash, melons, and tomatoes can be trained to grow up along a trellis or fence. You can make use of vertical space to get the vegetable garden that you want.

When taking an organic path to control garden pests, try to build up the soil to allow healthy microbes to flourish. Earthworms are also very important to organic gardening and they should be encouraged to stay in the soil. When the soil is unhealthy, it is not as resistant to pests.

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.

A great trick for organic gardeners and a neat way to reuse plastic milk jugs are to use them as a form of self irrigation for your garden. All you need to do is poke little holes into the bottom of plastic 1 gallon jugs, bury the jugs next to your plants and make sure to leave an opening. Fill the jugs allowing the water to seep slowly into the ground.

Take care of your containers. You do not have to spend a lot of money on containers: you can reuse common items as pots. Make sure you clean your containers thoroughly and disinfect them to avoid diseases. Drill a few holes in the bottom so that the extra water can be drained.

Your plants need to grow in a rich soil. You can buy bags of soil but they can be quite expensive. You can also easily create your own: you need to use perlite, vermiculite and peat in equal quantities. You should also add a small quantity of lime and compost if needed.

Keep your seeds warm and humid. Most seeds are healthy at a temperature of about seventy degrees. Place your pots next to a heating vent or install an additional heater if needed. You can cover your pots with plastic films so that the seeds can keep their humidity and warmth.

Organize your gardening so that you can work efficiently. Don’t waste your time by searching high and low for that packet of seeds or spade. Organize the tools you will need before you head to the garden, and put every item away when you finish your work. If you need to use a tool belt, try using some pants with pockets in them.

Try using coffee grounds on the soil. Coffee grounds contain many of the essential nitrogenous nutrients that plants are able to use. Usually, nitrogen is limited with a plant, but using coffee grounds, diluted urea, or compost can make your plants grow faster and taller.

If your organic garden uses containers, you may need to swap seedlings to larger containers as they outgrow them. When you do this, make sure to handle the seedlings by the leaves and roots. To be more specific, you should avoid touching the stems as they are extremely fragile and can be easily damaged. After you have swapped containers, it is recommended to water the roots as this will help them merge with their new environment.

When maintaining an organic garden, be sure to always wind up your hoses. Dragging and storing a hose that is not wound up can take a lot of time away from you. Try using stationary or portable hose reels to wind up your hoses and to save you some time.

Planting cover crops is important to maintain a good quality soil. By protecting the soil with cover crops, it will be immune against weeds, be more fertile, have less water and wind erosion, and have better water drainage. Clover, fava beans, and buckwheat are all fantastic for cover cropping.

Cultivate your soil to improve the quality of your soil. When you cultivate, or till, your soil, you loosen up parts that may be compacted. Compacted soil does not absorb water well, and it discourages soil micro-organisms from growing in it. When your soil is properly tilled, seeds can thrive and grow.

As stated from the above article, there is a good amount of effort, work and research involved when you begin growing an organic garden. It is also true that in order to see results, that you have to keep at it. Remembering the above tips, you can successfully grow an organic garden.

How To Easily Turn Your Garden Organic was originally published on Spring