Today, gardening is an incredibly popular hobby and career that is emerging. The demand for products that come from grown plants and crops is numerous. Now is the time to enter into it. Here are some tips that you can use to get you started with your gardening plans.

Spend the additional money to fence in your garden. You are about to make real investment in time and money to create a garden of your own, but it can all go to waste through the stomping feet of playful children, pets and other small animals. Protect your investment with a small fence that keeps the kids and critters out.

When dividing or transferring a plant, make sure you keep the roots cool and moist. Roots are the most fragile part of a plant and are extremely sensitive to light and heat. Put a dark plastic bag over the roots if you plan on not transferring the plant right away.

Use your leftover pasta water in your garden! Plants are big starch fans and thrive with water that contains higher levels of starch, like the water left over after you boil pasta or potatoes. Make sure, though, that you let the water sit until it reaches room temperature prior to watering your plants with it!

Make sure your plants are always evenly spaced by turning your rake or shovel handle in to a measuring stick. Simply lay a yardstick next to your shovel and copy the markings to the handle with a permanent marker. The next time you’re ready to put in new plants all you’ll need is your shovel.

Plant evergreen shrubs. Certain shrubs can provide triple duty throughout the year: they bear leaves year-round, produce flowers, and sometimes have ornamental fruit that attracts birds and other wildlife. This makes them very desirable in any landscape design. Excellent varieties are Berberis, Holly, Camellia Japonica, Ceanothus, Viburnum and Skimmia. Most will survive in any conditions.

When you buy seeds for your garden, be sure to purchase seeds that are labeled “certified organic.” This ensures that your plants will be organic throughout their lifespan and that the seeds you are buying aren’t contaminated with chemical fertilizers or pesticides. Watch out for labels, such as “genetically engineered” or any mention of “natural” that does not include the phrase “certified organic.”

Protect your hands when gardening. Garden gloves are made to fit all different hand sizes. They protect your hands not only from getting dirty but also from splinters, cuts and scrapes. Most gloves are inexpensive and are well worth the investment.

Keep your garden tools close at hand to make the most of your gardening time. You can keep them in a good sized bucket, or wear utility pants that have plenty of large pockets. Keep your gloves, a trowel, small pruning shears and other tools handy and make quick work of your garden maintenance.

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.

The best time to water your organic garden is early in the morning. By watering at the start of the day, you are allowing any moisture that accumulates on the leaves to dissipate. This helps to discourage the growth of any mildew or fungus on the leaves that cold air and water would combine to create.

Tomatoes make a healthy, productive addition to any organic garden. To get the most out of your tomatoes, make sure you plant them properly: Tomato plants need lots of air and sunlight. You should space your tomato plants with plenty of open air between them, and site them so that they catch at least 10 hours of direct light every day.

Do you have weeds in your garden and you don’t want to spray dangerous weed killer? Common household vinegar can help your problem. Spray full-strength vinegar on the weedy spots on a sunny day. Vinegar works as an organic weed killer and it is safe the environment, and you.

Use recycled plastic or paper cups to start your tomato plants in. Just put the seeds in the cup, and cover with soil. This will allow you to grow the plants in the best conditions, and it keeps a few cups out of the landfills too. When they are ready, transplant the tomatoes into your garden.

Use a soaker hose to water your garden. This type of hose allows you to water roots directly without wetting the plants’ leaves. This type of hose uses less water in comparison to a sprinkler and takes the time and work out of watering your plants by hand.

When starting your own organic garden, a great tip is to keep your tools as close to your garden as you possibly can. This will reduce the number of trips you have to make to your shed. Consider wearing a tool belt or carry a large bucket with you when you are out in your garden.

The decision to use only natural and organic alternatives to the more common, traditional chemical-based fertilizers can benefit your plants, soil, and even your environment. Over time, using inorganic fertilizers can gradually create a buildup of toxic chemicals in the water and soil, which can ultimately affect not only your own yard, but the entire area.

Introducing organic and non-chemical protection against common garden pests like aphids and grasshoppers is the ideal solution to keep your garden alive and well. Instead of using harmful chemical and caustic, unnatural methods, opt for approaches like physical removal of pests, erecting fences, nets, or protective barriers, or botanical pesticides.

You should now see why this hobby and career is very popular and very in demand. There is so much you can do in it! There is also a ton of information on how to start enjoying the benefits of it. By following these tips, you are well on your way to becoming a successful gardener.