Learning about organic gardening can be very intimidating, but just like other things, it can also be very easily researched and learned. Now that you have found this list of tips, hopefully you can come out a little more informed when it comes to organic gardening, so that you can refine your methods and become a great gardener.

If you want to have a more productive garden, expand your growing season into the fall by using row covers. Row covers keep heat in, frost out, and also protect against deer intrusion. The crops under the row covers should still be somewhat resistant to cold however, so it is best to choose greens and root vegetables.

Plant vegetables and flowers that are native to your local area. These plants will grow better with less work than plants that are not native. Also, native plants won’t require much extra watering, as they will generally adapt to the amount of rain typical to that area. This will also reduce your need for pesticides and fertilizers, since the plants will be able to handle the soil and pests in your area.

Take care of weeds right away when you see them sprout up. Weeds can grow very quickly, and they can take over your garden if they are left unattended. It is easier to keep weeds under control when the weeds are still relatively young. Large weeds have deeper roots and are more difficult to remove.

Try to grow only as much as you can use in your garden. After eating fresh vegetables, storing, freezing, and giving away to friends and family there is only so much that a person can use. Do not plant fifty tomato plants unless a vegetable stand is in your future because all those tomatoes will rot on the vines and will not be used.

Most people design their gardens with plants in their hands and a shovel. However, the best idea is to wait to choose your plants after you have decided upon a layout or landscaping design. Once you have completed the landscaping, move on to the last step to your garden; planting your favorite flowers, shrubs and trees.

To save money, consider making your own garden fertilizer. For instance, broken eggshells make a great fertilizer for small gardens, indoor plants and container plants. Mix the eggshells throughout the soil to get the best effect. Eggshells even have the added benefit that they aerate the garden soil as well.

For a healthy, weed-free lawn, cut your grass at the highest point recommended for the blend of grass you’re growing. Cutting your grass too short won’t mean you have to mow less often. Instead, it allows weeds to take hold, and causes water to evaporate. Longer grass can better protect itself against weeds, drought, and pests.

If you are practicing organic gardening then try using baking soda to prevent powdery mildew from forming on your plants. Simply mix one tablespoon of baking soda with a half teaspoon of mild liquid soap and add to a gallon of water. During humid or damp weather spray your plants which are susceptible to powdery mildew with this mixture each week. The unused mixture cannot be stored and used later.

Experiment with color pairings. Purple and yellow work very well together, and can be used to create either a warm or cool effect. For a warm effect, use more yellow flowers than purple, conversely, using mostly purple flowers will give you a cool, soothing effect. A mixture of tall purple delphiniums or penstemon, and lower growing yellow achillea gives a spectacular display.

Create living walls in your garden. A living wall can take many forms: it can be as tall or low as you want, informal or formal, a single plant or created out of multiple plants. A wall of forsythia, lilac or roses offers eye-level blossoms and fragrance. Some people like the look of a formal, clipped hedge of privet or boxwood. Many flowering shrubs can be adapted to form a hedge, such as hebe, abelia or diosma. For existing structures, such as a fence or trellis, a vine such as clematis or morning glory can cover it in a season, offering a vivid display of vertical color.

A great rule of thumb to follow when planting an organic garden is less is more. While you’ll want to plant a little more than you think you will need in case of rot or pests, you don’t want to overdo it because you’ll end up with much more than you can handle.

You can gain time by renewing your beds with this method: slice under the turf and turn it over. Cover it with wood chips and wait a few weeks. You can then use this bed to plant your perennial plants. The ground you have turned over should be made richer by the turf that is under it.

Treat your roses! To naturally remedy black spots on roses in your organic garden, use milk! For some unknown reason – using a 1:2 ratio mixture of milk and water – has been shown to get rid of black spots! Use a spray bottle to apply the mixture directly to the leaves of the affected plant.

To rid your organic garden of bugs, try using a mixture of dish soap and water. Mix 2 tablespoons of dish soap into a gallon of water. Use a spray bottle to spray the foliage and soil around the plants. Before spraying your whole garden or even a whole plant, test the effect of the mixture on a few leaves and wait a few days before doing the rest.

Not as bad as you thought, correct? Like any other subject, the green world of organic gardening is vast and has a wealth of information available on it. Sometimes you just need a hint as to where to start with it so that you can “jump right in.” Now you have the information needed to feel confident to start your organic garden.