So you want to try your hand at organic gardening? Do you know anything about this type of gardening? Do you know about all of the different kinds of seeds and tools that you can use? If these questions raise more questions than you can answer, try looking at the tips below.

To avoid drowning your plants, follow weather reports as much as possible. If rain is expected, there is no need in watering your garden. This will save you money on your water bill and avoid watering your plants exceedingly. If dryness and heat are expected, water your plants accordingly.

To keep dirt from getting under your fingernails while gardening, reach for a bar of soap beforehand! As much as we all love gardening, none of us really enjoy all that soil that gets stuck under our nails that can be so challenging to remove. Simply claw a bar of soap before you begin working in your garden and when finished, run your hands under water and as the soap washes away, so does the dirt!

It is crucial that you have the proper tools before starting a garden. You do not want to begin the process of starting a garden only to realize that you are in need of a tool you do not have. Try to get shovels, trowels, pruners, hoes, garden forks, and rakes.

When planting tomato seedlings, be sure to plant them all the way up to the first set of leaves. This allows the plant to grow a larger and deeper root system. The more roots your plant sprouts, the more tomatoes the plant will be capable of supporting and the more flavorful they will be.

Try growing crops that are easy to store or store themselves. If handled properly and gently, given the right amount of time to cure, garlic, onions, sweet potatoes, squash, dry beans, or shallots will keep for a very long time in a cool, dry place. No canning or freezing required. This will ensure having fresh vegetables from the garden all winter long.

One of the best ways to maximize the benefits of a garden is to learn how to can. Water bath canning is an effective way to store fresh vegetables for a very long time and is not that difficult to learn how to do. It involves submersing jars of the gardens home grown goodies into a bath of barely boiling water. This will preserve the vegetables for up to a year or more.

To spice up a dull garden, try using climbing plants. A climbing plant can add visual interest to a fence or tree and are a great way to hide any unattractive structures. As an added bonus, most climbing plants are very low maintenance. Kiwi vine, climbing snapdragon and morning glories are all great choices.

Make sure you read the labels on any weedkillers or pesticides that you use in your garden. Follow the directions closely. Using too much of a chemical can be dangerous to your health and the health of your garden. Failing to read the label might also mean that you get the wrong chemical for the problem that you’re having, polluting the ground around your garden for no reason.

Use your used pantyhose in two beneficial ways for gardening. Wrapping and knotting up old soap slivers in pantyhose allows you to scrub stubborn ground in dirt off your hands, without needing expensive garden soaps. You can also use pantyhose to bag up your squashes and melons as they grow to give them more support on the vine, and the sun can still get through hosiery.

Keep an eye on your lilies. Unfortunately, lilies are prone to virus disease, such as lily mosaic. If you can, purchase bulbs that are guaranteed ‘virus-free’. During the growing season, keep a sharp look out for any aphids, as they spread the disease. Make sure to spray with insecticidals soap at the very first sign of them.

Use hostas to brighten up a shady area. Hostas are the perfect plant to brighten up a shady area of your garden. They are grown primarily for their leaves, which range in color from deep blue-green to vivid yellow-green. Blooms are usually lavender, but Hosta Plantaginea features showy, fragrant white flowers. They are best grown in moist, rich soil which has been amended with plenty of compost. Large clumps can easily be divided in the Fall.

You should check your gardening tools on a regular basis to make sure that they are still in good condition. Sheers, pruners and lawn mower blades all become dull after many uses. You can easily sharpen the blades yourself or have a professional sharpen them. By sharpening the blades you will not have to replace the tools altogether.

Seeds take a lot more time and effort to grow than nursery transplants. That being said, planting seeds is much cheaper and gives a greater sense of satisfaction to see something actually grow from seed. Hard to grow plants or perennials are best purchased from a nursery. This is a great way to have a ready-made garden!

Pine can make for a great type of mulch. Some garden plants are high in acidity, and do better with acidic soil. If that’s the case, the easiest thing to do is use pine needles for beds. Cover your beds with two inches of needles; acid will be dispersed into the soil as they decompose.

The best way to weed your organic garden is the old-fashioned way, pulling the weeds out by hand. Even though organic herbicides sold at the store are tempting, they aren’t nearly as effective as getting on your hands and knees and pulling the weeds out by hand. It’s also very invigorating to do it yourself. It gives you a sense of accomplishment.

Do you now understand what makes organic gardening great? Do you know about seeds and tools and how to use them? If you have an idea of how to answer these questions, then you have read and understood what it takes to become a better and smarter organic gardener.