Creating a home garden can be very rewarding. Making it the organic way is also a nice benefit to having one. There are many things you’ll need to do for your garden so you’ll be able to enjoy fresh vegetables at harvest time.

Here is a key list of things that you cannot forget when building your little piece of utopia. Your mind and body will be much happier if you follow these certain steps for a better organic garden.

• Pick the Ideal Location.

  Location tends to be everything when trying to find a place for your garden. You might want to consider the space you have to work with before going to dig the garden out. One thing you want to take into consideration is how it will fit into your landscaping. Here are some tips on where to look.
  • Front Yard — If you’re planning to put the garden in your front yard, think of how much traffic you see there from animals and insects.
    
    You can’t have them eating your plants while trying to grow them. You might also want to think about teenagers and other mischief around the area. For some reason, people like to destroy things that are not theirs.
    
    
  • Back Yard — The back yard is probably your best bet for a garden. It is more than likely tranquil and private. Most people choose this area because of these assets.
    
    
  • Kitchen — On a much smaller scale, people who live in condominiums usually grow a garden right in their kitchen. All you need natural light coming in from a window.
    
    
  • Patio — The patio is another great location because it is an area where you probably spend your weekends grilling or star-gazing. A garden would make a perfect addition to any patio.

• Decide on an Objective.

  What’s your objective? Think of what you need to do, how to grow it, and best of all, what to grow. You should already have a notion of what you want to grow.
  
  But being so new to organic gardening, you might require some research first. You don’t want to go into this blindly.
  
  

• Build the Bed.

  Building the perfect organic garden bed is an easy task. First you want to find an area big enough to fit it. Next you have to consider how big or small you want the bed to be.
  
  After that all you need to do is square the area off and begin tilling the soil. If you choose to put one in your front yard, you may want to use 2”x4”s to square the area off.
  
  The reason for this is so that it doesn’t blend in with the rest of the yard. The back yard is the most popular area because it looks more natural and can receive an abundance of rain water for it to grow.
  
  But you don’t have to put in a traditional in-ground garden. Many people are now opting to go with a raised bed garden for various reasons. It’s easier for weed control and if you have groundhog type issues, you can put wire mesh in to keep them out.
  
  

• Soil Preparation.

  Finding the right soil for your garden does not need to be as complicated as it may seem. You can use the existing soil in your yard if it has not been treated by any harmful chemicals. But you can also purchase organic soil from a nursery. This can be quite expensive and will only fill so much of the garden.
  
  In most cases, it is necessary to include some amendments. Balanced soil is the foundation of organic gardening.
  
  

• Plant Selection.

  There are so many types of vegetables that you can grow naturally. The choice is really up to you, but you may want to consider what grows well for the season that you’re in.
  
  If you decide to grow your garden inside, the sky is the limit because it will only require light and watering on a daily basis. Outside, you can plant both a spring and fall garden. Some plants, like Swiss chard, will grow virtually year round.
  
  

• Plant the Seeds.

  Now that you’ve found what you want to grow, all you need to do now is plant the seeds. You will want to plant the seeds at least three to six inches apart.
  
  The reason for this is once they begin to grow they will need room to come up. You’ll also want to remember that like vegetables will need to be grouped with others. You don’t want to plant tomatoes next to onions.
  
  They can grow too close together and you’ll probably end up with a tomato that smells like an onion.
  
  

• Label all the Plants.

  A good rule of thumb is to label each row of plants. This will make them easier to find, and you’ll know what grows well in a certain place. Label each stake with a permanent marker.
  
  Once your plants come up, don’t forget to release beneficial insects like ladybugs and green lacewing eggs for organic pest control. Use no chemicals!

Good luck with your first organic home garden. Do you have an experience to share on things you tried with your soil that worked or didn’t? Share your opinion with a comment below!

About the Author:

Janet Keeney is a blogger and web enthusiasts who loves all things design and home improvement related. She is also the Chief Editor for HousePaintingCost.net an online resource focused on helping homeowners with their house painting projects.

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