How to Start an Organic Vegetable Garden

Organic vegetables are healthy, tasty, and grown without synthetic chemicals or pesticides, but they can be expensive to buy. So, if you have land to spare—even just one square foot—consider starting an organic vegetable garden of your own. If you are already a gardener, know that some of the organic gardening basics are the same as nonorganic. For example, plant in an area that gets full sun, at least six hours a day (eight to 10 hours is even better). Also, since all gardens require frequent watering, make sure you have a spigot and hose that will reach all corners of your plot.

If you have no gardening experience, you can still reap the benefits of a home-grown organic vegetable garden, Just follow these tips on which soil, mulch, fertilizer, companion plants, and practices will help your vegetables thrive.

Start With Organic Garden Soil and Mulch

For a healthy organic vegetable garden, you need to start with healthy soil. The most important component in soil is the organic matter, such as manure, peat moss, or compost. Compost is the best option, because it contains decayed microorganisms of previous plant life and those microorganisms supply plants the nutrients they need. You can create your own compost pile by designating an area or bin where organic matter will decompose. You can also use bagged compost (available at garden centers and home improvement stores) or buy it in bulk if you have a large garden.

Reduce weeds for your organic vegetable garden by spreading a 1- to 2-inch-thick layer of mulch on the soil. This creates a barrier that prevents weeds from getting sunlight and from germinating. The mulch layer also prevents fungal disease spores from drifting onto plant leaves. Use an organic material (such as cocoa hulls, weed-free straw, or newspaper) as mulch so as it decomposes it adds beneficial organic matter to the soil.

Use an Organic Garden Fertilizer

Fertilizing your vegetables helps them grow faster and yield larger crops. Types of organic fertilizer include well-rotted manure from plant-eating critters (rabbits, horses, sheep, chickens) and prepackaged organic fertilizer (which you can purchase online). You can also find a variety of organic fertilizers at garden centers and home improvement stores.

Editor's Tip: If you already have rich soil, consider skipping the fertilizer. Too much of a good thing can encourage your plants to produce more of the lush, soft growth loved by pests.

Seedling Shopping Tips

When shopping for seedlings, extension service experts recommend choosing plants that have a healthy color for the species with no yellow leaves. Avoid droopy or wilting leaves. When you're shopping for transplants, gently tap the plant out of the pot to make sure the roots are well-developed and white. Avoid plants that are already budding or have flowers. If you can't avoid them, pinch buds and flowers off before planting to ensure the plant energy stays focused on setting new roots.

Organic Raised Beds

Elevated plots are popular for organic vegetable gardens because they allow you more control over your soil and growing conditions. Tending an elevated plot is also easier on your back. When building an elevated plot, keep the bed narrow (no more than 4 feet) so you don't have to reach far or step on the soil. It's also important to consider the root depth of what you wish to grow when building a raised or elevated bed. Some vegetables—like broccoli, cabbage, and onions—have shallow roots while others—like asparagus, pumpkins, and sweet potatoes—need to stretch 2 to 3 feet below the surface of the earth.

Practice Crop Rotation

Because many closely related plants are affected by the same diseases, avoid planting them where their relatives grew the year or two before. Two of the biggest families to watch out for are the tomato family (tomatoes, peppers, potatoes, eggplant) and the squash family (squash, pumpkin, cucumber, watermelon). Rotating crops to different parts of the garden helps limit disease development and prevents the depletion of soil nutrients.

How to Pick Weeds

Oh, those pesky weeds. They seem to pop up overnight. Gardeners should plan on almost daily weeding and remember that weeds grow back if the roots aren't removed. Pulling weeds by hand is easier after rain or watering. (If the soil is really wet and muddy, wait until it dries out a bit.) As far as the method goes, there are a couple of ways to pull a weed. One is to pull the root out while gently pinching the base of the stem. Another (and often more effective) method is to use a weeding trowel to lever out the root system. You can also use a hoe to scrape the top of the weed off, being careful to not damage any vegetables.

It is important to banish weeds the moment they appear because weeds compete with your plants for water and nutrients (and also attract pests). Many insects spread diseases as they feed and move from one plant to the next. The most organic (and easiest) way to control insects in your garden is to pick them off by hand. If you're squeamish, wear gloves.

Keep Your Garden Clean

Plant diseases like rust and leaf spot spread rapidly in dead, fallen foliage. Once a week (or more often if possible), walk through your garden and pick up cast-off garden debris. While you are at it, look for signs of diseased leaves, flowers, and plant stems. You can sometimes save a plant from being overtaken by disease if you pick off infected leaves. Just be sure to throw dead or diseased leaves in the trash, not in your compost pile.

Water Wisely and Give Plants Air

Wet leaves, especially in the afternoon or evening, foster the growth of mildews like powdery or downy mildew. Instead of watering from overhead, use a water-saving soaker hose that delivers water directly to the roots and prevents splashing.

Be sure to follow the spacing requirements on seed packets to avoid crowding. Good airflow between the plants can help prevent many types of fungal diseases.

Best Plants for Attracting Beneficial Insects

Plant these flowers around your vegetable garden to attract helpful insects, including bumblebees to pollinate plants as well as lady beetles and praying mantis to chow down on harmful insects.

• Bachelor's Button
• Cleome
• Cosmos
• Black-eyed Susan
• Daisy
• Marigold
• Nasturtium
• Purple Coneflower
• Salvia
• Sunflower
• Yarrow
• Zinnia

Growing an organic vegetable garden is a fun and satisfying way to put food on the table. The key to success—especially with organic gardening—is to focus on cultivating nutrient-rich soil. Once you know the basic tenets of the practice, it will be easy to swap in seasonal favorites that can keep your garden productive all year long.