The most successful organic gardeners use a combination of strategies to grow healthy food and ornamental plants. They monitor and increase soil fertility, observe and emulate nature, and make planting decisions based on the needs of the plants and opportunities of their site. Organic gardeners see their gardens as a small part of the larger natural world and understand that their gardening practices have an impact that goes far beyond the borders of their yards.

If you’re just getting started, though, all these practices can seem daunting — even discouraging. Keep in mind that gardening is a process and take it one step at a time. Here’s a rundown of important strategies for making your garden organic:

• Enrich your soil Enriching your soil instead of pouring on fertilizer is similar to eating healthy foods instead of popping vitamin tablets. Get your diet and soil right, and many other potential problems are apt to be less troublesome. Organic matter, which decomposes into humus, increases soil’s ability to hold moisture and drain efficiently, feeds the beneficial soil organisms, and adds important plant nutrients. You can increase the amount of organic matter in your soil by adding compost and using plant-based mulches, such as shredded leaves, bark, and straw.
• Let nature do the weeding Preventing weeds is so much easier than getting rid of them when they’re all grown up. Weeds flourish on open ground, but mulch can slow them down — even stop them in their tracks. Surround your garden and landscape plants with bark, pine needles, grass clippings, shredded leaves, straw, and other organic materials to shade the ground and keep weeds from sprouting. Use landscape fabric — not plastic — or newspaper in paths and around trees and shrubs, covering them with loose mulch materials.
  
  Starting a new garden or reclaiming an old one usually involves ridding the land of weeds. Instead of reaching for a bottle of herbicide, use the power of the sun to solarize your soil with weed-killing heat.
• Choose healthy and disease-resistant plants Your plants won’t get sick if they’re immune to or at least tolerant of the nastiest diseases. Plant breeders work long and hard to develop varieties of your favorite fruits, vegetables, flowers, and landscape plants that fight off devastating diseases. Read catalog descriptions and plant tags to find resistant plants whenever possible.
  
  Buying and planting only healthy plants also pays off. Struggling plants attract diseases and insects, but thriving plants fight them off. Take time to examine trees and shrubs and look for virus-free fruits. Don’t bring home any insect-infested plants, either. If you have any doubts about a plant’s health, quarantine a new plant in a separate area before adding it to your landscape or garden.
• Put plants in the right place Give your plants the soil, sun, and moisture conditions they prefer to keep them healthy and thriving. That advice is especially important for long-term landscape and fruit plants.
• Encourage beneficial insects  ....read more