One of the most important steps in a guide to organic gardening is take the time to understand the basics. Most crops needs a lot of sunlight, but some temperate climate ones require a mixture of sunlight and shade so keep this in mind when choosing a spot for the garden. You will need at least 6 hours of sunlight a day for plants that need a large amount of sun. Ignoring the sunlight needs of the crops you plan can result in your organic garden being a failure. Many crops need a large amount of water on a regular basis and having a water source nearby to connect a hose or sprinkler to is important.

Do not make the mistake that many beginners do – do not try to do too much at first. The first thing any guide to organic gardening will tell you is to start small and plant just one or two crops to start with. Once you have gained confidence you can expand your garden and your plant varieties – even a 6 to 8 square foot plot is enough to begin with. The best plants to start with are the low maintenance hardy ones – a good detailed guide to organic gardening will provide you with options.

An essential part of any guide to organic gardening is getting the plot ready for planting – in most cases autumn is the best time as you can care for the soil over winter before you actually plant. If you are creating your organic garden in an area that is part of your lawn, scoop up the top soil with a shovel and turn the earth upside down. This will allow the grass to decay in the soil and provide it the nutrients it needs to support your crops.Weedy areas area a problem since not only will all the weeds have to be removed, the soil will have to be turned over to allow for the removal of seeds or roots that could cause weed problems when you begin planting.

Part of preparing the plot is understanding what kind of soil you are going to be using in your organic garden. Soil can be divided into three types – sandy, clay or loam and each one has different properties and will need to be dealt with is a different way to enable you to grow your organic garden successfully.Keep in mind that some plants are not suitable for some types of soil and planting crop that needs loamy earth in sandy soil will never work, even with the best of preparation and care. Following these basic steps of a guide to organic gardening will ensure that you start off in the right way and are not inviting problems in the future.