Sitting down and planning out the placement not just of your seeds and plants, but where your Organic Garden will be located is essential to you and your garden's happiness. Pick an area close to the house but not in the way of any other traffic. Think of what kind of plants you want, some can do with a bit of shade during the day others need full sun to mature and ripen properly. Is there a water source near by? Before you start planting seeds and setting up your compost heap, just a little time mapping out a blue print for your Organic Garden will make for a easy and wonderfully enriching experience. Beneficial Animals Unlike a regular garden, the organic garden is not only made up of plants. Many kinds of animals play an imperative part in keeping your garden healthy and fair. For this reason, you need to plan for habitats and food sources appropriate for the creatures you wish to attract. You need to chose flowers and other plants that will attract beneficial insects and birds. Red flowers or feeders attract humming birds. Plants such as lilacs, phlox, asters, day lilies, and butterfly bushes attract a variety of butterflies. Birdfeeders are an important component since birds will happily feed on your pests during their breeding time to get enough protein. Water of some kind is also something you want to have in your garden as it will draw toads, salamanders, dragon flies, and small mammals. A bird bath is sufficient. If you have the room you could even leave part of your garden to grow "wild". This will provide habitat and food for a variety of animals. Birds will actually plant the appropriate food souces there themselves by bringing in seeds from the plants they have fed on, but you can plan much of this "wild" area to your personal liking. Crab appletrees, currants, and other plants with berries are perfect food sources for many animals for instance. Generally make sure your garden is a spot where animals feel safe and enjoy enough to return or even settle down in. Rotating Crops Rotating your crops and flowers may be a good help in decreasing pest attacks. Many pests spend the winter in the soil so by rotating your plants you make sure no pests have immediate access to their food of choice when spring comes around. Companion Planting Don't just put your plants wherever or in large blocks of the same plant. Look up companion planting guides and put plants that are beneficial to each other side by side. This may mean putting flowers amongst your vegetables, which will definitely turn the vegetable garden into a patch of beauty in itself. Miscellaneous Naturally you need a compost. Please visit our soil enrichment section to find out more about this important component for your organic garden! Also, you need time. Don't plan on getting everything up at once and hoping it will all look perfect by the middle of summer. Chances are it won't. Gardens, and organic gardens in particular, need time to develope and grow strong. Every year you spend developing your garden will make it more resilient and healthy.

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