Organic gardening is gardening that uses no harmful chemicals. It is healthy and has become a popular trend among gardeners. Growing an organic garden is not as hard as it may seem, and the following tips should help you start and maintain an all natural, healthy flower or vegetable garden.

Three of the most important elements to growing a successful organic garden is mulching and pest control. Mulching helps hold water, reduces weeds and adds essential nutrients. You can either purchase organic mulch, or if the plants require acid, lay a thick bed of pine needles in the fall. Make sure you are not using mulch that has been artificially colored; although the coloring preserves the look of your mulch even after it gets old and dry, it is not organic and may contain chemicals that can contaminate your otherwise pristine mini-ecosystem.

Pests are always a problem in any garden. To hold them at bay in an organic garden you can rotate a spray of soapy water followed by clean water on the infected stems, leaves and buds of the plants. Weeds can be treated with vinegar.

Compost is also important for an organic garden to added essential nutrients. It can be made from almost anything you have on hand including ground up leftovers, leaves and grass.

If you want to plant herbs for organic cooking, they make great landscape plants in the organic garden and don't need a lot of attention. Mix in some annual flower plants for a creative, colorful blend.