by Frances Laing

Created on: September 21, 2009   Last Updated: September 24, 2009

First of all, spend some time with the elements of organic design. You can do this by getting hold of one of the excellent publications on Organic Gardening which are out there at the moment. The 'Encyclopedia of Organic Gardening' has whole sections devoted to the main pillars of organic design and lots of useful illustrations and photographs.

A good reference book like this is really all you need to start off with, as there is plenty there about how to raise plants from seed, and a complete index of plants and vegetables. But you may even want to attend a design course at your local college.

There are two basic ways of planning out your garden: On paper or by using appropriate software. If you are planting an organic garden I also would recommend joining an organic gardening association like 'Garden Organic'. They offer online advice and factsheets, and in exchange for a small membership fee, you gain access to ongoing expertise that's worth it's weight in gold as far as the future of your patch is concerned. As a member, you even have access to a discount on seed purchases.

Before you set pen to paper, you need to have a rough idea at least of what you really want to achieve with your garden. Are you mainly interested in flowers, or will you be wanting a functional kitchen garden that will keep the family in fruit and vegetables? You will need to think about what kind of soil you have and where you will site the cornerstone of your organic garden - your compost heap. You may want to plant a comfrey patch nearby. Organic gardeners use comfrey as a compost activator and to boost soil fertility.

How sunny is your garden? Make the most of available light to grow vegetables, but be aware there are lots of crops which thrive well in partial shade too. Try to site the perennial plants you want to grow first (like soft fruit, fruit trees or rhubarb) and find a place for the annuals later.

If you're growing vegetables, you will keep to get up to speed with crop rotation techniques too. A simple way of doing this to start off with is to divide the space you have available into four equally sized beds, then you can rotate your crops clockwise season by season. Crop rotation helps prevent fungal diseases and soil depletion.

As well as fruit and flowers, organic gardens usually contain wild areas or small wildlife ponds. This is to encourage bio-diversity and make sure pollinators and pest predators like ladybugs or ladybirds have suitable shelter for overwintering. You can build a small wildlife pond fairly easy by using a small container like an old sink.

As an organic gardener, you'll probably be using mulches to save water and help with moisture retention. But you may also want to collect rainwater too, which certainly helps in the kitchen garden. Think carefully where you would like to site your water butts, as you may want to have several to make the task easier. If the elements of your organic garden are well thought out and properly sited, you'll be working smart, not hard, for many years to come.

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