Few things are as satisfying as getting your hands into the earth, planting and nurturing and harvesting the fruits of your labors. Adding to the knowledge that you have used the best possible practices to grow healthy food redoubles your satisfaction. Here are some tips on organic gardening to help you grow a harvest that will bring health to you and your family.

Plants require a good amount of CO2 in order to grow to their maximum height. Most plants grow better in higher levels of CO2. A great way to reach these CO2 levels is through a greenhouse. CO2 levels are usually kept high to get the best growing situation for your plants.

To discourage garden pests of the rodent variety from eating your beautiful perennial flowers and tasty vegetables, brush your dog or cat and use bits of the accumulated hair near the base of the plants being bothered. Garden rodents such as moles, gophers, rabbits and chipmunks can smell a predator and while your little Yorkie may not look like much of a threat, it only takes his scent to ward off the garden troublemakers. Don't have a dog or cat to brush? Volunteer to brush a neighbor's pet for the cause!

To keep dirt from getting under your fingernails while gardening, reach for a bar of soap beforehand! As much as we all love gardening, none of us really enjoy all that landscape designing soil that gets stuck under our nails that can be so challenging to remove. Simply claw a bar of soap before you begin working in your garden and when finished, run your hands under water and as the soap washes away, so does the dirt!

Use mulch to add nutrients to your soil. Mulch is a much better way to amend your soil than fertilizers because it comes from natural ingredients in your garden. Commercial fertilizers may contain undesirable chemicals. In addition, mulch is free. All you need to do is compost your clippings and yard waste in a compost bin. Before long, you will have enough mulch for your entire garden.

Get your soil professionally tested. The small upfront cost of soil testing will pay for itself many times over. By knowing exactly what type of soil you have as well as what nutrients are present will give you important information for a successful garden. Once you are aware of deficiencies, you can take steps to amend the soil and get your garden off to a good start.

If you are growing tomatoes, be sure to pick an airy spot that gets plenty of light. Tomatoes require at least ten hours of sunlight during an average summer day in order to grow to their peak flavor levels. Good air circulation between and around the plants is also vital to their survival.

Use a sanitary laundry basket to pick your fruit and vegetable harvest. They are reusable and already have holes so you can rinse the dirt and debris off your yields. It acts like a strainer and will replace the function of wood baskets. Save money and stay green at the same time.

Do you enjoy fresh mint, but don't like how they engulf your garden in their growth? You can control the growth of the mint leaves by growing them in a large container rather than in your garden. The container can be planted in the ground, and it will still prevent the plant from dominating the garden.

Make sure to protect your hands when working in your yard. Dirt and chemicals can be very harsh on your skin. However, the solution to this problem is very easy: gardening gloves. Gloves range from cheaper cottons (that wear easily) to more durable leather (which are more expensive). Look around your local garden supply center to find a pair of gloves that you feel comfortable working with to save your hands.

In the world of organic gardening, there are many techniques that you have at your disposal to grow a healthy garden. The world of organic gardening has a little something for everyone, but what works for one person's garden may not for another garden. Hopefully, these tips have given you a starting point for your own organic garden.