There are a lot of people who think about starting an organic garden, but never get around to doing it. The task may seem daunting and complicated to those unfamiliar with it. However, if you keep reading, you'll find suggestions that can help simplify organic gardening and even make it fun.

Use a bar of soap to prevent dirt under your nails. Before you begin gardening, scrape your fingernails across a bar of soap. This will create a barrier that keeps the dirt out. When you are done gardening, the soap will wash out quickly and easily - leaving your nails sparkling clean.

During hot weather, water your plants more frequently and deeply. When your plants do not get enough water, their roots work themselves up close to the surface, which means they will dry out quicker. If you water deeply, the roots will stay well underground to get to the water down below.

Consider using your car to dry your home-grown herbs. Simply lay a sheet of newspaper across the backseat and spread out your herbs on it, then roll up the windows. Your herbs will dry phoenix landscaping quickly in the low-humidity heat of your car, and the interior of your car will have a fresh, herbal scent.

When growing potatoes, make sure you choose a variety with a starch content that corresponds with the way you'll be cooking them. The more starch there is in a potato, the drier and flakier it will be when cooked. Potatoes that are good for mashing have approximately 7% starch. These potatoes cook quickly and retain a high moisture content, so they're easy to mash. Baking potatoes have a starch content between 15% and 18%, and frying potatoes have the highest level at 22%.

When you need to control weed growth, choose your weed killer carefully, and always follow the directions. Many weed killers have chemicals that are harmful to people if they are not applied properly. They are especially harmful to young children if the children play around an area that has recently been treated.

Divide large clumps of perennials. Some perennial plants lose vigor and flower less well if the clump becomes too large. Plants like Shasta daisies, bearded irises, phlox, chrysanthemum and coneflower benefit from being divided every three years. Without division they become congested, and the center of the clump will begin to die out. Simply dig the entire plant out, keeping the root ball intact, and divide it into pieces using a shovel. By doing this, you will have at least two or three new plants!

You can use natural waste items around your home to benefit your plants. For example, plants that prefer high acidic soil love a mulch mixed with coffee grounds. Cinnamon can be used as a natural fungicide for potted plants. And of course, there are the myriad benefits of a home compost pile.

When deciding to plant a garden, it is important to survey the areas available for planting and determine which will be the best location. Whether you grow your fruits and vegetables in your yard, on your patio in containers, or on your apartment balcony, your plants should be in a location which is exposed to sunlight. To yield the best harvest, most crops need to be situated in an area which is an open location that is sunny.

Tend to your garden a few steps at a time. A garden requires ongoing maintenance, and becomes a big time drain if you let things pile up until the weekend. Stop by the garden for a few minutes each day and deadhead some flowers while you're waiting for dinner to cook or pull a few weeds while watching the kids play.

Do not waste your time and energy carrying a hose that is hard to put away. Get a couple or hose reels to keep your hose neat. You can get a stationary hose reel to keep your hose on a wall, but you can also find portable hose reels if you want to carry your hose around your garden.

With these simple tips it is easier then you thought to have a garden that is just as nice looking as your neighbors. So quit being jealous and do something about it. Before you know it, you will have the garden that everyone desires to have.