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When the winter chill is out of the air and spring starts to settle in, a lot of people out there break out their shovels and plows and decide to plant a garden. If you want to plant a garden this year, why not make it an organic garden? Here are some fantastic tips you can use to make sure that your garden grows.

Choose plants and flowers that complement the colors of your home. Flowers that are pink or fuchsia, may go very well with your burgundy shudders. Tying in the colors of plants and flowers that you choose to harmonize with your house, will save you a lot of time at the garden center by simplifying your plant choices.

Pick garden vegetables often and early. While immature, many types of vegetables are very tasty in their young phase. Snap peas, little summer squash, cucumbers, and budding broccoli can be picked to keep the plants in a state of reproduction for a longer period of time. This will also increase yields with a second harvest off of the same plants.

Plant your garden in stages. Put in a new vegetable every week, or plant vegetables with different maturation speeds when you do your planting. This helps prevent you from having a large harvest all at once, and will better allow you to enjoy the fruits (and vegetables!) of your labors.

Try dividing the irises. You can create additional irises by splitting up irises that are growing into each other's space. When the foliage dies, take the bulbous irises and lift them. The iris bulbs should easily split apart in your hand. Once you replant them, they will have a good flower show the following year. You can divide rhizomes with a knife. Throw out the center and cut pieces on the outside that are new. At the least, each piece will need to have one strong offshoot. Replant your pieces right away.

Be aware of the optimum time frame for harvesting vegetables. Most vegetables have a relatively small harvesting window when they will taste best. For example, zucchini and baby peas are best picked young. Tomatoes, however, should be plucked from the vine the moment they appear ripe. Remember that the vegetables will taste best if you harvest them at the proper time.

When growing vegetables try to grow vegetables that are companions to each other. This is useful in fending off pests. Certain vegetables when planted together can produce a scent that is undesirable to pests. When you grow companion plants together you will get healthier results without the use of pesticides.

Reduce the need for pesticides in your garden by planting native crops. Native plants will have a better resistance against the bugs and bacteria of your area, and will be better equipped to compete with native weeds. Native plants will attract beneficial native insects, such as ladybugs, which can naturally control pest problems without the need for chemicals.

One of the best things about a garden is that once you put in the initial labor, you can sit back and enjoy the fruits - or vegetables - of this labor as your garden begins to grow. Make sure that you're using these tips correctly if you want to experience the best possible results with your organic garden.