This gardening for beginners guide will walk you through how to start growing your own food at home! Gardening can be a little intimidating if you are a beginner but I will show you just how easy it can be. These are my top five tips on how to start a garden no matter where you live and with little to no experience.
If you like this post, here are some other ones that you might be interested in:
- How to start seeds indoors
- The easiest veggies to grow for beginners
- How to grow potatoes in containers
How To Start A Garden For beginners
1. Know your growing zone
Different areas have different grow zones, look up your area and find out what zone you are in. This will determine your last frost date and give you an idea of when to plant certain things.
For instance if you live in Alaska, your last frost date and what you can plant will be different than someone who lives in California. My growing zone is 9b, which is in the southern United States. I can grow a lot of summer vegetables but I find that cold tolerate plants don’t do so well.
If a certain type of fruit or vegetable does not grow well in your environment then its not worth putting in your time and effort. Work smarter not harder!
2. Grow things that you actually enjoy eating
Once you know your growing zone its time to buy some seeds! Think about the kind of vegetables that you enjoy eating and not ones that you are not sure about.
I made the mistake of planting a bunch of slicing tomatoes one year and realized that I’m actually not a fan of eating raw tomatoes. I really enjoy tomatoes in sauces so I made sure to plant Roma tomatoes the following year, which are perfect for homemade marinara.
After you have picked your seeds, look at the back of the seed packet. It will have information about the best months to plant for your zone and how long it will take to grow from seed to harvest.
- Here are some seeds to get you started!
3. Start off small
Don’t make the mistake of planting too much! I know my husband makes fun of me because I get so excited when I see new plants at the nursery that I fill my entire cart.
Unfortunately what can happen is I get home and don’t have anywhere to put them and some of them die before I get a chance to plant them. Try to focus on just a few plants at a time so you don’t get overwhelmed.
4. Make your space work
Whether you live in an apartment or on five acres, you can grow food! Don’t think that you have to have a ton of property to grow something. I started out planting a few herbs on my tiny apartment patio.
There are tons of vegetables that grow well in containers too. Some of my favorites are: tomatoes, cucumbers, green beans and potatoes.
- Here are some raised beds that I bought that are really affordable and will last a long time!
5. Ask for help
Find a good community in your area for knowledge and support. I learn new things everyday by talking to people and reading books people recommend.
Look for Facebook groups and gardening communities on social media that share the same passion for simple living like you do. don’t be afraid to reach out! I find that most people love sharing their knowledge.
Here are some books that have helped me:
I hope that this helps give you the courage to start your homesteading journey! Follow my blog for more in depth post about how to grow your own food and be sustainable.