Beginner Garden Tips For Aspiring Green Thumbs

If you plan on getting into gardening this spring and consider yourself a beginner, the following tips can help ease your way into a gardening ritual.

Keep It Simple.

If you’re just starting out, your best bet is to pick just a few plants to get in the ground to avoid overwhelming yourself. Choose a focus, like an edible garden (hello, summer veggies) or florals in an area you spend a lot of outdoor time.

Consider Your Available Time.

If your schedule is busy, choose low-maintenance plants and come up with a watering schedule to make sure you can keep your garden lush and healthy. Tomatoes and beans, for instance, are hearty and robust, whereas broccoli is finicky.

To Dig or Not.

You can dig down and start a bed in your yard, or, if you have limited space or a rocky surface, choose container gardens and build your beds up instead.

Find the Right Area.

Depending on the plants you’ve chosen, find a spot that gets the type of shade or sun required for what you’d like to grow. Or, if your garden area is limited, choose your plants based on the area you have available.

Soil Matters.

The start of your garden and the real root of its success is soil. Simple dirt is not enough. Mix in organic matter, about 2 to 3 inches of compost, manure, dry grass clippings, or old leaves.