Gardening Tips for Beginners

As the days get longer, the air warmer, and the early morning birds louder, I start to think of my garden. I think of seeds germinating and the first leaves emerging from the soil in the early spring sun. I think of the time I get to spend in the warm summer air toiling in the soil with my dog sitting watching me. I think about the bounty I hope to harvest as the season progresses and all of the good meals I will cook with it.

You may be thinking about starting a garden too. Perhaps you have always wanted to grow your own vegetables, or as the climate crisis progresses you see the value in harvesting at least some of your own food. Maybe your parents had a garden and it’s about time you continued the family tradition. Perhaps you want the freshest vegetables, picked at the peak of ripeness, to prepare the tastiest meals you can cook. Or possibly you find yourself in circumstances in which you need a new hobby to keep yourself occupied.

The tips listed below are geared toward beginner gardeners, although even those with experience may find some value. I would love to hear from you, so please share your gardening tips for beginners. And as the season progresses, share your successes and failures.

No matter how big or small your garden, take pride in what you grow. Enjoy the process and enjoy the results. Enjoy spending time learning how plants grow and where your food comes from. Enjoy the time outside and the time cooking. I wish you happy gardening.

Gardening Tips for Beginners

Start small – A garden can take a lot of time and quickly overwhelm. If you start small with a few plants, you will be better able to care for them, be more successful, and be more likely to continue in the future. If you start small, you can always expand next year.

Pick plants that are easy to grow – It is much easier to grow some crops (e.g., lettuce, tomatoes, green beans, cucumbers, zucchini) than others (e.g., carrots, beets, onions, watermelon, corn). Picking the ones that are easy to grow will lead to a fruitful harvest and make you want to try new vegetables in the future.

Plant at the right time – Certain vegetables are cool weather crops (e.g., lettuce, spinach, radishes, peas), which can be planted in early spring for an early harvest or late summer for fall picking. Others will survive best in the heat of the summer and can only be planted after the last frost (e.g., tomatoes, green beans, cucumbers, zucchini).

Choose your location wisely – Before you start, evaluate different locations in your yard for sunlight, shade, nutrients, and pests. Don’t forget, there is more direct sunlight in south-facing locations (in the northern hemisphere) and the angle and intensity of sunlight changes throughout the season between spring and fall. Choose wisely. Once you’ve started, it’s hard to move soil.

Plant in the right place – While you want to put your garden in the right location, you also want to put plants in the best spot in the garden. Some plants like peas, pole beans, and tomatoes may grow tall. You’ll want to plant them where they will not shade shorter vegetation. Perennials grow back year after year and other plants will seed in over the years. So when you plant them, evaluate your location with care, because once in the ground, they don’t want to be moved.

Start from transplants – It is difficult to start some types of plants from seeds directly in the garden. It is best to buy transplants from your local garden store. This includes tomatoes, eggplant, peppers, lettuce, and cabbage. Starting your own seeds which you will later transplant is an ordeal unto itself, worth doing in future years, perhaps, but not from the start. With that said…

Some plants should be started from seed – Some plants do not transplant well and thus should be started from seed directly in the garden. Peas, green beans, cucumbers, and all root vegetables fit into this category.

Know your zone – The US Department of Agriculture has established Plant Hardiness Zones of different climate conditions, an invaluable guide to help you decide what you can plant – and when – wherever you live. Consult it when choosing what you will grow.

Do some initial research – Speak to the professionals at your local gardening store (preferably not a big box store), who will provide a wealth of information about what grows well in your USDA Plant Hardiness Zone. Speak to your friends and neighbors who have experience. They will offer ideas, suggestions, strategies, stories, and local varieties to try, and they may even have extra seeds or plants to share. Search online, but be mindful of where the information is coming from. A site based in Florida that recommends planting times does not apply if you live in New York.

Grow a lot of a few things – Growing one pea plant or green bean plant will only give you a few pods, and they probably won’t be ready to eat at the same time. That’s not very satisfying. As a result, it makes sense to grow a lot of only a handful of vegetables so that you have enough ripe at once to use as part of a meal. Exceptions include tomatoes, cucumbers, and zucchini, in which case one or two fruits standing alone may do the job. Really, don’t grow too much zucchini.

Consider containers or raised beds – It’s much easier – for a variety of reasons – to grow in containers or raised beds, and is the perfect way to start a garden without too much commitment. Read about The Benefits of Raised Bed Gardening, which applies to pots and containers as well.

Don’t invest too much money the first year – If gardening is not for you, you will learn quickly and will not have wasted much more than a bit of money and a little of your time. If you catch the gardening bug, you can expand next year.

Water your garden – The amount of water your plants will need depends on when it last rained, the temperature and humidity levels, how much sun they get, the size and variety of plants, when they were last watered, and whether they are in the ground, containers, or raised beds. (Plants in pots, containers, and raised beds need more frequent watering.) Monitor the condition of the plants (droopy leaves for example) and soil water level, and water or not, as necessary. Neither too little nor too much water is a good thing. A good water once a week will promote deep, healthy roots and is better than quick, more frequent watering.

Plant herbs – Most herbs are easy to grow, needing little care besides regular watering. They make every meal better, both tastier and aesthetically; it is great to walk out to the garden and snip a few fresh herbs to shower over a dish. Many are perennial, meaning you plant them once and they come back year after year.

Plant some garden candy – Plump sugar snap peas and sweet, ripe cherry tomatoes picked right from the vine, are a wonderful treat reserved for you as you work in the garden. A small but tasty reward for all of your hard work.

Plant flowers in addition to edible crops – Flowers blooming in your garden attract bees and other pollinators and are beautiful to look at while you toil away. Plus a bouquet will be gorgeous on your table as you feast on your bounty.

Allow your children, or grandchildren, to help – It will be fun for you and them, they will benefit from the hands-on and practical science they are experiencing, and they will be sure to eat more vegetables.

Expect, and accept, failure – Even the best and most experienced gardeners have some crops that do well one year and lousy the next. Modify and try again. Learn from your mistakes, and recognize that sometimes garden failures are hard to explain.

Good luck and enjoy!!! The rewards are delicious.

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