Learning to Garden

By Randi Morse

There's nothing quite like enjoying a meal made with fresh vegetables from a garden. When you make a dish created with vegetables from your own garden, that's even more special. Gardening can seem intimidating for those who have never done it, but while it can be a lot of work (depending on the size of your garden), it's also a fairly easy thing to do. 

Starting Your Garden

The first thing you'll need to decide is what type of plants you want to have in your garden. There are a few rules that you should follow if you're looking to make the best choices when it comes to produce for your garden, starting with only planting crops that you're planning on eating. If you don't plan on eating it, don't plant it. Focus on things that your family enjoys eating such as carrots or broccoli or different types of herbs. 

It's also extremely important to get plants that will grow in your area. Check online to see what gardening zone you live in and what the first, and last, frost dates are. You may even want to speak with friends and family who has a garden and ask them for information about what will grow best in your area. You should also figure out how much food you're going to eat. Do you have the space, and the know-how, to store vegetables once they've been harvested, or do you need to eat everything fresh?

Location, Location, Location

Selecting the right location is just as important as choosing the right produce to grow. Most vegetables need about five hours of direct sunlight a day. Root vegetables, greens, and herbs can grow in partial shade. Make sure your garden is set up in an easily accessible area because a neglected garden won't produce anywhere near as much as a tended one will. 

Starting Inside

If you really want to get your garden off to the best start, start by growing the seeds indoors. Most gardening centers will have plenty of indoor grow options to get you started, and there are a number of online examples of DIY mini-greenhouses. Don't overthink things. Growing vegetables is much easier than most people think, especially if you start with some of the basic, easier-to-grow vegetables like carrots, pumpkins, potatoes, and zucchini. 

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