A Quick Online Guide to Gardening for Beginners
Pick your gardening spot – ideally where your plants can get with plenty of sun and water. Most vegetables and flowers will need the full power of the sun, so they will need to be in a place where they get at least six hours of sunlight every day during the growing season.
More Than Just Dirt
Did you know – the most important part of your garden is actually below the ground! One way you can improve your soil is by adding organic matter, aka broken-down plant parts, like compost or shredded leaves. The organic matter will retain water for your plants’ root during dry spells, and allow excess rain to flow away. It can also break up dense soil to make spaces for roots to grow and get oxygen. The organic matter will also provide food for the hordes of organisms living in your soil.
Be Careful Not to Overdo It
For beginners, it is a good idea to keep your plot small, say around 3 feet by 3 feet. This is enough to provide a good first harvest while also getting a feel for the amount of time and effort it takes to tend to your garden.
Get a Head Start on Growing
Many vegetables need to start from seed several weeks before they can be planted outside. You can either start the seeds yourself (check out these videos) or you can let someone else do it, by buying small pre-planted plants.
Information from Burpee’s “New to Gardening” guide. Check out their website for more useful information. Also, be sure to check out their Regional Gardening Guide for location-specific tips!