Starting a Garden FAQ

Start by watching your yard for a few days. You want a spot with at least 6 hours of direct sun for most fruits and vegetables, fairly level ground, and easy access to water. If you can see it from the house or patio, even better — you’ll be more likely to tend it and notice problems early.

You can plant in what you have, but you’ll get much better results if you improve it a bit first. Mix in compost, leaf mold, or well-rotted manure to loosen heavy clay or give sandy soil more sponge. Healthy, crumbly soil drains well, holds moisture, and makes everything easier from day one.

If your soil is terrible or full of roots and rocks, raised beds or large containers are easier to work with. If your soil is decent, in-ground beds are cheaper and work just fine. Start where you’ll have the least frustration — one or two small raised beds and a few big pots are plenty for a first season.

Herbs like basil, mint (in a pot), chives, and oregano are very forgiving. For vegetables, try lettuce, radishes, green beans, cherry tomatoes, and zucchini. For fruit, strawberries and small bush blueberries (in a large pot if needed) are beginner friendly if you give them sun and water.

Smaller than you think. A couple of 4×8 beds or a small group of containers is plenty to learn on. It’s better to have a small garden you can keep up with than a big one that turns into a weed patch by July. You can always add more next year once you get a feel for it.

New beds and seedlings usually need watering more often — often every day or two in hot weather. Once plants are established, aim for a deep soak once or twice a week instead of a light sprinkle every day. Stick your finger into the soil up to your second knuckle; if it’s dry at that depth, it’s time to water.

For your first year, a mix works well. Start easy things from seed right in the garden (lettuce, beans, peas, radishes, zucchini), and buy seedlings for fussier crops like tomatoes, peppers, and some herbs. That way you still get the fun of seed sowing without having to grow everything from scratch indoors.

Yes, and your garden is usually happier for it. Herbs can tuck in at the edges of beds, flowers can bring in pollinators, and smaller fruits like strawberries can fill gaps under taller plants. Just give each plant the light, spacing, and water it needs, and don’t be afraid to experiment a bit as you go.

Most new gardeners reach for sprays too fast. Start by hand-picking pests, using row cover over tender crops, and planting flowers and herbs that draw in ladybugs and other helpers. Healthy soil and steady watering do more for pest resistance than most bottles on the shelf.

For a small beginner garden, plan on 10–20 minutes most days, with a little extra time on weekends. That covers watering, quick weeding, and harvesting. The main thing is to walk through the garden regularly — problems are easy to fix when you catch them early and a lot tougher if you only look once a month.

Yes. A handful of large containers, a sunny railing, and maybe a vertical trellis are plenty. Focus on compact crops: herbs, salad greens, cherry tomatoes, peppers, strawberries, and bush beans. Drainage holes, good potting mix, and consistent watering matter more than square footage.

Most folks try to do too much, too fast — too big a garden, too many crops, not enough time. The second big one is ignoring the sun and soil. If you start small, pick a sunny spot, and put a little effort into the soil, you’ve already dodged most of the headaches that scare new gardeners off.

You can do a lot with very little. A decent hand trowel, a hand fork or cultivator, a watering can or hose with a gentle spray, and a pair of pruners will carry you a long way. Add gloves and a simple rake if you’re working in the ground. Upgrade later only after you know what you’ll actually use.