How to Start a Garden
Learn how to start a garden from scratch, even if you have never grown anything. Covers choosing a spot, preparing soil, picking easy plants, and basic maintenance.
We killed our first garden in about three weeks. Planted a bunch of seeds in random dirt, watered them when we remembered, and wondered why nothing grew. Turns out gardening has a few non-obvious requirements that make the difference between thriving plants and expensive compost.
The biggest misconception is that you need a lot of space. You do not. A few pots on a balcony, a small raised bed, or even a window box can produce a surprising amount of food. Herbs, tomatoes, peppers, and lettuce all grow well in containers.
The second misconception is that gardening is complicated. It is not. Plants need sunlight, water, and decent soil. Get those three things right and most plants take care of themselves.
This guide covers starting a garden from scratch. Whether you have a backyard, a patio, or just a sunny window, you can grow something edible by following these steps.
A spot that gets at least six hours of direct sunlight per day. Containers or a garden bed (even a small one works). Potting soil or compost-amended garden soil. Seeds or starter plants from a local nursery. Basic tools: a trowel (small shovel), watering can or hose, and optionally a pair of garden gloves. You can start a productive container garden for under thirty dollars.
Choose a spot with enough sunlight
Most vegetables and herbs need at least six hours of direct sunlight per day. "Direct" means unfiltered sunlight hitting the plants, not reflected or filtered through a window or tree cover. Before you plant anything, watch your potential garden spot for a full day and note when sunlight hits it and when shadows cover it. South-facing locations get the most sun in the northern hemisphere. If you only have partial shade (four to six hours), you can still grow lettuce, spinach, herbs, and some root vegetables. If you only have a few hours of sun, stick to herbs like mint and parsley that tolerate shade. No sun at all means you will need a grow light for indoor gardening.
Decide on containers or in-ground planting
If you have a yard with decent soil, you can plant directly in the ground after amending the soil. If you have a balcony, patio, or poor soil, use containers. Raised beds are a middle option that gives you control over soil quality without the limitations of containers. For containers, use pots at least 12 inches deep and wide for most vegetables. Tomatoes need 5-gallon containers minimum. Herbs do fine in smaller 6 to 8-inch pots. Make sure every container has drainage holes in the bottom. Without drainage, roots sit in water and rot within days. Trays underneath catch the runoff and protect your patio.
Good to know: Start with containers even if you have a yard. They are forgiving, portable (you can move them to follow the sun), and teach you the basics without the commitment of breaking ground and building beds.
Prepare your soil
Plants get their nutrition from soil, and most garden soil (and definitely most yard dirt) needs improvement. For containers, use high-quality potting mix. Do not use dirt from your yard in containers because it compacts and does not drain properly. For in-ground or raised beds, mix your existing soil with compost. A ratio of one part compost to two parts soil is a good starting point. Compost adds nutrients, improves drainage in clay soils, and improves water retention in sandy soils. You can buy bags of compost at any garden center. If your soil is heavy clay or very sandy, add two to three inches of compost across the top and work it in with a shovel or garden fork. Good soil feels crumbly and moist, not sticky or dustite.
Pick easy plants for your first season
Start with plants that are difficult to kill and produce quickly. For your first garden, consider: herbs (basil, mint, parsley, and cilantro grow fast and tolerate beginner mistakes), cherry tomatoes (prolific producers that do well in containers), lettuce and spinach (ready to harvest in 30 days from seed), zucchini (grows aggressively with minimal care), and peppers (easy in warm climates with plenty of sun). Buy transplants (small starter plants) from a local nursery rather than starting from seed. Transplants give you a head start of four to six weeks and are more forgiving of beginner errors. Save seeds for your second season once you understand your growing conditions.
Plant at the right time and depth
Check your local last frost date. Most vegetables cannot be planted outside until after the last frost has passed. Your local garden center or extension office can tell you the average last frost date for your area. Plant transplants at the same depth they were growing in their nursery pot. Tomatoes are the exception. Bury tomato stems deeper than they were in the pot because they grow roots from buried stems and become sturdier. For seeds, follow the packet instructions for depth. A general rule is to plant seeds at a depth of two to three times their diameter. Water immediately after planting to settle the soil around the roots.
Water consistently but do not overwater
Overwatering kills more beginner gardens than underwatering. Most plants prefer deep, infrequent watering over daily light sprinkles. Water when the top inch of soil feels dry. Stick your finger into the soil. If it is moist below the surface, wait. If it is dry, water thoroughly until water runs out the drainage holes. Morning watering is ideal because it gives leaves time to dry before nightfall, which reduces disease. Containers dry out faster than in-ground beds, especially in hot weather and wind. During summer heat, containers may need watering daily while in-ground beds only need water every two to three days.
Maintain with basic care throughout the season
Once your garden is established, maintenance is minimal. Check on plants every day or two. Look for yellowing leaves (often overwatering or nutrient deficiency), wilting (underwatering or heat stress), or visible pests (aphids, caterpillars, slugs). Remove weeds while they are small, as they compete with your plants for water and nutrients. Feed container plants with a liquid fertilizer every two to three weeks since potting mix runs out of nutrients faster than ground soil. For in-ground gardens, a mid-season top-dressing of compost provides enough nutrition for most vegetables. Harvest regularly because many plants (tomatoes, zucchini, peppers, herbs) produce more when you pick frequently.
The best time to start a garden was last spring. The second best time is now. Even if you start mid-season with transplants from a nursery, you can have fresh herbs in two weeks and tomatoes in six to eight weeks. Start small. Three to five plants is plenty for your first season. Learn what grows well in your specific conditions, what pests show up, and how much watering your setup actually needs. Expand next year based on what you learn. Gardening has a learning curve, but the feedback is fast. Plants grow visibly day by day, and eating something you grew yourself is a satisfaction that is hard to match.
Questions we get asked about this
Answers from experience, not a textbook.
Herbs, especially basil and mint. They grow fast, tolerate some neglect, and are useful in the kitchen. Mint is nearly indestructible but should always be planted in a container because it spreads aggressively in ground soil. Basil grows quickly in warm weather and can be harvested repeatedly. Cherry tomatoes are the easiest vegetable. They produce abundantly and are relatively forgiving of imperfect watering and feeding.
Less than you think. A single 5-gallon container can grow one tomato plant that produces dozens of tomatoes over a season. A window box can grow enough herbs to supply your kitchen year-round. A 4-by-4-foot raised bed can grow a surprising variety of vegetables using square foot gardening techniques. You do not need a big backyard. A sunny balcony, patio, or even a south-facing windowsill is enough to start.
After your last frost date for most vegetables and herbs. In most of the United States, this is between mid-March (southern states) and late May (northern states). You can start cool-weather crops like lettuce, spinach, and peas a few weeks before the last frost. For a fall garden, plant cool-weather crops again in late summer, about six to eight weeks before the first fall frost. Your local cooperative extension office has specific dates for your area.
The most common causes for beginners are: overwatering (soil is constantly soggy, leaves turn yellow, roots rot), not enough sunlight (plants stretch and grow tall and thin toward any available light), poor drainage (water pools around roots), and planting too early (frost kills warm-weather plants). Check these four things first. If the soil is wet, stop watering and let it dry out. If the plants are leggy, move them to a sunnier spot. If there is no drainage, add holes or move to a proper container.
Garden Starter
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How to Start a Garden
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