Gardening for Newbies

Hey everyone! I hope your first official day of spring is going great. Now let's talk plants! But first I have a couple questions: Are you new to gardening or still a beginner? Are you overwhelmed by all of the gear and gadgets and information out there when it comes to creating the "perfect" garden? Do you struggle to find what's necessary or not necessary to begin growing plants to feed yourself and your family, bring in pollinators, or create habitat for birds and other wildlife? With so many gizmos and gadgets out there trying to tell you what will make gardening "easier," it actually, paradoxically, makes growing plants MORE challenging. Information overload is real and being given the option of multiple choices actually makes it HARDER to choose. Well I have some good news for you! Gardening is WAY easier than you might think. Read on to find out how to create YOUR "perfect" garden without all the confusing choices you find plaguing garden centers worldwide.

First off, nature isn't "perfect" or "neat and tidy" so you shouldn't worry about being these things either. If you look around on your next hike or outdoor adventure (that's not in a landscaped environment), you'll see that nature is kind of chaotic. An organized chaos....but chaotic nonetheless. Every plant has a purpose and a place and it's not always neat and tidy. Straight lines don't exist and plants in nature are scattered everywhere and in every which way. So why are we so concerned about perfection? Well, it's because we live in a society that stresses cleanliness - which isn't a bad thing, but can be overdone. Our eyes strive to find things in perfect order, in perfect lines or perfect rows, placed perfectly next to or against each other. Nature doesn't do it that way, and nature knows best. So why not follow her example?

Nature is chaotic. You can be too! How many plants do you think are growing in this photo?

Let me ask you another question? Does nature rely on pH meters and moisture readers, lumen monitors, and synthetic chemical fertilizers or pesticides? The quick answer - no, it does not. So why should you? Well, I'm here to tell you that you shouldn't! After studying and growing plants for over a decade, I have learned the simple truth - the plant will tell you when it needs something. Fully yellow leaves? Add nitrogen. Yellow leaves with green veins? Add iron. Is the plant wilting in the cooler parts of the day and there is no sign of disease? It could be water stress due to either over- or underwatering. The point is, you have to learn to read the signs the plant is giving you. Do you go to the doctor when you are not showing symptoms of anything? No. And if you do go for a yearly checkup and they find nothing wrong with you, will they prescribe you something? Again, no. So a little research into what symptoms your plant is showing and what the underlying cause might be can save you hundreds of dollars in fancy equipment and devices. So if you don't need fancy devices then what do you need to get started?

The answer is simple. You will need four things to get started with your garden. You will need quality soil, seeds, water, and a pot or ground to grow in. That's it! It is super simple. Start with getting yourself a bag of high quality soil from a reputable nursery or garden center OR you can make your own with peat moss or coconut coir (being the more expensive option of the two), perlite, and compost (although compost is not needed but can help improve soil structure and water retention). Just mix all of the above ingredients well in a bucket or wheelbarrow and boom! You got soil! Not only will you save money this way, but just like when you cook at home, you know exactly the ingredients that are going in and at what amount.

Soil, seeds, water, and a place to grow is all you need to get started!

Next come the seeds. Now with so many seeds to choose from, how do I know which ones to choose? Again, the answer is simple. What do you want to grow? Do you want to grow flowers for pollinators or herbal teas, do you want to grow vegetables or fruit trees, do you want to grow shrubs or other specimen to invite wildlife into your yard? You must first ask yourself these questions. Then you have to do a little bit of research into what grows well in your area. Reference the internet for guidance, look for more blog posts on this site containing that content, or even just ask your neighbor what they've grown that has done well. After figuring that out the next step is asking yourself what will be useful for you? What will you utilize the most. My garden is full of vegetables, fruit trees, flowers for tea and pollinators, and shrubs that I won't personally utilize, but wildlife will. The idea is to plant things that will benefit you! Do you like watching birds? Plant some shrubs that will attract them and they can possibly nest in. Are you looking for herbal remedies for sore throats? Plant some Echinacea. Do you eat chile peppers? If not then you may want to plant something else that you will eat. Don't overcomplicate things and don't get into the analysis paralysis so bad that you hesitate on planting ANYTHING. Just get some seeds or plants in the ground that you will use or that will be of some benefit to you and get growing!

Third on the list is water. Water is very uncomplicated. Just water your plants. Easy right? Yes and no. First, the water you are using must be uncontaminated, especially if being used on plants you will eat later on. Second, water is the easiest thing to both over- and underestimate. Let me explain. Both overwatered and underwatered plants show the same symptoms - wilt. Naturally occurring wilt in the heat of the day is normal and necessary for the plant to conserve water. However, what a lot of beginners get wrong, is the idea that their plants have to be perky all of the time. Nothing could be further from the truth. Adequately watered plants should maintain vigor in the cooler parts of the day - morning and night. If they do not, then you may have a problem with your watering routine. Now, repeat after me, plants SHOULD be stressed sometimes. That's how you create strong plants. You do not create strong plants by babying them, contrary to popular belief. Think about this for a second. Your muscles grow when you go to the gym because they are being put under controlled stress and you become stronger because of it. Plants work the same way. Some stress is good for them. Babying them and tending to what you think is their every need will create weak plants that will be a haven for insect pests and disease. Now, that's a lot of words, but let's get to the point. Remember earlier when I asked if you need a moisture reader? Well guess what? You have one already equipped to your body. It's called your finger! That's the only moisture reader you need. If you feel your plants are in a state of water stress, insert you finger into the top 2 or 3 inches of soil. Is it wet? Then don't add any more water. You're fine. Is it dry? If so you may need to add more water. And just remember that wilt during the heat of the day is natural! I will have a more in-depth blog on watering in the near future. Stay tuned.

Wilting during the heat of the day is natural! Wait for the weather to cool and see if the plant recovers before responding. You can do more harm than good if not.

OK. We've made it to the fourth and final thing you need to start growing your own food and start your self-sufficient future. Something to grow in is crucial. Whether that be a pot or just directly in the ground, you must have something to grow your plants in. Let's talk about pots first. Pots are great because they are mobile, manageable, are good for dwarf varieties or patio gardens if you don't have a lot of space, and they come in many different shapes, sizes, and designs. Let's break these down. Mobility is good due to the fact that, if the plant is not happy in one place, you can move it to another. Let's say for instance the plant stems are long and spindly. This means that more sun is needed. Nothing is easier than moving a potted plant to a sunnier location. Pots are also good for plants that need a break from the heat of summer or cold of winter. You can simply bring your potted plants inside a more sheltered location. This also ties into the manageability of pot grown plants. The easier things are to move, the easier they are to manage. Potted plants are also great for patios. Let's face it. Not everyone has a huge yard to grow a gigantic garden in. Some people live in apartments that don't have a yard at all. Whatever your situation is, trust me, you can still grow enough to sustain yourself and even potentially your family (depending on many variables such as size of apartment, size of family, etc.). If you are living in a situation like this then potted plants will be perfect for you! With so many different dwarf varieties nowadays you can grow virtually anything. You just have to find what plants fit best for your situation and what plants you will actually utilize, especially if you have a smaller living space. Finally comes design. If you are just trying to grow something and don't really care then there are plain pots to grow in to suit your needs. If you are interested in sprucing up the place though, there are a bunch of different aesthetic designs to choose from when shopping for pots. Again, just get what suits you and your needs, wants, and desires.

Growing in the ground is a bit different. You don't have the freedom to move your plants at will, you have to pay more attention to the soil and may need to amend if you don't have good soil on your property, and you don't have the luxury of choosing cool pot designs. You do, however, have the luxury of choosing a cool garden design! With a little bit of planning and patience, you can create beautiful gardenscapes! Your plants also have more freedom to extend their root systems as far or as deep as they would like to, which can lead to more abundant harvests. You will have to water less in comparison to container gardening due to the geothermal temperature of the Earth also. Containers tend to like to absorb heat and therefore dry out quickly, whereas, gardening in ground gives you a little bit more leniency.

So what can you take away from this post? First, gardening is not hard and anyone - I mean ANYONE - can do it. But you must not be afraid of failure. Let it teach you a lesson into what works and what doesn't instead of letting it discourage you. You can work your way around this also by just planting a large variety of seeds. The probability that something will grow will be a lot higher if you do this. Second, don't be confused and frustrated by all the gizmos and gadgets and cool technology out there. It is largely useless. If you have the senses of touch and sight, that's enough for the plant to tell you everything it needs. Remember, you only need 4 things to get started: Soil, seeds, water, and a pot and/or the ground to grow in. Don't let all the products on the shelves scare you away from becoming self-sufficient. You have the capability to start growing food for you and your family. Now go out there and get your hands dirty!

Created: 3/20/2025