guest post by Carrie Spencer

Hoping to grow your own food? Gardening is a great way to save money on the freshest produce possible. That said, growing herbs, fruits, and veggies can feel a little intimidating to first-timers. But it does not have to. There are plenty of easy ways to get started that will not overwhelm you no matter what you want to grow.

Here are a few tips you can use to start - and maintain - a productive food garden:

Start Simple

don’t overwhelm yourself right out of the gate

One mistake that many new gardeners make is to grow too many things at once. It takes time to get to know the particular needs of each plant . Instead,

• Use a small plot to grow one or two plants per season and expand each year

• Start with simple crops - tomatoes are a great (and tasty) first pick!

• Pick plants that have similar light and water needs.

Once you are comfortable with a few easy-to-grow varieties, your subsequent gardens can have much more diversity.

Give Yourself Shortcuts

There are tons of ways to make gardening easier on yourself.

Gardening is fun but it can also be tedious, especially if you are a new gardener who is starting from scratch. Taking the time to jump-start your crops, automate your system as much as possible, minimize the amount of daily maintenance you’ll need to do, and pacing your garden improvements instead of investing a lot up front will save you time and money in the long run. Consider these suggestions:

• You can grow from seeds on your first go, but it may be easier to pick up an established plant.

• Set up an irrigation system to make watering easier.

• Mulching your garden will save you work down the line, as it helps to retain water and develop healthy soil.

• Price out improvements thoughtfully. For instance, a professionally installed misting system typically runs $1,898 to $3,237.

• Note many garden improvements can be completed yourself, like a DIY misting system.

Growing a healthy garden is hard work; there is no way around that fact. On the other hand, you don’t have to make it any more of a challenge than it already is.

Working with Small Spaces

Tiny yard? Just a balcony? All indoors? There are options for you.

When it comes to growing spaces, think out of the box. It doesn’t matter if you have a large plot of land, a small backyard space, or a terrace – you can successfully grow a garden in any and all of these spaces. For instance,

• There are a ton of great foods that grow well in apartments - start there for inspiration.

• Container gardening is a great way to make the most of a porch or balcony.

• Explore your vertical space to grow more plants in a small area.

• Visit Green and Prosperous for more inspirational ideas that keep your lifestyle more green!

The point here is that you do not have to sacrifice fresh flavors for a suburban lifestyle.

A successful garden starts with planning and simplicity. Nail the basics, and you can give yourself more challenging work down the line. Keep these resources on hand so you can turn to them whenever you need inspiration, and enjoy the journey to your perfect garden!

Carrie Spencer created The Spencers Adventures to share her family’s homesteading adventures. On the site, she shares tips on living self-sufficiently, fruit and vegetable gardening, parenting, conservation, and more. She and her wife have 3 kids, 2 dogs, 4 cats, 3 goats, 32 chickens, and a whole bunch of bees. Their goal to live as self-sufficiently and environmentally-consciously as possible. 

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