5 Tips for New Gardeners: How to Start a Small Garden

Are you interested in starting a small garden but don't know where to start? Don't worry, you are not alone! A lot of people are intimidated by the prospect of gardening, but it can be a lot of fun and very rewarding. My husband and I are entering our fourth year as gardeners and have learned so much every year. In this post, I'm sharing the best tips I've learned for beginning gardeners that will help make the process easier and more enjoyable, and get you a bountiful harvest faster than you thought possible!

1. Choose the right spot for your small garden

When considering where to plant your garden, you'll need to think about things like sun exposure, accessibility, practicality, and aesthetics. If you're not sure where to start, this book (recommended by my sister-in-law) has been a great resource for us. Once you've found the perfect spot, it's time to get started on your garden!

2. Pick plants that are easy to grow in a small garden

If you're a beginner, you'll want to pick plants that are easy to grow. This way, you can avoid frustration and have a successful garden while you learn the ropes. Some easy-to-grow plants include tomatoes, lettuce, cucumbers, and herbs.

When you're picking out plants, be sure to read the labels. They will usually tell you how easy the plant is to grow. You can also ask your local nursery or gardening center for advice (try to find an independent store for this -- they're generally a lot more helpful. In Chicago, my go-to is Adams and Sons and Daughters.)

While some might disagree, I would recommend buying plants from a nursery instead of growing from seed if it's your first time.

Small Garden: Raised beds vegetable garden in the city, Chicago, IL

3. Use raised beds so that you can control the quality of your soil

When you are starting a small kitchen garden, one of the most important things to consider is the quality of your soil. Using raised beds is a great way to ensure that your plants will have the nutrients they need to thrive. You can also buy high-quality soil from a garden center or nursery. Something I like to warn people about is "as cheap as dirt" is a poorly thought out saying. Soil is shockingly expensive with how much it takes to fill a raised bed, so try to catch a sale if you can.

Here are the raised beds we bought for our garden that lasted well over the cold Chicago winter. You can build your own, but recently with the price of wood being so high, it's not that much more expensive to buy them already done! Most experts recommend cedar beds -- they're more expensive than other types of wood but will last you longer!

4. Make sure you have the right tools to make gardening easier

This might sound silly to more experienced gardeners, but I didn't even have a pair of gloves when I started gardening. There are a lot of gross things (fungus and such) that can lurk in the soil so the first thing I would recommend getting is a pair of gloves.

After that, get a set of basic gardening tools and a kneeling pad because the last thing you want is to be hunched over in the dirt, with blisters on your hands and sore feet.

5. Harvest your vegetables regularly to encourage new growth

Be sure to check your plants daily, as some vegetables mature faster than others. Depending on the plant, you may need to harvest every few days or once a week. Either way, during warm months you'll need to water at least once (if not twice!) a day. Regular harvesting will also keep your plants from getting overgrown and encourage them to continue producing fruit or vegetables.

If you follow these tips, you should have a successful small kitchen garden in no time. Just remember to be patient and take things one step at a time. With a little bit of care, you'll be harvesting your own fresh produce within months.