Take Up Home Gardening This Year With Our Ultimate Introduction Guide

The term "green thumb" is a bit deceiving—especially if you believe that you were born without one. Combine the right research, planning, and a bit of luck from Mother Nature, and anyone can learn to maintain a healthy and plentiful garden that brings you daily joy and some tasty treats. To start an outdoor garden full of veggies, perennials, annuals, or even a grove of oak trees, let's walk through the basics you need to know and the essential gardening tools.

1. Understand What a Plant Needs

Like us, plants have three necessities: food, water, and a bit of space to branch out. If you're a nervous newbie, try not to fret. Plants typically get what they need naturally as long as we set them up for success. Here are some bare-bones basics about what each plant needs.

Food

You already know this from your second-grade science project, but plants get most of their food from the sun through photosynthesis. They also pull nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium from the soil. Access to sunlight and healthy soil will play a significant role in our planting guide.

Water

There's no golden rule about how much water a plant needs to survive. Finding that perfect balance comes down to the species, weather, and how your soil filters water. So setting your watering schedule, or hiring a gardening pro, will be the key to a healthy plot.

Space

While some flowers only need a few inches between their next-door neighbor, trees with large roots need room to roam to avoid fighting for space and nutrients.

2. Choose an Ideal Spot

Now you're ready to fill your backyard with petunias, pansies, and enough veggies to whip up a ratatouille. Begin by choosing a spot that offers all of your plant's needs.

Keep in mind that the right gardening spot for a beginner doesn't need to be large.  In fact, it's best to start small and manageable. If you don't have enough square footage, container gardening is an excellent solution for rocky soil, a small backyard, or patio gardening. You might also consider building a small stone wall garden bed to add style and function. In addition to the size of your space, the best spot for plants has the following:

• Gets at least 6 to 8 hours of sunlight per day

• Protection from wind gusts

• Sits several feet away from large trees to avoid roots

• Has access to a water source

• Won't throw off the traffic flow of your yard

3. Get to Know Your Dirt

It's time to dig into the dirt and prepare your plant's new home. The best soil should retain moisture while allowing it to drain. You may need to remove large and medium-sized stones in rockier regions to allow plants to spread out.

While not necessary, you can also test your soil's nutrient and Ph levels before planting. Many gardening brands offer at-home tests, or you can call in a soil expert for a more thorough analysis. You can adjust your soil with lawn fertilizer for healthier flowers in the spring.

4. Understand Your Zone

The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) offers a hardiness map to help choose the right plants for your location. Knowing your zone will also allow you to schedule when to start seeds or seedlings. Even if you're itching to get started, you should always wait until the ground warms up after the last frost. Most plants prefer soil at least 50 degrees Fahrenheit.

5. Pick the Right Plants for You

Let's be real: Some plants are fussier than others. Some need more frequent sun, water, pruning, or attract pests. When you're new to gardening, start with some low-maintenance favorites. 

While none of these are set-it-and-forget-it plants, they're a bit more beginner proof as you get the hang of things:

• Sunflowers

• Marigolds

• Inpatients

• Zinnias

• Carrots

• Cucumbers

• Green beans

• Lettuce

• Kale

• Cherry tomatoes

• Forsythia

• Snapdragons

• Pansies

Remember to keep your hardiness zone and your yard's sunshine levels in mind when picking out plants. Lastly, be sure to plan your vegetable garden around what you look forward to eating.

6. Plant Properly

Once you choose the winners for your first garden, read the instructions on each seed or seedling pack. Growing from seed takes a bit more care in the early days, but it is often less expensive. Some seeds require soaking or chilling to aid in early germination before they go into the ground. The packet will also include the recommended depth of the hole in the soil, space between other plants, and how many seeds to include in each spot.

If you choose to plant seedlings, remove the plants from their containers and loosely shake the roots from the outer layer of excess dirt. Dig a hole as deep as the container and surround it with topsoil.

7. Protect Your Growing Plants

Spread a layer of mulch around your plants, leaving a few inches around the stem of open soil. Mulch will discourage weeds and keep water from immediately evaporating during the day.

Pests are also a common problem for even the most experienced gardeners. Check for signs of garden pests as soon as the seedlings pop above the ground. There are plenty of simple, organic methods for controlling pests in a garden or around your trees and perennials.

8. Follow a Schedule

It's time to get into a groove with your garden. Even if you want to spend as much time as possible with your plant babies at first—which you can—avoid overwatering and over-pruning by sticking to a schedule.

Most vegetable gardens require about three soaking waterings per week, depending on how much rainfall you receive. In the end, the water should penetrate to the depth of the plant's roots, usually between two and five inches. Be sure to water in the morning before peak sun or in the evening after the ground cools down.

9. Plan for Next Season

Gardening is all about learning as you go. For example, if you encountered root rot from too much moisture this year, make a note to focus on soil compaction next year. Keep a gardening journal about what each plant enjoyed, which fertilizer brand worked best for you, and which advanced-beginner plants you intend to tackle next year.