Getting Started

Pick the sunniest site. 

Vegetables need sunlight. There’s no negotiating that, and there’s nothing you can add that will make up for it. Find a spot where the sun shines directly for at least 8-10 hours each day.

Provide perfect drainage.

 No vegetable crop grows well in waterlogged soil. You can always add water when plants are dry, but when it rains for several days in a row, you need to be sure the excess water will drain away from your plants’ roots. The easiest way is to plant in raised beds. Elevate your garden by just 5 or 6 inches and you’ll solve all the problems.

Start small. 

I for one know how tempting it is to want to start things full on. Go Big Or Go Home! No no no! Don’t do it, I promise you, it will just leave you discouraged. Start small, and you’ll have better success. Figure out plants your family eats more often, and check to see if there are varieties that grow in your area. I started with three raised beds, I grew cucumbers, tomatoes, peppers, herbs and radishes. I had so many soil issues. I was just dumping top soil and manure in these beds and throwing seeds in. Needless to say, the soil was so compacted that not much was breaking through to the top soil. Just imagine if I would have had 10 raised beds with that issue. All of those wasted seeds! But thankfully I ended up fluffing up the soil with coco coir and worm castings. Made a huge impact , and I had a great harvest.

Prepare the soil carefully 

Organic matter is your key to success. Add 5 or 6 inches of a blend of compost, well-rotted manure, other organic matter to a depth of 12 inches. Adding nourishment like Worm Castings, and Coco Coir for drainage will also give your bed an amazing start. Or if you are working with flat land, not raised beds, go ahead and cut the grass very low, or till if that’s what you plan on doing (we use no tiller)  throw the compost/manure on the garden area. Then add a mulch on top if you have it available! 

Each time you rework the soil for a new season, add an additional 2 or 3 inches of organic matter. (you can purchase bags of soil from Lowe’s/Homedepot or go to local nurseries to get truck loads for cheap :) if grabbing bagged soil, shoot for organic, and check ingredients, you want compost, hummus, manure filled and a peat free mix if you can get it. 

Or you can follow a newer method of planting in layers 

Some of the benefits of raised bed gardening are:

-Less weeds.

-Better water retention in areas that have super-sandy soil.

-Better drainage in areas with clay soils.

-More growing space.

-No soil compaction from human feet.

-Warmer soil earlier in the season.

-Warmer soil for a longer season.

-Better for your back

Things you’ll need for ideal seed starting. 

-A Shelf

-Grow Lights

-Good Quality Seeds

-Seed starting cells and trays

-A seed starting mix, or you can make your own with cococoir, Vermiculite, perlite and compost, although compost isn’t necessary for seeds to germinate. Compost will be useful when they get their first set of real leaves though :)

Permaculture: the development of agricultural ecosystems intended to be sustainable and self-sufficient.

No Dig Method: No-dig gardening is a method that aims for minimal disturbance of the soil, so that the natural processes can be preserved. ... No-dig gardening allows natural relationships between organisms to flourish and preserves the overall structure of the soil, leading to improved plant growth.

Hügelkultur is a horticultural technique where a mound constructed from decaying wood debris and other compostable biomass plant materials is later planted as a raised bed.

Care for your plants regularly. 

Check them daily once they start growing. Know what problems are likely to appear, then take steps to correct them when you see them. Keep your plants watered. Wilting results in bitter produce. I’ve found great success in these more heat tolerant varieties here in Texas: Armenian Cucumbers, Burpee Super Sauce Tomatoes, Malabar Spinach, Amaranth, Okra, Chinese Long Beans, and even Moringa. Don’t be surprised if soil tests recommend adding an all-nitrogen plant food.

An easy way to keep nutrients into the soil and avoid constant watering in the heat, is to add a layer of woodchips/mulch to the top of your ground and around the plants. Do not mix the woodchips with the dirt! Just move them over to plant, and then push them back.

You don't need to be a master gardener or have a huge area to get the benefits of growing fresh herbs. Herbs are great for adding flavor to foods, and great to pick, wash, and preserve for natural remedies that benefit personal health and beauty, like tinctures, salves, lotions, teas and so on. Growing an herbal garden helps in so many different ways. It’s a great way to enjoy the sights, smells and tastes of a wide variety of plants. Fresh herbs are pretty simple to grow in a small garden as long as you give them what they need. 

 Herbs have so much value, aromatherapy, medicines, seasonings, flavorings in foods, and even supplemental animal feed. 

There are so many herbs packed with cancer-fighting antioxidants, valuable nutrients, and fat-free flavor.

Many herbs, like  basil, are fragrant when brushed against. Consider planting them near a path or doorway. Match the herb’s sunlight requirements with sites that meet those needs.

Many herbs attract beneficial insects such as bees and ladybugs. Examples are anise hyssop, borage, comfrey, fennel, and yarrow. Pineapple sage attracts butterflies and hummingbirds. 

Herbs also repel less-desirable visitors: Rosemary (cabbage moths, carrot flies, and bean beetles), chives (aphids, mites), sage (flea beetles), and mint (aphids, cabbage moths, flea beetles). The aromatic properties of some herbs (rosemary, Russian sage, bee balm) are even reported to fend off hungry deer. 

Plant Basil near tomatoes, deters flies and mosquitoes. Catnip deters ants, flea beetles, and weevils. Hyssop planted near cabbage, cauliflower, or broccoli deters cabbage moths.

Marigolds/Calendula are also an awesome herb to attract pesky pests, but also not hard to rinse off, dry and infuse in your favorite natural skin care!

Involve a child in your gardening plans. 

There’s just something awesome about helping little hands plant big seeds and guiding them in growing vegetables all the way to harvest.

It took some time for me to realize, but, when you allow children a moment to show you how great they are, they totally will! My children help move mulch, mix compost, plant seeds, and weed! They’ve helped me water, and even helped their father build and take care of animals. My children are a HUGE asset to our backyard homestead, I can’t imagine not having them helping. 

My biggest advice, give them a task, and guide them through it. After they get the hang of it, give them more responsibility, and ask for their advice and ideas! My children have not only gained great skills, and started eating more veggies, they’ve also helped me expand and think outside of the box.

Mulch acts as a protective barrier around plants and bare soil. You can use a variety of decomposing organic materials, including wood chips, pine needles, straw or non-organic materials like river rock, recycled tires, and pebbles. 

The key is to get a good covering on the soil.
bare soil dries out!
You want to keep that soil and the roots of the plants protected.

Mulch controls weeds, retains moisture, and it over time breaks down into nutrition for your plants!