Why did I use the word intimidating?  Because I hear it a lot when talking to first time gardeners.  Okay, at first we may be a little scared that we may kill everything, lol.

I also said it doesn’t have to be complicated.  I am a simplist gardener and you can be to.  We do not have to be scientists or take the technical approach.

How do we do it?  Believe it or not this will not be a long post… It’s just not that complicated.   But it will be more than enough information to get you growing.

As I wrote in a previous post “The Importance of Good Soil”  The soil is half the battle.

I find raised beds the easiest way to garden.  Since we fill them with good soil.  If you don’t like raised beds use raised mounds (discussed in  “The Importance of Good Soil” .  With both methods we just top off throughout the season if needed and at the end of each season.

Plants will still need fertilizer.  I use Espoma GT8 8-Pound Garden-Tone Plant Food Just mix it in according to directions on the bag.Once the plants are in or sprouted I feed weekly for the first 8 weeks or so with a liquid fish/kelp mix.  I have it available at the Farmers market  or you can find it at most garden centers. That is all I do for nourishment.

Now we are ready to plant.  Using guides for our area like this will help you choose what to grow and when, how far apart,  etc.  For transplants just dig a hole and plant.  For most veggies bury a little deeper than they were.  To direct seed into the bed bury seeds the same depth as the size of seed.  Water in both seeds and plants.  Water seeds daily until sprouted.

Water is another important part.  You can hand water or set up a automatic drip.  How much is hard to say with so many variables but to start at least once a day.  One way to know is to stick your finger in near plants and if the top 6 inches are dry they need water.

Healthy plants can resist some diseases and attacks from pests.  Checking daily to catch problems early is important.  Address issues as they start.  Here is a helpful guide.

All plants won’t grow great so pull bad ones and throw them out so they do not affect the others.

That’s really about it.  Start small with one bed about 4×8 in a spot that ideally gets morning sun and afternoon shade.  As you feel more confident over time expand.  If you start out with too much it could be overwhelming.

You will be surprised how quickly you will learn over time.  So get out there and get growing!