Growing a garden may seem like a daunting task, especially if you’ve never done it before.

I admit, I’ve always been intimidated by the process.

Yet I’d really like to beat the cost of organic food, and the continual depletion of our natural resources really concerns me. So I know that growing my own food is a great way to beat the system, protect the earth, and provide fresh, nutritious food for my family.

There are also huge emotional upsides to growing a garden!  I love to put on my iPod, crank the tunes and spend time digging in the dirt!  It’s totally therapeutic and a wonderful way to bond with my loved ones.  My boyfriend Andrew and I had fun last summer making fresh salsa with the tomatoes and peppers from his garden, and our boys gobbled it up!

But since I am fairly new to the gardening process, I asked my staff writer extraordinaire, Chelsea Frankel, to do a little investigating.  I wanted to know what it would take to start my own garden, in addition to planting some new items in Andrew’s plot.

And this is what she discovered:

What you’ll need:

A small plot of land – in your own backyard or a shared community garden

Fruit, vegetable and herb seeds

Starter tray

Nutrient-rich dirt

All-natural fertilizer

Garden tools:  hoe, rake, sand (optional), 10” metal pipe, hose or watering can

Foot-long sticks or wooden round rods

String or old t-shirts torn into long strips

Preparation:

Know your climate. Certain crops grow better in the spring, where others should be planted early to mid-summer.  Same goes for general weather patterns.  Some seeds do better in warmer, drier climates, where others do well with lots of rain and humidity.

Pick the plot of land. You want to choose an area that will receive plenty of sun. If you live in the woods where deer and other animals will be tempted to eat your crops, consider enclosing the area with a make-shift barrier.

Check the acidity of your soil. Strips are available at your local hardware or gardening stores. The best pH values are between 6.5 and 7. If your soil is overly acidic, you can apply garden lime when preparing the soil, just before you add the fertilizer.  There will be directions on the bags of the lime and the fertilizer on how to add each to the soil.

Getting started:

Step 1: Buying the seeds or plants – It is important to buy high quality seeds for a successful garden. Make sure to buy organic seeds to insure they were not treated with pesticides or other harmful chemicals. You may also choose to buy your seeds online at sites such as www.gurneys.com. If you don’t want to deal with the seeds, you can buy small vegetable plants instead and plant them in the ground to speed up the process.

Step 3: Planting your seeds – The easiest way to begin your garden is to use starter trays (purchased at Home Depot, Wal-Mart, or gardening stores).  Lay down your dirt and fertilizer, and plant two or three seeds per tray.  Keep the trays in your home for a few weeks before you transfer the sprouted plants outside. Keep the seeds moist but not drenched, and give them plenty of sunlight.

Step 3: Getting the soil ready. The earth where your garden will be planted must be free of roots, grass and weeds. Till the soil with your hoe, and then rake away excess debris. After this is complete, sprinkle the area with the all-natural fertilizer (www.downtoearthfertilizer.com) and a very small amount of sand.

Step 4: Planting the seeds or baby plants – When it is time to plant, dig a hole deep enough to cover the roots of the plant and some of the stem. Make sure you are leaving ample space between the plants (about 1’) and enough empty spaces throughout the garden so that you can walk around (to prune, water, etc.) without damaging anything. After planting, water the entire area until moist but not drenched.

Step 5: Anchor your plants – As your plants grow, anchor them by tying small sticks to the plant with string or your torn t-shirts to keep them upright.

Step 6: Water and Prune – Each plant will have specific directions for watering and pruning.  Follow the directions carefully, or get online to learn how to best care for the specific fruits, veggies and herbs in your crop.

Step 7 : Enjoy Your Healthy Harvest!

Additional Tips:

Don’t get discouraged! Gardening is like anything else – it takes practice and there is a learning curve. If your first season isn’t as prosperous as you’d like, don’t give up as you’ll learn from your mistakes.

To keep moles away from your garden, put a 10 inch metal pole into the ground, leaving one fourth of it above ground. Once or twice a day, hit the pole with a stick. The vibrations in the earth will keep them away. (This tip totally cracks me up for some reason!).

Most Important Tip:  Have Fun! Rally your kids, friends and family and share in a wonderful experience.

If you have any experiences you’d like to share, please comment below!  I’d like to grow lettuce, carrots, zucchini and strawberries this year ~ and TONS of herbs.  Any suggestions would be much appreciated.

Happy Gardening!