How To Start A Simple Backyard Garden

Start Your Garden From Scratch – My Beginner’s Garden Starter List

The garden is where my healing began.
It’s also where our real food journey became rooted—literally.

If you’ve dreamed of growing herbs, harvesting tomatoes, or letting your kids pick strawberries off the vine, it’s not too late and never too early.

Here’s the list I wish someone gave me at the beginning—simple, affordable, doable.

Printable Guide: The Beginner’s Garden Starter List

Title: Grow What You’ll Use – A No- Stress Garden Starter Plan

1. Start Small:
   Begin with one of the following:

• 4×4 raised bed
• Grow bags or 5-gallon buckets
• Window boxes for herbs

2. Pick 5 Easy Crops:
   Choose what your family will eat and what’s easy to grow.
   Here’s my top picks for beginners:

Veggies:

• Cherry tomatoes
• Leaf lettuce
• Green beans (bush)
• Zucchini
• Radishes

Herbs:

• Basil
• Parsley
• Mint
• Thyme
• Chives

3. Gather Your Tools:

• Hand trowel
• Garden gloves
• Watering can or hose
• Mulch or straw
• Compost or organic fertilizer

4. Where to Plant:

• 6+ hours of sunlight
• Close to your kitchen
• Access to water

5. When to Plant (Seasonal Tip):
   Spring: lettuce, peas, radishes
   Summer: tomatoes, zucchini, basil
   Fall: carrots, kale, garlic (in some zones)

Bonus Tip:
Start a garden journal! Track what works, what doesn’t, and what you’d love to grow next season.

Encouragement Box:
“You’re not behind. You’re right on time. The best garden is the one you’ll actually plant.”

———

🌱 How to Build A Simple Backyard Garden

A beginner-friendly guide to cultivating abundance wherever you’re planted.

🏡 1. Choosing Your Garden Space

You don’t need acres to grow your own food—you just need light, love, and intention.

✔️ Sunny Spaces:
Aim for 6–8 hours of direct sun a day. South-facing yards, patios, or even driveways are ideal.

✔️ Small or Shady? No Problem!

• Use shade-tolerant crops like kale, spinach, lettuce, and mint.
• Consider vertical gardening with trellises or wall planters.
• Use grow bags or containers to chase the sun (especially on patios or balconies).

Creative Location Ideas:

• Along a fence or side yard
• On a deck or porch using railing planters
• Driveway edge with containers
• Rooftop or balcony (with permission!)

🌿 2. The Best Soil-Building Tips

Great gardens begin with great soil. Here’s how to build yours naturally:

✅ Soil-Building Tips:

• Start with organic compost (homemade or from a local farm)
• Mix in coconut coir or peat moss for aeration
• Add worm castings for extra nutrients
• Use mulch (like straw or wood chips) to retain moisture

Bonus Tip: Add a few crushed eggshells and banana peels when planting tomatoes or peppers for calcium and potassium.

🪴 3. Container vs. Raised Bed vs. In-Ground

Creative Container Ideas:

• Galvanized tubs
• 5-gallon food-grade buckets
• Repurposed dresser drawers
• Fabric grow bags
• Old wheelbarrows or barrels
• Wooden crates with liners

🌻 4. Our Favorite Natural Fertilizer Recipe

💧 DIY Liquid Fertilizer “Garden Gold”

Ingredients:

• 1 cup compost or worm castings
• 1 tbsp molasses
• 1 tsp seaweed extract (optional)
• 1 gallon water

Instructions:

1. Add all ingredients to a large bucket or watering can.
2. Stir well and let sit 12–24 hours.
3. Water at the base of your plants weekly.

🌾 5. Heirloom Seed Resources

Sow seeds that tell a story—heirloom varieties are flavorful, nutrient-dense, and often more resilient.

Trusted Sources:

• Baker Creek Heirloom Seeds (rareseeds.com)
• Seed Savers Exchange
• MIGardener
• Southern Exposure Seed Exchange
• True Leaf Market

📄 BONUS: Printable Garden Planning Page in my FREE Guide

Included in the guide is a customizable garden planner with space to:

• Sketch your layout
• Record planting dates
• Track sunlight
• Note fertilizing/watering schedules
• List seed varieties