How to Start a Backyard Garden

Inside: Planning a simple, backyard garden and tips to make the most of a small space.

One of the best parts about the arrival of March is planning and preparing for the garden. Even though so many days are still more wintry than spring-like, it does my heart so much good to plan my little garden plot and decide what I want to plant and where I want to put each one.

This guide is for you if you are thinking of starting a garden and not sure where to start. I’m not an expert by any means, but I love to work in the garden, get my hands dirty, and watch little seeds turn into delicious vegetables and stunning flowers.

I’ll share some tips and tricks that I have learned over the last years of gardening in a spall space, how to choose plants, and plan out your garden space. Let’s dive in!

Choosing What to Plant

The first thing you’ll want to consider when starting a garden is the location. You’ll want to choose a location that gets at least 6-8 hours of sunlight a day, although very specific amounts of sunshine will depend on what you decide to grow. Your seed packets or plants will give specifics.

Secondly, you need to decide how much space you have. If you have a small backyard, consider doing a few raised beds or planting in large tubs or pots. For years we have grown much of our garden in 4 x 8 foot raised garden beds and you’d be surprised how much you can plant if you plan well.

Don’t forget about growing things vertically! Cattle panels, trellises, bean poles, their are multiple ways to create vertical growing space which can really multiply how much you are able to plant. Be creative here and there are lots of ways to maximize your growing space. This is a great article with tips and ideas to grow vertically in small garden spaces.

If you are limited on space, consider different vessels that you can grow plants in. Large terra cotta plants, mineral tubs, 5-gallon buckets, galvanized tubs: all of these are great alternative options for planting if you are tight on space or want to add a few more plants.

Once you have decided where to start the garden and how much space you have, consider what you want to grow. What does your family like to eat? What produce is hard to find or expensive in your area, but maybe you could grow it in your backyard.

Don’t forget to include things like herbs and flowers either. Many herbs are extremely easy to grow, love the heat, and are drought tolerant. They also grow really well in pots making them ideal for small spaces.

Flowers are a must for my gardens. Their whimsy color and beauty makes the garden so cheerful all summer long and I love having fresh cut flowers to bring inside. You can read this blogpost where I talk about some of my favorite flowers for a cut flower garden.

As you are planning your garden, I highly recommend having a good resources on hand that will help you with companion planting, dates to start seeds, and quick tips and trouble shooting guides. I have used The Family Garden Plan by Melissa K. Norris for several years now and love it. Highly recommend adding this book to your home library.

Starting Seeds Versus Buying Plants

Once you have a good idea of the space you have and what you want to plant, you will need to decide if you are going to start plants from seed or buy established plants from your local nursery.

While it is generally more cost effective to start plants from seed, you will need to consider the space required to start seeds indoors, and how much sunlight and water they will need. Some things like zucchini, cucumbers, pumpkins, and cut flowers are easy to start from seed once you are past your frost dates. Other things like tomatoes need to be started early and kept indoors until all danger of frost is past.

My favorite seed companies to buy from are True Leaf Market and Seed Geeks.

After deciding how you want to go about starting your plants, you’ll want to make a list of when each plants or seed needs to be put in the ground. It’s helpful to look up your last frost free date using a tool like The Farmers Almanac and then work backward on your calendar to determine when you need to plant.

I like to make a list of everything I intend to plant and then write the date that it can be direct sown or transplanted into the ground. Then I transfer all of those dates to my calendar so I can see at a glance what I need to plant and when I need to do it.

Where we live, our last frost is usually the end of April which means that some cold weather plants like spinach, beets, and kale can go in the ground in March. It comes sooner than you think, so it’s good to think ahead and be prepared.

Choosing Companion Plants

As you plan your garden, you’ll also want to consider what plants grow well together and which ones need to be kept apart. For instance, basil and tomatoes are plant friends, meaning they grow really well together in a garden space.

There are some plants, however, that you do not want to plant together, so keep that in mind as you plan your space. This is another reason why I highly recommend having a resources like The Family Garden Plan because it is a quick resource to check compatability of common backyard garden plants.

Companion planting is a great tool if you are working with a small garden space. Try planting peas or trailing cucumbers on a fence where they can climb and then plant lettuce, spinach, or beans close to the ground. By utilizing companion planting and vertical spaces, you can grow even more!

Best Plants for Beginners

You may be thinking, this all sounds great, but I do not have a green thumb and I’m just starting out, what should I plant? For beginners, I definitely recommend starting with plants that are easy to grow. Here’s some good options:

• Herbs: Basil, mint, rosemary, and thyme are all good choices because they are versatile and thrive in most climates. They can also be grown in containers or directly in the ground.
• Vegetables: Zucchini, lettuce, tomatoes, radishes, and peas are hardy and can grow well in various conditions.
• Flowers: Sunflowers and zinnias are great beginning flowers and, grow in most climates, and add whimsical color to any garden.

Gardening can be an enjoyable, relaxing, and rewarding experience. With a little practice and some practical tips and resources, it can be a great blessing to you and your family. I hope this little guide has given you a good place to start. Are you planting a garden this year?