Anyone can become a great gardener. Just start with these basic tips, then dig in and get your hands dirty.

Start Small

Dreaming too big can take all the fun out of gardening.  Start small and plan to enlarge your garden a bit each year. Then, you won’t be overwhelmed when the weeds start to take over, or the pests need your attention, or the okra needs to be picked twice a day. Smaller is always more manageable. Once you succeed with your beginner plot of land, you can enlarge your garden each year so that your rows grow along with your skills. 

Make a Plan

Keep a simple garden journal of your plan. Click this link to buy a garden journal we have used in the past, https://amzn.to/2SStjHg. Choose something large enough to hold your rough sketches, notes, and plans. Date each entry. Note which plants you hope to try, and where you think they will do best. A planting guide is a must, and Pecan Bluff Farm’s Vegetable Planting Guide is the perfect comprehensive cheat-sheet for central Texas gardeners.

Once you’ve chosen some crops to try, then pick varieties that match your growing conditions. The math matters, so research the number of days required for plant varieties to actually produce. Are there enough growing days for you to get your harvest?  Or will the heat, frost, or day length change too soon? You don’t want to baby a tomato plant all spring and summer while you eagerly await blooms, only to have the August heat burn the plant back before you harvest a single tomato. 

Don’t Impulse Buy

Grabbing a pack of gum on a whim in the check-out lane is no big deal. But, a six-pack of garden plants represents a long-term investment of your time. Don’t buy sickly veggies just because they are on the clearance rack. Choose healthy transplants and fresh, dated seed. Resist the urge to snap up veggies just because they sound familiar or enticingly exotic. Instead, stick to your plan and search for plants, and specific varieties of those plants, that you know are a good fit for gardening in your region. Buy your tropical or exotic treats at the supermarket. But, the plants you choose for your garden need to fit your environment. The best way to insure a harvest of great garden produce is to shop for seeds and transplants at your local garden center. They know what grows in your area. Choose your plants wisely, and curb the impulse buys. 

Never Make the Same Mistake Twice

Many of our garden failures are preventable. Simple notes in your journal can keep you from repeating the error next year. Improve your gardening skills over time with a few notes like  “Watch the low temps in April- Cover tomato transplants if we get a late cold snap” or “South end of the garden stays wet too long after spring rains, so don’t plant the potatoes there.”  

Some calamities in the garden can’t be prevented, but often we can learn from our past mistakes and do better next time. 

Eat Everything 

This one is easy. Once you’ve put in the effort it takes to get plants to the production stage, you’ll find you are thrilled to try most any veggie that your garden produces. I highly recommend eating garden produce fresh from the vine with the morning dew still on it. So satisfying. Try new recipes, or learn to cook with your garden harvest, enhancing recipes you already enjoy by adding in your fresh produce. And here is a pro-tip: if you’ve always hated a veggie, you’ve likely never eaten it properly prepared. Try your garden goodies in a hot and fast sauté, a long and slow oven-roast, or a smooth pureed soup. The flavors and textures of fresh produce are outstanding, so don’t dismiss any crop without first trying it several ways. I guarantee you’ll be pleasantly surprised!  Of course, when you end up with an overabundance, share. Nothing brings neighbors together like bags of zucchini and baskets of tomatoes. Better yet, make a batch of salsa or zucchini bread and really share the love.