The new year is the perfect time to set new goals for yourself, especially if you have been thinking about growing a garden. THIS IS YOUR YEAR!
Don't be discouraged by lack of space, or knowledge about growing specific varieties.
Set some small attainable goals for yourself in the gardening department and before the year is over you'll be sporting that new green thumb you've always wanted but thought you'd never have.
Once you have the confidence that you can do something, that's generally half the battle.
All gardeners will say that they learned how to become a master at vegetable gardening through trial and error. Learning what works and what doesn't through trying different techniques will be your grandest teacher.
Don't be afraid of "ugly" vegetables!
Once you start gardening you'll notice most of your homegrown fruits and veggies don't look anything like the ones you'd purchase from commercial grocery stores. THAT'S THE BEAUTY.
You'll begin to appreciate the uniqueness of each crop you grow and realize that's how nature had intended on them looking in the first place. They will be nutritious, delicious and your view of what "beautiful" looks like will change when it comes to the food you're growing.
Real, homegrown, organic produce isn't always symmetrical or "picture perfect".
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Get some houseplants growing. Pick several varieties of herbs or maybe a pepper plant and place them in a sunny windowsill. Get your green thumb without having to even go outside. By growing food indoors where you're likely to pass the plant numerous times a day, it will make it easier to care for.
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Get some books. Find some aspects of gardening that you're interested in and begin digging a little deeper for the knowledge you're looking to gain. Interested in hydroponics, aquaponics, herb gardening, or composting? There's plenty gardening books per topic available. Grab your reading glasses and soak up all the information you can.
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Take some classes. One of the best sources you may find is your local Master Gardener Chapter in your area. You can take classes that will teach you the "in's and out's" of everything gardening and work with others who have like-minded goals. Plus, gardening is always more fun when you have someone to share your successes with!
We also have a comprehensive Grow Guides section. Check out our GUIDE TO GROWING ORGANIC FOOD
- Join a community garden. This is one of the best ways to be a part of a community and learn a lot about gardening. Here you'll see countless different approaches to growing many crops and you'll be able to take those examples with you to try in your own plot at the garden. Plus, it's great exercise, tending to your garden plot throughout the year. You're most likely to keep up with something if you've made a commitment on paper, like what you usually find with "renting" a community garden plot.
