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It does not matter if you were born with a green thumb or killed every house plant you've ever owned -- anyone can start a garden. That said, starting a brand-new garden (or revitalizing an old one) requires a bit of planning, a number of tools, and most of all, a willing spirit to get into the dirt and make it happen.
The more you know about what you want your garden to look like before you start, the easier it is to build. Both large gardens and small ones require time and patience to yield results, but with enough of both (and a bit of luck), you should see your flowers, herbs, vegetables, or plants sprouting in no time.
We've put together a few key considerations to make during your garden-building journey below as well as some essential tools and items that help you along in your process.
The first step is to choose where your garden is going. Try to find a spot that is relatively level and gets a large amount of sunshine throughout the day.
Once you've chosen a spot, you'll need to clear away any foliage and rocks until the ground is mainly dirt. Shovels are your first line of attack. While small hand shovels are perfect for up-close work in a small garden bed, full-size shovels are great for removing dirt, grass, and heavy rocks. Pointed shovels are great for breaking into hard ground, digging up roots, and removing heavy items while spade shovels are better for extracting and transplanting different portions of your garden from place to place.
Once the debris and plant life is removed you can start evening out the patch. While you may need some additional dirt or soil if the area is uneven, a sturdy rake should be able to take care of any minor bumps and hills. For this specific purpose, we recommend a strong metal rake with thick, even teeth. This should work well for distributing any loose dirt and pulling up any gravel embedded into the ground.
If you've got space in the backyard, consider starting off with a raised garden bed. These sit atop your backyard dirt or grass and must be filled with soil. This allows you to better control what kind of soil you are planting your seeds in while the external barrier keeps out critters and protects from inclement weather.
Most raised garden beds have open bottoms which improve drainage and reduce the risk of root rot. Some are fully containerized and come with drainage holes at the bottom for excess water. If your biggest focus is long-term durability, consider buying a metal raised garden bed. Wooden raised garden beds are also a solid option and look considerably more outdoorsy, but lack the weather resistance and solid barrier that a metal one does. Of course, if you have the time and the inclination, you can always build your own raised garden beds.
Once you've set up your raised garden bed, you'll need to fill it with soil. This is one of the bigger advantages over planting directly in the ground. You get to choose and control soil quality instead of leaving it to the will of whatever dirt was already in your backyard which could have contaminants or a very poor nutrient balance. Don't pack the soil too tight as you fill it because the loose texture gives better aeration and water flow.
After you've completed this step, you can finally begin planting in your constructed garden.
If you are growing each plant in your garden from complete scratch, consider investing in small seedling cups. This can be anything from a cardboard egg carton to emptied out yogurt cups. Simply fill the cups with soil, plant your seeds, and let them grow a small root network and begin sprouting before transferring them to your larger garden bed. Make sure there are holes at the bottom of your cup to make sure there is proper drainage. If you use a biodegradable seedling cup, you can drop the cup directly into the garden without having to carefully remove your seedling from it before replanting.
For potted outdoor plants or indoor gardens, you may also want a potting bench. These work stations allow you to transfer plants to larger pots as they grow or move seedlings from cups to full pots. The benches have space to store tools, a flat surface for the pots, and typically a sink for potting soil to fill and empty each new pot without losing that valuable dirt along the way. Potting benches are also great as a small gardening workspace where you can keep your tools, extra soil, pots, and seedling cups that aren't in active use.
No matter where your garden is, you'll need a number of small tools that should help your plants grow and thrive. For any shrubbery, flowers, or unruly herbs, pruning shears are a vital addition to your arsenal. Pruning shears are good for trimming away unwanted growth, dead branches, and snipping flowers at the exact right time. A good pair of pruning shears rests easy in your hands and exacts precise cutting power without needing to exert a ton of force in your wrist and forearm.
You'll also need a hose for watering everything in your garden. We recommend one with enough flexibility to comfortably roll up without being damaged. Depending on the size of your yard, its worth choosing a large hose that can reach your garden bed without needing to be stretched or pulled. Similarly, make sure to connect your hose to a nozzle that offers spray variability and water control without leaking. Consider one with multiple spray types so you can water each plant based on the flow it requires. For instance, while a steady rain shower is fine for most veggies, you may want to use a mist or lighter setting for flowers or more delicate plants.
Watering your plants in general is relatively straightforward. While you should aim to prevent overwatering your plants, the open bottoms and easy drainage of raised garden beds should be relatively forgiving as you figure out what works best for your plants.