How-To Videos › Garden & Home › 3 Steps to a Thriving First Garden (Beginner Gardening Tips)

3 Steps to a Thriving First Garden (Beginner Gardening Tips)

Start small, plant where the sun falls, and water deeply a few times a week. Three simple steps to a healthy first garden.

What you'll learn

Start small. One. Start with one small bed or a few large pots, not a whole yard. A four by four foot space is plenty for your first season. A small garden you tend beats a big one you can't keep up with.
Follow the sun. Two. Watch where the sun falls before you plant. Most vegetables need six hours of direct sun a day. Put your bed in the sunniest spot you have, and your plants will reward you all summer.
Water deep. Three. Water deeply two or three times a week, not a little every day. A long soak sends roots down where the soil stays moist. Stick a finger in the dirt first; if it's damp an inch down, wait.

Full transcript

1. Start with one small bed or a few large pots, not a whole yard. A 4x4 foot space is plenty for your first season. A small garden you 10 beats a big one you can't keep up with. 2. Watch where the sun falls before you plant. Most vegetables need six hours of direct sun a day. Put your bed in the sunniest spot you have and your plants will reward you all summer. 3. Water deeply two or three times a week, not a little every day. A long soak sends roots down where the soil stays moist. Stick a finger in the dirt first. If it's damp an inch down, wait.

More Garden & Home How-To Videos

Get More Birds to Your Yard This Week (3 Tips)

Why Your Houseplant's Leaves Turn Yellow (and the Fix)

3 Tricks for Sweeter Homegrown Tomatoes (After 50)