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0 of 6 steps completedStep-by-Step Instructions
1 Step 1: Pick a sunny spot (8+ hours direct sun)
Step 1: Pick a sunny spot (8+ hours direct sun)
Vegetables need 8+ hours of direct sun. Watch your yard for a day; mark which spots get sun morning to evening. Less than 6 hours = leafy greens only.
8+ hours full sun (most vegetables)
Tomatoes, peppers, squash, beans all need this.
4-6 hours partial sun (leafy greens)
Lettuce, spinach, kale, herbs tolerate less sun.
Avoid under tree canopy (roots steal water)
Tree roots extend further than canopy. Compete with vegetables.
2 Step 2: Build raised beds (recommended for beginners)
Step 2: Build raised beds (recommended for beginners)
Raised beds drain better, warm earlier in spring, and skip the bad-soil problem most yards have. 4×8 ft beds are the standard — reach all parts without stepping in.
Vego 32-inch tall raised bed (premium)
Galvanized steel, modular, lifetime warranty. ~$300-400.
DIY 4x8 with cedar boards (cheapest)
Six 8-ft cedar 2x10s + corner posts. ~$80-120.
3 Step 3: Fill with quality soil (50/50 mix)
Step 3: Fill with quality soil (50/50 mix)
Native soil from your yard is usually too dense. Best mix: 50% topsoil + 30% compost + 20% peat moss or coco coir. Buy in bulk from a landscape yard ($30/yd vs $50/yd at Home Depot).
Bulk soil/compost mix from landscape yard
Cheapest by far. Most yards deliver. ~$30-50 per cubic yard.
FoxFarm Ocean Forest (bagged premium)
Pre-mixed, ready to use. Expensive but no calc needed. ~$25 per bag.
4 Step 4: Plant beginner-friendly crops year one
Step 4: Plant beginner-friendly crops year one
Don't plant 30 things year one. Pick 5-7 easy crops you'll actually eat. Add complexity year two.
Tomatoes (cherry varieties easiest)
Sungold or Sun Sugar. Most productive. See /how-to-grow-tomatoes.
Peppers (sweet and hot)
Plant after last frost. Most varieties are easy.
Zucchini and summer squash
Famously prolific. 2 plants feeds a family of 4.
Bush beans (no support needed)
Direct seed, ready in 50-60 days.
Lettuce and spinach (cool season)
Plant early spring or fall. Easy.
Herbs (basil, parsley, cilantro)
Pricy at the store, free from the garden. Companion plants for tomatoes.
5 Step 5: Install drip irrigation (game-changer)
Step 5: Install drip irrigation (game-changer)
Hand-watering kills most first-year gardens — people forget. A drip system on a timer waters perfectly without you thinking about it. $80 covers a 4×8 bed.
Rain Bird drip irrigation kit
Pre-cut tubing, drip emitters, timer. Quick install. ~$60-80.
Orbit hose timer + soaker hose
Cheapest set-and-forget. Timer + soaker = ~$40.
6 Step 6: Mulch heavily (suppress weeds, hold moisture)
Step 6: Mulch heavily (suppress weeds, hold moisture)
2-3 inches of straw or wood chips around all plants. Cuts weeding 80% and reduces watering needs. Mulch is the #1 thing year-one gardeners skip.
Straw mulch (vegetables)
Cheap, decomposes nicely. Get 'straw' not 'hay' (hay = weed seeds). ~$15 per bale.
Shredded leaves (free)
Bag of leaves from fall, shred with mower. Best mulch and it's free.
Wood chips (longer-lasting)
Lasts a season. Get free from local arborists. Otherwise ~$3-5 per cubic ft bag.
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