How to Start a Garden: A Guide For Beginners
If you’re figuring out how to start a garden, this step-by-step guide is perfect for beginners ready to grow fruits, vegetables, herbs, and flowers. We used simple planter boxes for our first full-out garden, and despite being new to it all, the harvest was incredible. There’s nothing like walking outside and picking fresh produce you grew yourself.
Gardening has become a family activity. To follow more of our adventures, check out my Tips for Cooking with Kids and Flying with Kids next!
Gardening 101
My husband and I started gardening in the spring of 2022 with no real clue what we were doing. We just had a desire to start something new and get dirty.
What began as a simple project quickly turned into a thriving garden, and we’ve been hooked ever since! Starting a garden taught us so much about patience, planning, and just how satisfying it is to grow your own food. If you’re new to all of this, think of it as your personal intro to Gardening 101!
Why You Should Start Gardening
It’s fun. Spending time outside in the sunshine is a natural mood booster, and gardening gives you a reason to enjoy it.
It’s sustainable. Growing your own produce reduces waste, saves money, and cuts down on grocery trips.
It’s healthy. Gardening is a great source of light exercise and keeps you moving throughout the week.
It looks good. A well-planned garden just makes your yard feel more put together—even if there’s a tomato jungle hiding in the back corner.
Start With a Plan
I’m pretty Type A when it comes to my garden. Before we planted anything, I sat down with my notebook and mapped out what we wanted to grow. I recommend starting there: jot down the produce you’re most excited about, research how much each plant will yield, and make sure you're planting enough (but not too much).
For example, we planted way too many tomatoes way too close together. They were hard to reach, overcrowded, and a lot ended up going to waste.
Before planting, sketch out your layout on graph paper. This helps with spacing, and also makes it easier to follow companion planting principles—like keeping certain veggies together for better growth and natural pest control. I’m planning to use ChatGPT this year to help map our garden layout based on our box dimensions and crops. Total game changer!
Choose a Good Location
Sunlight is everything. We picked a spot in our yard that gets full sun for most of the day. Make sure your garden is close enough to a water source too. Dragging hoses across the yard in July is no joke.
Building Your Garden Beds
We knew we wanted raised beds from the beginning, so we built our own planter boxes out of treated cedar-toned pine. They were simple to put together using 2x12s for the sides and 2x4s for the top ledge and inside supports.
If you're using treated wood like we did, make sure it's pressure-treated—not chemically treated—and line the inside with a weed barrier to keep things safe. Cedar or redwood (especially untreated) is ideal if your budget allows.
How do you prepare the ground for a first-time garden?
Since we weren’t digging directly into the ground, we prepped the space by laying down weed mats and staking them in place before adding soil. It helped keep the boxes clean and made sure weeds didn’t grow up from underneath. If you're planting directly into the ground, I’d recommend removing the grass, loosening the soil, and mixing in compost to give your plants a strong start.
We filled our beds with a mix of topsoil, compost, and peat moss, and went about 10–12 inches deep to give the roots plenty of space to grow.
Quick Gardening Tip: Build your planter boxes where they’re going to stay. We made the mistake of assembling our first ones in the garage, and moving them to the yard was way harder than expected.
We’ve also experimented with cinder block beds, which are a little more complicated to set up but just as effective.
Whether you're working with a larger setup or something smaller like a window planter box, raised beds really helped keep things organized and made the garden easier to manage.
Do you need to line a planter box?
Yes, especially if you're using treated wood. I lined ours with weed mats to protect the soil and keep things clean, and I definitely recommend it if your wood is pressure-treated.
Here’s a visual for how to make your own planter boxes.
Soil & Tools You Need to Start a Garden
We filled our beds with a mix of topsoil, compost, and peat moss. It wasn’t the cheapest part of the project, but it made a huge difference in how well everything grew. I recommend going about 10–12 inches deep so the roots have plenty of room to spread.
Here are the essentials we used and how they helped:
Topsoil – The base layer for our raised beds, giving structure and volume to the mix.
Compost – Added nutrients and improved soil texture. Our plants definitely responded well to it.
Peat moss – Helped with water retention and kept the soil from drying out too quickly.
And for tools:
Trowel – Super handy for digging holes, transplanting seedlings, and working in tight spaces.
Gardening gloves – Saved my hands from blisters, splinters, and mud. Totally worth it.
Watering can or hose – We used a hose most of the time, but a watering can is great for smaller areas or delicate seedlings.
Weeding tool – Helped us stay on top of weeds without disturbing nearby plants.
Harvest basket or tub – Once things started growing, this was the easiest way to collect everything without making ten trips back and forth.
You really don’t need a shed full of gear to get started—just a few solid basics make the process way smoother.
Climate and Timing
Since we’re in Zone 5b, we waited until after the last frost to start planting—usually around mid-May here in Iowa. Zone 5b typically has cold winters and a shorter growing season, so timing really matters. If you're not sure what zone you're in, you can look it up using your zip code on the USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map.
Knowing your zone helps you figure out which plants will actually thrive where you live, and when to start them. Some crops like tomatoes or peppers do better when started indoors a few weeks early, while others like carrots and lettuce can go directly in the soil once the weather warms up. No matter where you live, pay close attention to your frost dates—starting too early can mean replanting everything after a surprise cold snap.
Protecting Your Garden
If you’re wondering how to keep rabbits, squirrels, and deer out of the garden, you're not alone. Use netting and fencing around the boxes, especially early on when the plants are small. Some people swear by motion-activated sprinklers or DIY garlic sprays.
The Best Part: Harvesting
There is nothing like walking outside and grabbing dinner from your own garden. Zucchini, cucumbers, herbs, tomatoes, lettuce—you name it, we had it. Just be ready. Once it takes off, it can feel like a full-time job keeping up with it all (in the best way).
Looking for ways to use your fresh produce? Throw them in a Roasted Chickpea Salad, Quinoa Bowls, or Salmon Bowls.
Gardening Tips for Beginners
Start small and grow from there. It was tempting to plant everything we loved, but I’m glad we started with just a few beds. It kept things manageable and gave us room to learn without getting overwhelmed.
Know your zone and planting times. I’m in Zone 5b, so we waited until after the last frost in mid-May to plant. Figuring out what grows well in your area makes a huge difference in how successful your garden will be.
Invest in good soil. We used a mix of topsoil, compost, and peat moss, and I really think that’s what made our plants thrive. It helps with water retention too, which is a big deal in the heat of summer.
Label your plants early. Once everything starts growing, it’s surprisingly hard to remember what’s what—especially with herbs. A few simple markers go a long way.
Water deeply when you do. I tried to avoid quick surface watering. Giving the soil a deep soak helps the roots grow stronger and made our plants more resilient.
Keep notes. I used a notebook to track what we planted, how close things were spaced, and what processes were most effective. It’s already been so helpful as we plan for this year.
Final Thoughts
If you’re even thinking about starting a garden, do it! You don’t need to be an expert, you just need to get started. Whether you’re working with a full yard or a planter box on the balcony, these are the kind of projects that pay off all summer long.
Happy planting!
Frequently Asked Questions
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I usually start prepping in April and wait until mid-May to plant, since we’re in Zone 5b and the last frost usually hits around then. It really depends on your local climate, but I’ve learned not to rush it—cold snaps can ruin all your hard work.
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Raised beds tend to dry out faster than in-ground gardens, so you'll likely need to water more frequently, especially during hot, dry spells. A good rule of thumb is to aim for about 1 inch of water per week, including rainfall. Stick your finger a couple inches into the soil; if it feels dry, it’s time to water. Early morning is best to reduce evaporation and give plants a strong start to the day.
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I’d recommend at least 10 to 12 inches of soil so there's enough room for roots to grow and spread. That depth worked well for all the fruits and vegetables we planted.
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Cedar or redwood are the best choices because they’re naturally rot-resistant, especially if they’re untreated. We used cedar-toned pressure-treated pine for durability, but if you go that route, make sure it’s pressure-treated—not chemically treated—and always line the inside.
