Start small
- Start with a few containers or one raised bed. A sunny balcony works.
- Most vegetables need 6 to 8 hours of sun.
- Grow what your family already eats.
- Use good potting soil in containers, and water deeply but not every day.
Easy crops for beginners
| Crop | Why |
|---|---|
| Lettuce and greens | Fast, and you can keep cutting them |
| Radishes | Ready in about a month |
| Bush beans | Productive and easy to save seed from |
| Zucchini and squash | Huge harvests from a few plants |
| Cherry tomatoes | Great in containers |
| Potatoes | Lots of calories from a grow bag |
Your remedy garden
| Herb | Used for | Grow tip |
|---|---|---|
| Chamomile | Calming bedtime tea | Full sun. Harvest the flowers when fully open. |
| Calendula | Skin salves and infused oil | Easy from seed. Keep picking and it keeps blooming. |
| Peppermint | Upset stomach, tension headaches | Grow in a pot. It spreads aggressively in beds. |
| Lemon balm | Calming tea | Also spreads. Pot it. |
| Thyme and sage | Cooking and soothing teas | Like dry soil and sun. |
| Aloe vera | Burns and sunburn | Houseplant. Water sparingly. |
Saving seeds
- Grow open-pollinated or heirloom varieties if you want to save seed. Hybrid seeds don't grow true.
- Beans, peas, lettuce and tomatoes are the easiest to start with.
- Dry seeds fully, then store in labeled envelopes in a cool, dark, dry place.
Garden gear
Heirloom seed kit
Open-pollinated seeds you can save and replant.
My pick: Survival Garden Seeds Heirloom Seed Vault, 105 varieties, non-GMO
Herb seed kit
Chamomile, calendula, mint and more.
My pick: Sow Right Seeds Extra Large Medicinal Herb Seed Collection
Fabric grow bags
Garden on a porch or balcony.
My pick: VIVOSUN 5-Pack 5 Gallon Fabric Grow Bags with Handles
Rain barrel
Collect rain for the garden.
My pick: Good Ideas Rain Wizard 50 Gallon Rain Barrel with Brass Spigot
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