Regardless of the size of your garden, spending time outside, getting your hands in the dirt, and watching something grow is incredibly satisfying. It connects you to nature in the best way. The seed companies know this as they send their catalogs in the depths of winter for us to pore over them page by page and dream of the possibilities. It’s easy to think you can manage a huge garden and enjoy the bounties of your work. But an experienced gardener will warn you to be careful, it’s easy to overextend yourself, and you are always at the mercy of Mother Nature.
If you have never gardened:
Thinking about starting a garden but not sure where to begin? Maybe you’re dreaming of fresh-picked tomatoes, snipping herbs straight into your dinner, or just want an excuse to play in the dirt. Whatever the reason, I’m here to tell you: go for it!
Gardening is one of those things that sounds intimidating at first, but once you start, you realize it’s mostly just water, patience, and a little bit of trial and error. And trust me, the rewards? Totally worth it.
🌿 Fresh, Delicious Food – Homegrown veggies just taste better. Period. Once you eat a tomato that actually has flavor, there’s no going back. There is a lot to be said for greenhouse tomatoes that are trucked into the local store in snowy January. Something is better than nothing. But your juicy tomatoes will have a world of difference – trust me!
💰 Saves Money – A single packet of seeds costs about as much as one cucumber at the store… but gives you dozens of cucumbers. See where I’m going with this? You do want to consider your time as money, too. But if it’s a hobby that you enjoy, and I love the excuse to be out on the sun, then it’s almost free…
🧘 Stress Relief – Digging in the dirt, watering plants, watching something grow…it’s oddly calming. Plus, pulling weeds is a great way to work out frustrations. Those weeds make great chicken food, too!
🌎 Good for the Planet – Less plastic packaging, fewer grocery store trips, and better soil health. Win-win-win.
Okay, But Where Do I Start?
If you’re completely new to gardening, start small. You don’t need a giant backyard or years of experience. Pick one or two things you actually like to eat (because who wants to grow radishes if you don’t even like them?).
If you don’t have a ton of space, or time, a salad garden or a tea garden is the perfect way to start.
- What’s one vegetable or herb that you love to eat fresh?
- What is a vegetable or herb that takes almost no effort?
- What is one vegetable or herb that you can use in many, many ways (and is easy to store)?
- What is one thing that is fun to grow or something new to try?
What If I Kill Everything?
Here’s a secret: every gardener has killed plants. It’s just part of the learning process. Start small, pay attention to your plants, and don’t stress over the ones that don’t make it. Gardening is about progress, not perfection!
So, grab some seeds, dig into the dirt, and see what happens. Before you know it, you’ll be harvesting your own food, bragging about your tomatoes, and wondering why you didn’t start sooner.
Tell me, what’s the first thing YOU want to grow? Drop a comment below! #GardenBeginners #GrowYourOwnFood #StartSmallGrowBig
If you have a small space but a green thumb:
Not All Gardens Have to Be Huge (Or Even in the Ground!)
Let’s get one thing straight, you don’t need acres of land to grow a garden. You don’t even need a backyard! If you’ve been holding off on gardening because you think you need a giant plot of land or a perfectly tilled garden bed, let me tell you a little secret… You can garden almost anywhere.
Yep. Windowsills, balconies, patios, even a sunny corner of your kitchen. If you have light, a little space, and some creativity, you can grow something amazing.
The best part? Smaller gardens mean less work – fewer weeds, less watering, and way less overwhelm. Plus, even a tiny garden can give you fresh herbs, veggies, or flowers that make your home feel like a little slice of paradise.
Where to Grow When You Don’t Have a Big Yard:
🪴 Container Gardens – Grab a few pots, fill ‘em with soil, and boom—you’ve got a mini garden. Perfect for patios, balconies, and front steps!
🌿 Windowsill Herbs – Fresh basil, mint, or chives right in your kitchen? Yes, please! Just set them near a sunny window and water when the soil feels dry.
🎭 Vertical Gardens – No floor space? Go up! Hang planters, use wall-mounted pots, or try a trellis for climbing veggies like cucumbers or peas.
🍅 Hanging Baskets – Not just for flowers! Try cherry tomatoes, strawberries, or even trailing herbs like thyme.
🥗 Raised Beds – A happy middle ground between container gardening and full-scale farming. Great for small yards, plus they’re easier on your back!
What Can You Grow in a Small Space?
Plenty! Some plants thrive in pots and small gardens. Try:
✅ Lettuce & Spinach – Perfect for cut-and-come-again harvesting.
✅ Tomatoes & Peppers – Compact varieties like cherry tomatoes and mini bell peppers are great for containers.
✅ Herbs – Basil, rosemary, thyme, and mint are super easy and freshen up any meal.
✅ Radishes & Carrots – Root veggies don’t need much space, just deep enough soil.
Big garden, small garden, or just a single potted plant—it all counts. Gardening isn’t about how much space you have, but about growing what makes you happy. So start where you can, plant what you love, and watch the magic happen.
Do you have a small-space garden, or do you plan to? What’s growing in it? Drop a comment—I’d love to hear!
#SmallSpaceGardening #GrowWhereYouAre #TinyButMightyGarden
If you want to supplement your groceries in a meaningful way:
First you need to consider not only the time commitment to planting and caring, but also harvesting and preserving. There is a certain point wherein you should consider your hourly wage and consider purchasing if you’re doing this just to “save money”. For example, I buy potatoes because it’s cheaper than the space and time requirements for me. I also don’t have a long term storage for bushels of potatoes (either my spaces are too hot, too cold, or just not enough space). I love gardening, but use your time, energy and space wisely.
Whether you’re growing enough to feed your family for the year, planning to sell at the local market, or just love the idea of having an entire pantry full of homegrown food, here are a few things to keep in mind when you’re managing a larger-than-average garden.
1. Plan, Plan, PLAN
When your garden is small, you can get away with winging it. Not so much when you’ve got 50 tomato plants and three different varieties of squash battling for space. A little bit of planning goes a long way. Trust me, if you don’t do it the first year, you will in the second. Draw out your garden layout, stagger your plantings, and think about crop rotation to keep your soil healthy.
Bonus Tip: Keep a garden journal! Note what worked (and what didn’t) so next year’s planning is even easier. You think you will remember, but you won’t actually remember all the details.
2. Succession Planting is Your Best Friend
If you plant everything all at once, you’ll be drowning in produce for two weeks and then… nothing. Stagger plantings every couple of weeks for a steady harvest—especially for crops like peas, lettuce, and beans. It is absolutely delightful to have baskets overflowing with produce. It looks amazing. But it is devastating to have that produce spoil because you can’t freeze or can it fast enough. All your hard work can rot overnight and that is just depressing. Stagger your planting. Work smarter not harder.
3. Watering: Work Smarter, Not Harder
Hand-watering a few plants? Fun.
Hand-watering an entire half-acre garden? Not so much.
If you haven’t already, look into drip irrigation or soaker hoses to keep your garden hydrated without spending hours hauling a hose around. If these are out of your budget, look for free old, damaged hoses. You can add some more holes with a hammer and nails (great job for kids). Trust me, your back will thank you.
4. The Weeds Are Coming (And They Never Stop)
With a bigger garden comes more space for weeds to invade. Mulching is your best defense—straw, wood chips, or even grass clippings will smother weeds, retain moisture, and keep your soil happy. A second-best choice is collecting newspaper from your local recycling. Lay it down thick. This paper will eventually break down in your garden, so it’s not terrible, and it’s cheap. Unfortunately, it’s really not adding anything beneficial to the soil as it decomposes.
Any mulch will save you time and effort, it is completely worth it.
5. Pest Control: An Ongoing Battle
A few aphids in a small garden? No big deal. A horde of squash bugs in a big garden? That’s a crisis.
Check plants daily, encourage beneficial insects (hello, ladybugs!), and be ready to take action before pests get out of control. Companion planting can also help—basil near tomatoes, marigolds around your veggies, and nasturtiums near squash can deter pests naturally. Talk to other farmers in the area and share ideas.
6. Harvesting is Harder Than You Think
Remember that feeling of joy when you picked your first homegrown tomato? Multiply that by a hundred and add a dash of “Oh no, how am I going to process all this before it goes bad?”
This is when you’re glad that you planned ahead and didn’t plant all ten rows of beans at the same time. Instead, you spread out the planting over a couple weeks. Now your harvest is also spread out. You have time to breathe between batches (or preserve something else that is also ready!).
Have a plan for preservation: canning, freezing, dehydrating, fermenting, so nothing goes to waste. And if you end up with extra? Neighbors, friends, and local food pantries will love you forever.
7. It’s Okay to Take a Break!
Large-scale gardening can feel like a full-time job, especially during peak season. Give yourself permission to take a day off. The weeds will still be there tomorrow (unfortunately), and your plants can survive if you don’t hover over them 24/7. Gardening is like every other aspect of homesteading (or teaching), you have to take care of yourself so that you can take care of that.
8. Enjoy the Process!
Yes, it’s work. Yes, it can be overwhelming. But growing your own food on a large scale is an incredible accomplishment. Step back every once in a while, take a deep breath, and admire what you’ve created. That pantry full of homegrown food? Those baskets overflowing with produce? That’s all YOU.
So tell me, what’s your biggest challenge (or favorite part!) of large-scale gardening? Let’s chat in the comments!
#HomesteadingLife #BigGardenGoals #GrowYourOwnFood
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