If you've been by the Co-op lately, you've probably noticed that our front entryway has been decorated with one of the best signs of Spring: vegetable starts. We've got everything from common kitchen herbs and tomatoes to cucumbers and leafy greens. If you usually walk right on by, thinking that you don't have the skills needed to start a garden, you should think twice.

Seeing photos of elaborate gardens in magazines or on social media can make starting a garden feel super overwhelming, but it doesn't have to be that complicated! With just a few vegetable starts, some quality organic soil, and lots of tender loving care, you too can have your own backyard garden. Here are our tips for getting started with backyard gardening:

Start Slow and Small

While you should definitely dream big, if you're new to gardening it might be best to start with something that you can manage fairly well.

Starting with a garden layout that's too big can overwhelm you and cause you to give up on growing your own food altogether.

If you start this season small and find that you want more responsibility, you can always expand your plot next year. You'll have the experience of what went well and what didn't, and you'll be able to apply that to a larger scale the following season.

Mindfully Chose Your Garden Plot

Whether your yard is tiny or 10-acres, make sure to be thoughtful about where you decide to grow your garden. The last thing you want is to get halfway through the season, only to discover that your plot only gets 3 hours of sunlight, or is placed in a high-traffic area.

Take the time to analyze your yard and take note of the following:

Areas that get a lot of sunlight
Areas that might be blocked by shady trees
Areas that are prone to flooding/being waterlogged
Areas that will be easy to access
Areas that are near children or pet play areas

If you have a small yard this may leave you with only a few options, but having a well-established garden location will make future seasonal plantings that much easier.

Build Some Raised Garden Beds

Sowing seeds or transplanting starts directly into the ground is definitely an approach you can take, though there are a few disadvantages to that. If you haven't grown anything in your soil before, you probably aren't familiar with its composition.

Is it rocky and coarse or sandy and loamy? Every plant has different soil needs, and while some can tolerate just about anything, others aren't as easy-going.

Building some raised garden beds allows you to more easily control what you're planting into and you can adjust it easily according to what your seeds or starts need. Raised beds can also protect your plants from a pest infestation or fungal problems that might be lurking in your soil.

Raised beds are also super easy to build. You can buy them in a kit that comes with all of the necessary supplies, or, you can follow this tutorial to build a raised garden bed that will only cost $15!

If you have trouble crouching or bending down, there are even raised garden beds that are placed on stilts to make them easy to access while you're standing. These are also great for kids as they can easily access them without having to get down on the ground.

Choose Starts And Seeds That Are Easy-Going

While there is basically a never-ending supply of different plant varietals that you can try growing in your garden, there are some that are best adapted to our climate here in the Pacific Northwest. We recommend starting with starts and seeds that are locally adapted because they tend to be the most successful.

Additionally, there are some plants that are just easier to grow in general. Some of the easiest growing plants to consider starting with are radishes, lettuce, beets, green beans, and herbs.

With that said, make sure to only grow plants that you know you will eat or preserve for the winter. The last thing you want is to end up with a ton of perfectly-grown radishes that you have no idea what to do with.

Invest In Basic Gardening Tools

If you've never gardened before, you probably don't have a few important tools that will make the whole job a heck of a lot easier. These include a garden hoe, a garden shovel, a multi-purpose weeding tool, and quality gardening gloves.

If you're going to be doing a lot of weeding or clearing a lot of brush, a wheelbarrow or garden cart is another good investment that will pay itself off.

At the Co-op you'll find a number of gardening tools near our seeds in the deli area. One of our favorites is a hori-hori knife, which can be used for weeding, planting seeds, cutting through tough brambles, and so much more.

Stick To A Schedule

Even when you start small, gardening isn't as simple as tossing some seeds in the ground and walking away. Caring for your plants is just as important as getting them started. Even if you consider yourself a responsible, organized person, it can be really easy to neglect your gardening chores.

Set up a reasonable schedule for yourself to make sure that your plants are well watered, weeded, and maintained.

Making a schedule is as simple as getting a dedicated notebook and adding in checkboxes for tasks that you need to accomplish each day. Or, there are lots of different free garden planners available online that you can print off.

Have Fun & Enjoy The Journey

There's nothing as local as eating vegetables and fruits straight from the backyard. And while gardening is certainly hard work, it doesn't come without its benefits and fun.

Try not to take it all too seriously, and remember that gardening takes practice and is a lifelong journey.

To all the seasoned gardeners out there, what advice would you give to those that are just getting started on their gardening journey? What do you wish you knew when you started? We'd love to hear your story.

How To Get Started With Backyard Gardening