How to Start a Garden No Matter Where You Live

Since Mike and I have lived in our home, I've really tried my skills at gardening. I've seemingly become a plant mom, and I think if I go to the store and buy another houseplant, Mike might not let me back inside! haha

But in all serious, I know I talk about it all the time, but plants are so good for your home! They are great for indoor air quality, they promote better health, happiness and even can help with sleep. I won't get into all the rest of the benefits but check out my post here if you're interested.

Back when I lived in Boston, I had no idea what I was doing. I'm pretty sure I bought plants off of Amazon, and they totally died very, very shortly after I got them. I thought that because I didn't have a yard, that I couldn't start a garden. I really wish I knew what I know now, back then.

I've been growing lots of fresh herbs in our terracotta pots in our windowsill this year. Last year Kona would just run through our bushes, so I decided that it would be best if I just had them inside instead.

Besides our herbs, we have raspberries, strawberries, watermelon, and about 10 different types of veggies that we are growing. It's going to be an awesome year for us when we can finally start harvesting! I started them from seeds, so it's really cool to see the actual fruit of our labor after all these months!

And you're probably wondering, how can I start a garden, if I don't have a yard? Well, don't you worry!

I have some tips on how to start a garden no matter where you live!

Figure out your home's orientation

Knowing what sides of your home get morning light and afternoon light are so important! Depending on how much sun your plants will need, you will need to place them accordingly.

Start small

You don't need to start a full-blown garden with dozens of plants right away! Take a few of your favorites and start there. Look into ones that are the easiest to grow. Oregano and thyme are great herbs to start with. You can’t go wrong with tomatoes or kale! Start out small and pick a handful of your favorites.

Make sure to water them correctly

I've killed plants by over watering them and by under watering them. Each plant needs a different amount of water, so make sure to check on their requirements! You can check if your plant needs to be watered by using your finger to feel the soil. If you want to get fancy, there are even self-watering planters out there.

Plant plants that are native to your location

Since we live in New England, you won’t be seeing any lemon or orange trees in our yard. But we have apple trees, squash, brussel sprouts, and all plants that are good for our type of weather. There are certain zones that are good for each area in the country. We are zone 6A. It's good to know this, so you know when to start planting and what plants actually will grow in your space.

Grow indoors

If you don't have a yard, feel free to grow items in your home! Herbs are a great thing to grow indoors. You can even grow ginger indoors. We actually start our plants off indoors and then plant them outside, to ensure they are hearty enough.

-Han