fbpx

How to Garden when You Don’t Know How to Garden

Written by:
How to garden, zucchini

Growing your own food is definitely one of the best means for combating a contaminated national food supply. If you purchase healthy seeds or plants and put them into the soil, you can provide staple foods for your family. Not knowing how to garden makes some people hesitant to try at all. As in many other areas of life, comparing yourself to others can make you doubt your own abilities.

The truth is you don’t have to have an agriculture or horticulture degree to be a good gardener. You don’t really have to know much more than how to prepare some soil, plant something, water it and pull weeds if they show up. (And they will show up!) With sunlight, water and basic nurturing, your plants will grow. There’s nothing quite like walking outside to pick a healthy food item you’ve grown yourself.

Avoid ‘how to garden’ worries

I’ve been gardening for 30-or-so years. I’ve learned from reading. I also joined a few worthwhile Facebook groups where most of the participants know a lot more than I do. I’ve improved my skills through trial and error. However, the lesson that has been most valuable to me is that I don’t have to worry or fret. I used to stress over which plants went where, how deep to plant, when to pick or not to pick. I’d wonder if my rows were straight enough. I would look at other people’s gardens and feel like they were always more beautiful and better than mine.

I learned that it doesn’t matter! My rows might not be straight and I might have rocky soil, but it’s okay. Gardening is a journey. You don’t have to know much to be successful.

Keep three things in mind

This year, I’m having the time of my life in the garden. What’s different or changed? Me! I let go and let God, and it had immediate, wonderful effects. I’m learning to enjoy other people’s skills but I no longer let them define me. A mantra I keep in mind while I garden is this: Good enough is good enough. All that matters is that I make an effort. If I plant something, keep the area as weed free as possible and water the plant, the sunshine and good Lord will do the rest.

That brings me to the second thought to hold in your heart if you want to garden but don’t know what you’re doing. God won’t call you to it without helping you through it. In other words, if you feel led to grow food for your family, ask Him to bless your efforts, and He will. I talk to God in my garden all the time. In fact, it’s one of my favorite places to pray.

I like to think that in tending the garden, I’m doing something similar as God does when He tends to my soul. The third ‘how to garden’ thought is that there are a lot of myths and old wives’ tales that can impede your fun. Start small, read more to educate yourself if you wish and take care of the plants. They will grow. And you will reap the harvest. If a problem arises, find out what went wrong and try again.

Learning how to garden is part of the journey

Not knowing everything about being married or parenthood ahead of time didn’t stop you from getting married or having kids. Don’t let what you don’t know about gardening keep you from giving it a try.

Share THis