Spring is just around the corner which means it’s once again time to start thinking about planting your home garden. If you have a little extra time on your hands and space in your yard, starting a fruitful home garden is easier than you think. Here are some tips on creating a thriving garden this spring.

1. Start small. Gardening is wonderfully rewarding, but taking on too big of a project can leave you feeling overwhelmed. If you’ve never tended a home garden before, start with one or two beds and pick a few staple foods to grow. Once you feel confident, you can expand your garden. Some delicious and easy to grow crops to start with include zucchini, lettuce, carrots, and strawberries. 
2. Don’t aim to be profitable. If you’re starting a garden for your own pleasure, don’t expect to be reaping profits from your endeavor. Perhaps you will be able to sell a couple of jars of jam made from homemade fruit, but at the end of your day, the goal of your personal garden should be to provide nutritious and fresh produce for your family and some lucky neighbors. 
3. Avoid farm debt. As exciting as it can be to start your own garden, remember not to take on costly purchases beyond your budget. You can create a great garden with a few affordable basics, so you don’t need to go buying expensive equipment right away. 
4. Research, research, research. Long before you plant your garden, you should spend some dedicated time researching home gardens and how to make the most successful garden. Do your homework on what plants grow well in what conditions and you will be rewarded down the road with higher yields. 
5. Talk to other gardeners. Most home gardeners will be more than happy to share their wisdom (and maybe even some seedlings). Talk to other local gardeners for tips and tricks.
6. Embrace DIY. Learning to build and repair things on your own will save you lots of money in the long run. With some basic tutorials, you can build your own beds, rig a chicken waterer, or repair a broken wheelbarrow rather than shelling out big bucks for replacements. 
7. Be patient. Great gardens aren’t born overnight and cultivating your home garden will be a learning experience. Anticipate challenges and be patient. Your garden will thrive more and more each season as you grow your green thumb. 
8. Be flexible. It’s okay to change your direction with your garden after the fact. This is a for-pleasure project, so do whatever pleases you. Maybe you want to only grow cut flowers or want to focus on vegetables, not fruit. Do whatever you want. It’s your garden!
9. Have fun with it. Home gardens can be incredibly productive and rewarding, but the experience of cultivating them is also highly beneficial for physical and mental health. Enjoy each day you get to head out into the garden and relish what you find out there. 

Starting your own garden is a great way to build confidence, reduce the carbon footprint of your food, and eat the freshest produce possible. A successful home garden is no easy feat, but if you need more convincing on starting one, check out our article on five New Year’s resolutions for aspiring gardeners.