The starting small approach

Typically the number one problem with beginning your food garden journey is overwhelm and burnout. Many inspirations come from sources like social media or from YouTube and although these sources have created an entire generation of makers they also tend to glamorize and over simplify tasks that are highly involved and challenging. And, most importantly (and under represented) these tasks need practice. The first step in starting your own garden is willingness to learn. More specifically learning about plants. Get back to basics: what do plants need? How do you fulfill those needs? What plants grow where you live? When do these plants grow? These basic questions will lead your mind to a much more informed approach to growing your own food. The key is to start small and shoot for realistic success. This “starting small” approach also let’s you experience failure on a small scale. This teaches you important gardening lessons without losing your passion for it. There are many products on the market that can help you be successful when you are getting your feet wet. “GrowBoxes” or self watering systems are a perfect way of getting off on the right foot. They take the guess work out of growing and don’t require the huge input of plowing up your backyard. A couple seasons of successful small scale growing gives you the experience (and confidence!) to scale up and think bigger.