3 Reasons It’s Easier Than You Think to Grow Your Own Produce

1. You don’t need as much space as you think

Square foot gardening is an alternative to traditional “row gardening” that offers more produce from less space, time and effort. A gardening method tailor-made for beginners, it is also great for experienced gardeners.

• An area just four feet by four feet can hold about 130 plants and yield enough produce to feed one person all summer long.
• Square foot gardens use about 20 percent of the space and 10 percent of the water to produce the same amount of vegetables as traditional gardens.
• Spend less money on tools, supplies and seeds — the only tool you’ll need is a hand trowel and rather than sprinkling seeds widely, you plant them according to precise formulas.
• To learn more about square foot gardening, check out Building a square foot garden on Journey To Forever, Square Foot Gardening, the non-profit organization and 9 Reasons You Should Try Square Foot Gardening on HouseLogic.

2. You don’t even need a yard – you can garden in containers

Perfect for beginners, container gardening is one of the easiest ways to grow your own vegetables. If you don’t have space in your yard (or you don’t have a yard), you’ve never grown vegetables before, or you’re put off by weeding and watering, container gardening might be just your ticket.

• Grow anything from peppers to spinach, radishes to cucumbers. Different vegetables have different container, soil, sun and water requirements — so read up a little before you plant the first seed.
• Watering is easy — just like watering a house plant, in fact, some specialized containers are “self-watering” and have a reservoir area below the soil.
• No weeding — because your garden is “contained” there is nowhere for weeds to come from.
• For more on container gardening, check out Minimal Space, Maximum Tomato in the Chicago Tribune, Fresh Ideas for Growing Vegetables in Containers on Better Homes and Gardens and 10 Foolproof Vegetables for Container Gardening on HouseLogic.

3. You can be better at it than you think

With the nearly infinite resources available at your local home store and online, it’s easier than ever to get your garden right.

•  Waste less water and avoid over-watering — Invest in a drip hose (less than $20 for 50 feet) to wind through your garden.
• Take the easy way — for every high-maintenance vegetable (like tricky tomatoes), choose two or three foolproof, hardy growers (like peppers and parsley) that will thrive under most any condition.
•  Stay away from the spray — remember there are a multitude of natural, and effective, pesticides that are cheaper and healthier than store-bought chemicals, such as soapy water and vinegar.
• For more tips on summer vegetable gardening, check out Weekend Gardener’s Monthly Web Magazine, Tips for Growing an Organic Vegetable Garden on Better Homes and Gardens, and Vegetable Planting Guides and Growing Tips on The Garden Helper.