Newbie Gardener Central-Outdoor Gardening

Step 1: Pick your plants

Start greening up your thumb with some of the easiest-to-grow vegetables, herbs, and flowers.

Step 2: Choose your garden type

Figuring out whether you should try an in-ground, raised bed, or container garden can be interesting and fun. Learn more about these different garden types—including space and soil needs, watering and chores, and start-up tasks and supplies.

Step 3: Choose your garden location

Whether you're looking to grow tropical plants, such as palms, ferns or African violets, or more low-maintenance succulents, learn the specific needs of houseplants and you can have healthy plants in your home year-round.

Step 4: Know when to start planting

If you're just getting into gardening, first learn which you live in. Your zone number, developed by the Natural Resources Canada, lets you know which plants will do best in your yard based on the climate you live in.

Step 5: Gather your tools

Make growing your favourite outdoor plants easier and more successful with the right tools. Learn which tools are most important to have.

Step 6: Plant your plants

Feel confident—and have fun—putting your dreams down in the dirt with these important planting tips.

Step 7: Care for your container garden

Use these simple tips to keep your potted greenery growing strong all season long.

Step 8: Care for your raised bed garden

Growing plants in a raised bed can be a cinch if you know what you're doing. Just follow these easy steps.

Step 9: Care for your in-ground garden

Build a long-lasting relationship with your in-ground garden by giving plants regular TLC. Caring for your garden regularly will keep your plants and soil at their prime. Plus, you’ll always catch your veggies or herbs at their freshest, and flowers at their most vibrant—which is part of the fun!

Step 10: Learn how and when to harvest

Here’s how to tell whether harvest time has finally arrived—and what to do if it has.

Step 11: Freeze your harvest

Plan ahead to have plenty of fresh produce for flavourful meals, all winter long.

Step 12: Dry your harvest

Giving fresh produce to friends and neighbors is a great way to help solve that problem. But if you want to taste the fruits of your summer labours well into the winter, drying helps remind you of the season you had while stretching your food dollars. Here are a few easy ways you can get started drying your food.

Step 13: Can your harvest

If you've picked the fruits and vegetables in your garden but find you can't eat them all, don't let them go to waste. When they're at their peak flavour and ripeness, can them.

Step 14: Put your garden to bed for winter

Take care of these essential fall tasks to “tuck in” your beloved garden for a cozy and restful winter so it can “wake up” next spring all ready to grow!

(3 Recommended)