![null](https://smg.widen.net/content/4en0ki9z18/jpeg/miraclegro_72229430_6.jpg?crop=false&position=c&q=30&u=vedgwv)
Let's get growing outdoors
Start greening up your thumb with some of the easiest-to-grow vegetables, herbs, and flowers.
![a pair of hands holding harvested radishes](https://smg.widen.net/content/rsrti66ajq/jpeg/mainBestPlantsimage.jpg?crop=false&position=c&q=30&u=vedgwv&w=420)
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.
![a woman planting a rose bush in the ground](https://smg.widen.net/content/3dy2g6hejl/jpeg/051717_RL_A-1073.jpg?crop=false&position=c&q=30&u=vedgwv&w=420)
Choose the location of the garden. Taking into consideration the amount of sunlight it will receive every day, as well as the accessibility. You can plan a small garden, or a large one. You decide!
![a big outdoor garden](https://smg.widen.net/content/athq55tuxe/jpeg/shutterstock_1277696230.jpg?crop=false&position=c&q=30&u=vedgwv&w=420)
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.
![flowers up close](https://smg.widen.net/content/isdrqmbe6d/jpeg/marina-yalanska-orovs7o_3Lg-unsplash.jpg?crop=false&position=c&q=30&u=vedgwv&w=420)
Make growing your favourite outdoor plants easier and more successful with the right tools. Learn which tools are most important to have.
![Garden tools hanging on a fence](https://smg.widen.net/content/ozd3w2uoqk/jpeg/maingardentoolsimage.jpg?crop=false&position=c&q=30&u=vedgwv&w=420)
Feel confident—and have fun—putting your dreams down in the dirt with these important planting tips.
![someone planting basil in a garden](https://smg.widen.net/content/ur4wbldxws/jpeg/Scotts_053014_Planting_Basil-104.jpg?crop=false&position=c&q=30&u=vedgwv&w=420)
Use these simple tips to keep your potted greenery growing strong all season long.
![flowers growing in a steel container](https://smg.widen.net/content/tczxszygka/jpeg/060617_MW_A_0593-593.jpg?crop=false&position=c&q=30&u=vedgwv&w=420)
Growing plants in a raised bed can be a cinch if you know what you're doing. Just follow these easy steps.
![woman holding a watering can next to a garden bed](https://smg.widen.net/content/jrekl1br9f/jpeg/060617_MW_A_2313-504_718x404.jpg?crop=false&position=c&q=30&u=vedgwv&w=420)
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!
![a garden with a "potato" label pitched in-ground](https://smg.widen.net/content/lhpbprh8jo/jpeg/052516_SD_A_2119.jpg?crop=false&position=c&q=30&u=vedgwv&w=420)
Here’s how to tell whether harvest time has finally arrived—and what to do if it has.
![a man harvesting vegetables with a tray](https://smg.widen.net/content/tfim90id0k/jpeg/052516_SD_A_1988.jpg?crop=false&position=c&q=30&u=vedgwv&w=420)
Plan ahead to have plenty of fresh produce for flavourful meals, all winter long.
![a strainer in a bowl with beans and ice](https://smg.widen.net/content/xxqp2wcts2/jpeg/iStock-841879948_0.jpg?crop=false&position=c&q=30&u=vedgwv&w=420)
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.
![dried tomatoes](https://smg.widen.net/content/bjjj0r1ijp/jpeg/iStock-488404838_0.jpg?crop=false&position=c&q=30&u=vedgwv&w=420)
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.
![vegetables in jars of water](https://smg.widen.net/content/kaovyr7rn6/jpeg/102618_Bylined_photo_16751.jpg?crop=false&position=c&q=30&u=vedgwv&w=420)
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!
![potatoes dug up in a garden](https://smg.widen.net/content/u24obsxkab/jpeg/markus-spiske-h-CGKH94oIs-unsplash.jpg?crop=false&position=c&q=30&u=vedgwv&w=420)