Gardening can be a very rewarding hobby, even for those of us without the greenest of thumbs. It’s a very rewarding feeling to plant something, see it grow, and then be able to consume the fruits of your harvest. It’s even more rewarding to know that you didn’t spend a whole lot of money making the garden actually happen. However most of us don’t take the time to plant our own gardens and instead rely on the local grocery store. Creating your own small garden is a great way to get fresh fruits, vegetables, and herbs and not spend a whole lot of money in the process. Here’s how you can start your very own basic garden, even if you’ve never planted anything in your life!

Start Small – If you live in an apartment, you probably don’t have a whole lot of space, so you won’t be able to have a large garden. If you have a house, you should start small either way so you don’t bite off more than you can chew. Start out with something simple, maybe some strawberries or a tomato plant in a window. Get some basic pots and put your plants in a window that gets some natural light.

Don’t Diversify At First – Start out with a few different plans, not more than three or four. Decide which vegetables you enjoy the most, and start out by planting those. This way things don’t get too complicated and your vegetables re very easy to tend.

Choose The Right Spot – If you have a room with an open window that has some room for potted plants, this is the place to put your garden. If you’re not that lucky, a lamp with a few natural light bulbs will do a decent enough job at making up for a lack of sunlight.

Choose Good Soil and Worms – You can re-use the same soil for years if you get good quality product to begin with. Take a quick trip to the gardening store and tell them what you’re doing, they’ll recommend a soil that will work out well for you. You’ll want to get a couple of worms for each of your pots as well. They’ll be able to break down some of the organic material in your pot so that the plants can more easily absorb the nutrients.

Get The Right Pot – Do some quick looking online and make sure that you get the right pot for the vegetables that you want to plant. Each vegetable does better in certain types of pots, so make sure that you get one that will go well with the vegetables that you are planting.

Water on a Schedule – Determine how much water the plants you have need, and create a watering schedule. A Google search will tell you how much water your plants will need to grow properly. If you have a balcony in your apartment, or have a house, collect rain-water to water your plants with.

Have Fun Doing It – Gardening will take a little bit of effort, but it will be very rewarding. You’ll learn a new talent and enjoy having a nice collection of fruits and vegetables when the time to harvest comes about.