{"id":316,"date":"2025-04-25T11:06:48","date_gmt":"2025-04-25T09:06:48","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/thesketchyhouse.com\/?p=316"},"modified":"2025-04-25T12:11:25","modified_gmt":"2025-04-25T10:11:25","slug":"starting-your-garden-as-a-beginner-what-i-learned-from-growing-tomatoes-strawberries-and-one-butternut","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/thesketchyhouse.com\/index.php\/2025\/04\/25\/starting-your-garden-as-a-beginner-what-i-learned-from-growing-tomatoes-strawberries-and-one-butternut\/","title":{"rendered":"Starting Your Garden as a Beginner: What I Learned From Growing Tomatoes, Strawberries, and One Butternut"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

I\u2019m no gardener. Like, really<\/em> not. Which came as a bit of a shock to me, honestly. See, my parents are both quite good at this sort of thing. They\u2019ve renovated a couple of houses, almost from scratch, and they have a massive garden they share with friends \u2014 it looks like a professional setup. So I kind of assumed I\u2019d be good at it too. Gardening, renovating, all the wholesome grown-up stuff.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Turns out\u2026 nope.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Last year, when planting season rolled around, I realized I knew very little. I don\u2019t know why I was so surprised, but I was. I thought it would come naturally \u2014 like some kind of inherited superpower. But gardening isn\u2019t magic. It takes time, and care, and knowing what you\u2019re doing (which I absolutely did not).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

So here are a few beginner-friendly tips \u2014 from someone who\u2019s still figuring it out, and messing it up with love.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Start Small (Really Small)<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Even if you have a garden, don\u2019t go big straight away. A single planter on a windowsill or balcony is already a win. Last month, I got a planter from Lidl and it made me so<\/em> happy. We planted basil, parsley, radish, and \u2014 for fun \u2014 a single garlic clove to see what would happen.
Last year, we planted strawberries. They did great \u2014 but the slugs thought so too and ate most of them. So, a few weeks ago, I replanted them in a fabric pot and placed it on a table, safely out of the slugs\u2019 way. I wasn\u2019t feeling too optimistic, but now our strawberries are in bloom, and it feels magical. Manageable magic.
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Use What You Have<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

“Use what you have” is my motto. You need a few tools\u2026 but not necessarily proper<\/em> tools. No need for a shopping spree. I personally use my son\u2019s gardening tools \u2014 because he has some and I don\u2019t. And honestly? They do the job just fine.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Don\u2019t Forget to Water (You Will Forget to Water)<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

It\u2019s easy to forget, especially when the excitement of planting wears off. Try setting a reminder on your phone, or making it part of your routine \u2014 like checking the weather or having your coffee. Your plants will thank you, silently. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

My indoor plants are close to the kitchen, so I leave a spray bottle on the counter, a pretty spray bottle I bought from my nephew’s school fundraising sale. A cute reminder to keep the plants hydrated.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n

<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Plant What You\u2019ll Enjoy<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

This might sound obvious, but it makes a big difference. Whether it\u2019s something you\u2019ll actually use \u2014 like herbs you cook with \u2014 or something that just makes you happy to look at, grow what you love. Personally, I don\u2019t care for roses. I prefer wildflowers and useful plants. There was already thyme growing in our garden when we moved in, and last year we added mint \u2014 an easy one, too<\/em> easy, actually. It spreads, so maybe keep it in a pot. Learn from me. At this rate, I could make mint tea for the whole neighborhood.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

My son loves raspberries, so we invested in a raspberry plant as soon as we moved in. It even produced a couple of fruits last year, which felt like a major win. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

My mother also came last spring and planted a few leftover plants from their garden. While we did get a few tomatoes, I couldn\u2019t help but feel we could\u2019ve done better \u2014 maybe it was a bit too much for beginners like us. We just didn\u2019t have the reflex to check on them enough.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Oh, and we had a butternut \u2014 just a single butternut.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Think About the Bees (and Less Grass to Mow)<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

When you’re planning your garden, don’t forget the bees! They play a huge role in pollination, so try planting some flowers that attract them. Don\u2019t cut everything down, and try planting flowers. We have wild strawberries popping up all over the place. While they\u2019re not the tastiest, they stay low to the ground and, honestly, keeping them means less grass to cut. Plus, the bees seem to love them, so it\u2019s a win-win. It’s a small, easy way to contribute to the environment while keeping things manageable in your garden.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Accept the Learning Curve<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

As you can see, I\u2019m still learning. Our first harvest was minimal, but every little sprout felt like a win. Gardening isn\u2019t about instant results. It\u2019s slow, kind of messy, and deeply satisfying once you stop expecting perfection.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\n\n\n\n

If you\u2019re a beginner too, you\u2019re not alone. And if you\u2019re using your kid\u2019s spade to plant garlic in a recycled yogurt pot \u2014 you\u2019re still gardening. It counts.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Side note: A few days ago, we spotted a hedgehog in our garden. I\u2019m really hoping it sticks around and helps keep the slugs away. Fingers crossed!
<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n

<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

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