Garden Success Begins on Day One
March 25, 2025

Garden Success Begins on Day One

Starting a garden from seed can be incredibly intimidating. How do I plan a garden? How do I choose what to plant? How do I start the seeds on my own? How do I transplant seedlings? Fertilizing? Pest control? Does it make you want just to quit or not try at all? Don’t worry! Once you get the hang of starting seeds, it will feel like second nature. I’m here to walk you through planning, installing, maintaining, and harvesting a garden from seed to produce. This month’s article will focus on the planning steps and how to start seeds at home. 


Before we hop into planning the garden, take a moment to understand which growing zone you live in. The USDA has a great interactive map tool where you can type in your zip code and see precisely what you’re working with. Go there first and take note of the number it gives you. That will come in handy throughout this process.


  1. Select a Site and Size

Okay, so you’ve decided you want to plant a garden. First, you must determine where you can grow it and how big it will be. If this is your first time planting a garden (or the first time in a long time), I suggest starting small the first year and slowly expanding each year as desired. A typical garden bed is 3-4 feet wide and 6-8 feet long. This size is big enough to plant larger plants but small enough to be weeded from all sides easily. I recommend starting with 1-3 beds. Don’t expect to totally replace your family’s produce needs in the first season. 


Wherever you choose to plant your garden, you want to ensure that the entire planting area gets at LEAST 6 hours of direct sunlight each day, but ideally, it will get more like 8-12 hours. Vegetable garden plants need a lot of sunlight. Measure out the garden and draw a rough scale model on paper. 


If you have a small yard or are not allowed to plant in the ground, you can use containers! Container gardening is a great way to garden without having a traditional garden bed. If you will be container gardening, determine where you can put the containers so they will get enough sun and how many containers you can use.

 

The last consideration is to ensure you have a good water supply wherever you plant. Don’t plan a garden farther away from a water source than your hose can reach. Carrying watering cans back and forth all summer will get old very fast.


  1. Choose Seeds

Now you have a rough idea of the size and shape of a garden in mind. What will you plant? The first question to ask yourself is, “What will you eat?” This might seem obvious, but you’d be surprised how many gardeners plant tomatoes who don’t like to eat tomatoes. So, make a list of typical produce you eat from the grocery store weekly or monthly. Then, ask yourself how much you usually eat of those items and if you can preserve any excess harvest. Do you have freezer space? Do you have a canner? A vacuum sealer? Even if you like corn, don’t plant a 6x10 block of it if you cannot preserve the excess. Lastly, consider if you want to grow only food or if you want to grow flowers too. Flowers can be a great source of natural pest control and beauty to add to the garden.


Once you have considered these points, you can cross-reference that information with what zone you live in and how much space you have available to nail down a list of plants you want to grow. I recommend looking up the plants you want to grow in books like True Leaf Market’s Vegetable Growing Guide to determine what zones the plants grow in and how much space they need when they mature. It is tough to do this the first time, but each year, it gets easier and easier.  It is hard to be more specific than this because everyone’s growing zone, garden size, and needs are different. If you have any questions about this process, feel free to email me.


If you’re looking for a variety of high-quality seeds to work with, I highly recommend Legacy Food Storage’s seed assortments. I know for certain they are high-quality seeds that come from top-notch suppliers. It is a great way to purchase a variety of seeds whether you start your gardening journey now or want to have them on hand for emergencies.



  1. Start Seeds

Starting seeds comes down to creating the right environment. Once you have decided which plants to grow, it should be easy to find out when and how they should be planted. Some seeds can be planted directly in the soil of your garden or container. Other plants will recommend starting indoors several weeks before the last frost in your area. If that is the case, you will need the following:

-Small pots or cells to plant in (these come in many forms)

-A germination mix such as coconut coir or another sterile growing medium. Avoid using outdoor soil.

-Heat mats (keeping a warm soil temperature is critical for healthy seedling development)

-Grow lights (oftentimes, the light from a windowsill is not quite enough to make vigorous seedlings)

-Water and watering can.

 

Plant the seeds in the pots as deep as the seed packet recommends and keep them consistently moist until they germinate. The first two leaves to emerge will be called cotyledons. When the next pair of leaves (“true leaves”) develops, fertilize the seedlings with a light, balanced liquid fertilizer. For more detailed information about the seed-starting process, I love the PDF the University of New Hampshire released.


  1. Prepare the Garden Bed

While you are waiting for the seeds to germinate and grow, this is the best time to prepare the growing area. It is critical to have fertile, well-drained soil. Adding high-quality compost to the planting area is one of the best ways to accomplish this. Stay tuned for a beginner's guide to composting in the future! There are many methods for starting a new garden bed, but they all come down to loosening up the soil, improving the texture, removing unwanted plants and debris, and adding nutrients. For more information on lasagna gardening, check out Cornell’s extension website. You can also rent a rototiller and add compost the old-fashioned way. Containers are easy; just make sure you choose high-quality potting soil. I also recommend getting a soil test done before planting your garden. You can often contact your local extension office for free or cheap soil tests. If you live in Michigan like me, ordering is very easy and fast!

 

  1. Harden Off Seedlings

The last thing you need to do before planting your seedlings outdoors is to harden them off. This means acclimating the sprouts to outdoor conditions gradually. I like to have my seedlings on a flat, portable surface. I have used methods such as the top of a Rubbermaid storage container, a quarter sheet of plywood, and a rolling cart. Whatever you have available, be sure you can move your seedling inside and outside with relative ease. Start by putting your seedlings outside for just an hour or two on the first day. Gradually increase the time they spend outdoors until they have spent at least one whole night outside before planting. I like to take two weeks to do this, but you should take at least 7 days. Doing this is critical for avoiding transplant shock. Always move the seedlings inside if temperatures are supposed to dip below 50 F, even at night.


If you have followed this guide, you should have (or be on your way to having) a group of healthy seedlings ready to be planted outside as soon as the last frost date in your area has passed. Congratulations! If you have any questions, contact me, and I’d be happy to discuss them. Next month, I will outline how to transplant seedlings into the garden and how to kick off the growing season right with early-season care and maintenance.





About The Author: 

Lara Wadsworth is a freelance horticulture writer with a Bachelor's degree in Horticulture and over three years of experience creating engaging content about gardening and plant care. As a wife, mom, and dog lover, Lara understands the importance of balancing a busy life with a thriving garden. She values practical advice and effective strategies that empower beginners and experienced gardeners alike to grow with confidence. Through her writing, she aims to inspire others to enjoy the rewards of gardening, no matter their skill level. You can email her at larar09@gmail.com.

 

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