Growing your own garden can provide many benefits like relieving stress, spending quality time with family, and saving money. Gardening is a fun activity that teaches children healthy eating habits while enjoying the outdoors. Whether you have a large backyard or small patio space, there are garden options like above ground gardens, potted plants, or indoor vegetable plants near a window. Easy starter plants, herbs, and homemade fertilizers and pesticides allow first-time gardeners to enjoy fresh, organic produce without harmful chemicals. With a little planning on plant types and harvest times, anyone can successfully start their own garden.

1. ENJOYING THE FRUITS OF
YOUR LABOR

2. Starting Your Own Garden is Fun
and Healthy
• Gardening is a great way to relieve stress.
• Planting and caring for a garden can be fun for
the whole family.
• Growing your own vegetables can save money
and timely trips to the store.
• No harmful pesticides and fertilizers.

3. “There can be no
other occupation
like gardening in
which, if you
were to creep up
behind someone
at their work, you
would find them
smiling.”
~Mirabel Osler

4. Vegetable gardens can teach children about
healthy eating habits while they have fun outside.

5. Finding the right spot
Where to Start?
Be sure to
find a place
with lots of
sun that is
accessible to
water.

6. Above ground gardens can be very
useful in areas with poor soil
conditions.

7. Potted
gardens
are ideal
for people
with a
small
backyard
or patios.

8. For those without any backyard or
patio some vegetables can be grown
indoors. Tomatoes, spinach and
peppers work great by a sunny
window. While these plants will
produce a smaller yield, gardeners
can still expect the same great taste.
Source

9. What types of vegetables to
grow
First time gardeners should start
out with plants that require less
experience. Often times amateur
gardeners will get frustrated and quit
when plants don’t grow.
Easy plants to grow

10. Planting Herbs
Alongside vegetables, growing herbs can be helpful
not only for flavor but can be used as a natural
guard against bugs.
• Basil - fly and mosquito repellent
• Sage - deters insect pests
• Mint - repels flies, fleas, mice, rats and ants
• Wormwood - repels moths, slugs, and flies
Source

11. Homemade Fertilizers
Avoid harmful
chemicals in
store bought
fertilizers.
Create your
own out of
food waste
such as
banana peels,
coffee grounds
and even dog
food.
Recipes

12. Organic Pesticides
Insects such as bees will help
pollinate the vegetable garden but many
insects will cause damage to the plant if
left untreated. Using chemicals is
expensive and can be harmful if
ingested. Use organic methods such as
watered down dish soap to combat
pests.
Useful recipes for pest
control

13. Different
plants have
varying
harvest
times. A taste
test is a great
way to
determine if
your crop is
ready.
Harvesting the Garden

14. Creating a vegetable garden can be
rewarding for many reasons. Fresh,
inexpensive and organic produce will be in
the backyard all summer long. Gardening
gives many people a good reason to be
outside. Involving children will teach them
better eating habits and responsibility. The
only thing left to do is find someone to
share with.