First time gardeners face a list of choices that can be somewhat daunting at first. Where to begin? What do I plant? What tools do I need? (and on and on…) But if taken a step at a time and prioritized correctly, the process can be streamlined quite a bit.

I’d like to give a few pointers here on some general priorities for people who are looking for direction.

Do’s and Don’ts

Location is one of the first concerns. Make sure it is a sunny space that receives at least six hours of sunlight per day, or more, without any major obstructions. The placement should be as close as possible to your house or kitchen to make it more likely to use the space for growing and make it easier to move produce from the garden to the house. But don’t locate it close to the house at the cost of sun exposure. Think about how close it is to your water source as well. The closer to a main water spigot, the less walking and hose lengths for you over the season.

Drainage is something to look at as you decide the site location. Gardening is harder on a hillside or on undulating ground, although it can work. You should preferably choose a flat site with good drainage around it, where it won’t get too waterlogged or too dry.

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