Growing up in the 90’s was awesome. Now that I’m in my 30’s I find myself looking back to that period feeling so nostalgic, missing the simple times. Now that I’m a wife and mom – & especially after the shock/stress/craziness of the past few years – I realized, there’s a lot I DON’T know when it comes to homemaking, cooking, self sufficiency, etc. Which brings me to the downside of the 90’s – the convenience era. TV dinners, tv shows, fast food and other unhealthy instant convenient items and lifestyle shifts have stripped us from learning how to do basic skills that benefit our family, save us money, and give us crucial knowledge. Learning these homesteading and homemaking skills have become a priority in my life. I certainly don’t blame my mother or grandmother’s for not teaching me these things, but I sure wish they had!
There’s no time like the present so we’re learning all the things NOW!
Gardening, baking bread, sourdough, recipes from scratch, sewing, herbs, homemade non toxic household cleaning items..there’s so much we can learn. We’re going to start with gardening. This was the first homesteading task I started with and it has brought so much fulfillment and fun to our family. It can feel a little overwhelming – not knowing where to start, what to plant first, how to keep the plants alive.. it can be a little daunting. But, once you get the basics down the rest comes naturally.
Know Your Zone
So what do you do first? Find your zone. What is a zone? According to the USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map, a zone is, “the standard by which gardeners and growers can determine which plants are most likely to thrive at a location.” You can find your zone simply by googling. In doing so you’ll find out when it’s best to plant something and what perennial plants will thrive & survive in your location.
For example, if I’m wanting to plant cucumbers but not sure WHEN the best time would be- I can simply look up something along the lines of “when to plant cucumbers in garden zone 7a,” which then will tell me it’s best to plant them in the warmer seasons- anywhere from May-June. Thanks to the internet, this information is at our fingertips and can help us start a flourishing garden!
Soil
So we know our zone, now what? This one isn’t a non-negotiable, but it certainly helps if you plan to take your garden seriously and avoid mistakes. Soil provides plants with minerals and nutrients to help it grow – so it makes sense that we need to know its consistency and what kind of soil we’re working with. For example, if the soil is too loose, it may be difficult for the plant to hold onto water, leading to dry out.
The common types of soil are: Sandy, Loam, and Clay.
If you decide to have a garden bed, this won’t affect you as much since you’ll most likely be purchasing soil and/or compost to create a healthy home for your plants.
Start SMALL
This is something I did NOT do in my first summer season of gardening. Let’s just say I definitely learned from it. If there’s 2 pieces of advice I can offer it’s:
1. Start SMALL &
2. Only grow vegetables/fruit that you will actually eat
I got a little too excited and decided to grow ALL the things.. okra, corn, eggplant, tomatoes, mint, bell peppers, cucumbers, jalapeños, zucchini, carrots, potatoes..I mean it was a little ridiculous. I ended up overcrowding my garden space, a lot of vegetables died or didn’t produce nearly as much as I’d hoped for, I had little to no knowledge of how to help these plants thrive, and half of it we didn’t even eat! So if you are wanting to start a vegetable/herb/fruit garden, start small. Get a few of your favorite seed packets, and start growing them (indoors if it’s before your last frost date, or outdoors if after). You’ll also want to learn about what it is that you’re growing. A few things I always make a point to research before planting is:
– When is the best time to plant
– How to plant (ie. how deep do the seeds need to be planted in the ground)
– What kind of care it needs
– Does it do well with a companion plant? (ie. Bell peppers do well being planted next to cucumbers!)
– How often it needs watering
– When & how to harvest
So there you have it! The 3 tips I wish someone would have shared with me when I decided to start our family garden. If you’re thinking about starting a garden, what do you want to grow? Let me know in the comments and be sure to follow along on Instagram @Honestlymommin for more of our homesteading endeavors!
