01. Your Soil's Health should be Your Number One Concern. If the soil in your garden is healthy, then nature will meet you the other half of the way to produce tasty fruits and vegetables. As a gardener, having mineral-rich, moist soil should be your top priority.
02. Opt for heirloom seeds.
When we go to the grocery store, there is usually only one type of basil, a few types of tomatoes, etc., but in reality, there are infinite varietals of fruits and veggies for your taste buds to discover. Consider working with a seed savers exchange to plant heirloom varietals of basil, tomatoes, corn, etc. You'll be amazed by the vast range of scents, flavors, and textures, plus you'll be doing the planet good by increasing biodiversity.
03. Start With Easy Seeds Cucumbers, tomatoes, carrots, and beets are the easiest veggies to grow first. They are as close to foolproof as gardening gets. 04. Set Up a Seedlings Station Squirrels and other pests may dig up and eat seeds before they have a chance to germinate. That's why it's important to plant seed starters. Tomatoes, basil, and nasturtium are the easiest to "start." 05. How to Conserve Water Especially during the Summer when droughts are almost a given, many farmers and gardeners are working with deep root irrigation. This system sends the water directly to the roots so no surface water is lost to evaporation. The benefits? You'll end up using only a fourth the amount of water you typically would, and by feeding the roots only, it prevents weeds from growing on the surface of the soil. 06. Corn, Squash, and Beans Complement Each Other
Companion planting in the same plot has a myriad of benefits, including choking out weeds, deterring pests, and adding rich nutrients (like nitrogen) to the soil for a more bountiful harvest. 07. Cover Leafy Greens Though we tend to think leafy greens love the sun, some more delicate greens like lettuce and chard struggle to withstand high heat and must be covered during Summer month. 08. Squash Is a Nitrogen Sucker If your soil has too much nitrogen, plant squash, which sucks up a lot of nitrogen when growing. 09. Lavender Is a Natural Pest Controller Many insects (excluding bees) and deer detest the scent of lavender. Plant it around your garden as a natural pest repellent. 10. Cross-Pollination Can Happen Easily If your plants ever accidentally cross-pollinate (like two different pepper varietals create a hybrid pepper), simply dig up the cross-pollinated plant and transfer it to a remote location in the garden to prevent further accidental cross-pollination. Save the plant, because you never know if you've discovered a really delicious, rare varietal.
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