So You Want to Start a Garden
The Workbench’s Gardening Series Part 1

You think you got what it takes? You think you got the green thumb? The charisma, uniqueness, nerve and talent to turn your backyard into a veggie oasis? Into a garden of Eden that will nourish and sustain your body and soul all summer long?

I can tell you right now, you don’t have what it takes. Want to know why? Because no one does! 

Gardening is personally one of my favorite hobbies. When I’m working in the soil, all I can think about are plants, and everything else falls back. Before I know it, hours have passed and I realize I should probably drink some water and take a break before I wear myself out. I grew up gardening with my mom, but when I started gardening on my own, I realized how beneficial this hobby is. I feel pride in what I get out of my garden, and I am able to tune out everything else happening in my life. I get a workout while carrying heavy soil and digging in the dirt for hours. I absorb some much-needed vitamin D while working in the sun (and if you’ve read our past articles, you know how important we believe getting outside is to your health). In the garden, I learn how much nature and our lives are interconnected, and I eat a little more nutritiously when I end up with mountains of veggies that must be consumed!

Okay, we get it. Gardening is amazing and everyone should grow their own food. So why don’t we? My theory (and this is backed up by little to no scientific evidence) is that people don’t realize that gardening is an art form. It’s a skill that grows with you, and it’s nearly impossible to succeed immediately. So, if you are thinking about starting your own garden this year, or if you just want to grow a single tomato plant, the Workbench wants to take that journey with you. Throughout 2024, we are planning multiple articles to walk you through tips and tricks to creating a little green oasis of your own.

THE BEGINNING

Everything looks dead and gray right now outside. It can be hard to imagine all of this snowy muddy mix can be turned into a place full of plants right? But to a gardener, this is the time of research and possibility! Some things to think about:

1. Do some research –

What is your growing culture? The country is divided up into growing zones that help guide gardeners toward what plants will grow successfully where they live. Milwaukee is in growing zones 6a (This has recently changed from zone 5b thanks to global warming). Research which plants grow well in these zones and pick out your favorites. Finding your area’s last frost date (Typically around the end of May, in Milwaukee) will give you a date to start planting outside. The moral of the story is that raspberries are going to grow much better here than mangos.

2. Map out your future space –

Do you have three pots for your garden, or do you want to rip out all of the grass in your backyard? Either way, focus on what you can do with what you have. Pay attention to which  areas of your yard get a lot of sun and at what time. Also, different plants need different types of soil and space (almost all veggie plants like a lot of sun). Pepper plants don’t need a ton of space, but they like it dry and they like it hot, meanwhile, squash plants can get up to 20 ft long! They like the sun, but too much heat can hurt them. Pick your plants based on what your garden space can hold and vice versa.

3. Get some books! –

I love gardening books (maybe a little too much) but I can’t recommend the book Vegetable Gardening in the Midwest enough. The book includes planting guides, common diseases, and harvesting advice for dozens of plants that grow well in the Midwest, along with some tips and tricks to starting a garden and a month-by-month plan for what you should be doing in a garden and when.

4. What do you like to eat? –

This question seems obvious, but oftentimes people get caught up in what should be planted in a garden instead of what they want to get out of it. I hate green beans, but I still grew them for two years! Why? I don’t know! They grew well! But after a while, I ended up with pounds of green beans and nowhere to go. Make a list of veggies, fruits, and herbs you love to eat, and do some research on what makes each plant successful

5. Decide between seedlings and seeds –

the gardener’s yearly dilemma. Seedlings are much sturdier and more likely to succeed, but buying a lot of them is much more expensive than a single pack of seeds. Additionally, purchasing seeds will allow you to grow more interesting varieties of veggies than the basics you can find at a Home Depot. If you are just starting out, seedlings are usually the easiest route and will give you a little more time to plan what you want, but make sure to purchase them from local nurseries (such as Kellners, Plant Land, Baby Mama Botanicals, or any of the dozens of  local growers in the city). Local pollinators prefer local plants and your bugs and seedlings will thank you for it.

5a.

If you are interested in starting seeds, I would recommend starting asap. Look at the instructions of all of your seeds, but many will recommend starting indoors anywhere from two to eight weeks before your last frost date. I recommend getting a seed starting kit that includes a self watering tray, as one of my biggest problems in the past has been watering my seedlings adequately. This seed starting kit includes grow lights and a humidity dome to boost your seed growing power. A heating mat is also recommended to put under the trays to ensure that they are warm and happy.

6. FINALLY –

remember that this might all fail. Who knows? A biblical wave of locusts could come through and devour everything, or you could overwater a plant that hates being over-watered and it dies. It is important to know that every single gardener fails at something every single year. You aren’t going to be 100% successful in this journey (and if you are, please send me an email so I can get some gardening advice). When plants die, it will teach you what not to do next year, and when plants succeed it will force you to eat so much that maybe you get sick of it. Either way, it’s not your fault, it’s just part of becoming a gardener.

*This is the first part of a series The Workbench will be releasing regularly throughout the Spring, Summer and Fall of 2024.