Are you thinking about growing your own garden this year? We’ve put together some helpful tips for gardening prep, from starting seeds indoors to planting your seedlings in the soil outside.

It’s hard to think of a hobby more rewarding than gardening. You get to spend some time outside in the beautiful weather and enjoy the fruits of your labour in the form of fresh and healthy produce. Whether you have gardened before and are just looking for some new tips or it’s your first time gardening, this guide can help you get a successful start to the growing season.

Starting Seeds Indoors

Many seeds have a hard time sprouting when planted directly into the garden soil, especially if temperatures aren’t warm enough for them. While you can purchase starter plants from your local garden centre, you can also start the seeds indoors in small containers filled with a seed-starting soil mix. Starting plants from seeds is a much more affordable option.

If you do choose to start your seeds indoors, then the best location for your seedlings would be a south-facing and un-shaded windowsill. Alternatively or in addition to placing your seedlings on a windowsill, you can mount fluorescent grow lights over the containers. The location also needs to be relatively warm, about 20 C or warmer, and you’ll have to water the containers regularly to keep the soil moist.

Selecting a Location for Your Garden

While your seeds are sprouting, choose a location to start your garden. The ideal spot will receive at least six hours of sunlight each day, though eight hours of daily sunlight is best for energy-hungry warm season plants such as tomatoes, melons, eggplants, and peppers. Having some kind of fencing or hedges on the western side of your garden plot will help protect your plants from damaging winds and even provide some protection against hail. The area you choose should also be well-drained so that it isn’t prone to flooding.

Preparing the Garden Soil

Garden soil needs to have enough nutrients to sustain plant growth. It also needs to be porous enough to allow roots to grow healthy and strong. Start by removing any grass from your chosen area using a garden fork. Then, using the same fork or a shovel, turn the patch of soil down to a depth of roughly 30 cm, removing any roots you find. Once finished, cover your newly turned soil with about two to three centimetres of compost to give it a nutrient boost.

Transplanting Your Seedlings

You’ll know your seedlings are ready for transplanting when they have at least two sets of true leaves. Before being planted outside, however, they need to be “hardened off.” The process of hardening off seedlings involves exposing them to the outside before actually planting them. On the first day, leave your seedlings outside for about an hour, increasing the time by an hour each day.

After a week, your seedlings should be hardy enough for transplanting. Planting your nursery is best done on a cool, overcast day to minimize stress. Use a spade, hoe, or trowel to dig a hole for each seedling that is the same depth as its container, but twice as wide. Unpot the seedlings by turning the container on its side and sliding the plant and its root ball out. Place it in the hole you have created and infill any remaining space with soil, gently patting it down.

Once your seedlings are successfully transplanted, all you have to do is keep tending to them and watch them grow. With just a bit of your time and effort, you’ll be rewarded with an abundant harvest of delicious, home-grown produce.