Start Your Own Edible Garden

Lesson 1

Why Grow Your Own Garden?

The first lesson will begin by discussing the many great benefits of growing your own food. You'll discover why food from your garden is likely to have more nutrients than the food you can purchase from the grocery store, and then learn about ways to keep your costs down and options for designing your garden beds. By the end of the lesson, you'll be prepped and ready to begin planning your own edible garden!

What Should You Grow in Your Garden?

Not sure what you want to plant in your garden? That's good! Because there are lots of practical considerations that you should be aware of before you make that decision. Considerations such as personal taste, time, space, and the local climate will all impact your plant selection. This lesson will discuss what you need to think about before planning your garden, and you'll start to learn the basics about climate zones and the types of plants that grow well in your area.

Preparing Your Garden

In this lesson, you'll look at strategies to keep your garden looking as good as it tastes! You'll begin by considering layout, style, flowers, and all of the little extras that make your garden unique. Then, you'll learn how to prepare your containers, raised beds, and in-ground gardens. The lesson will walk you through the steps of placing, measuring, and building your garden to give your plants a healthy place to grow and thrive. You'll look at some time-saving tips and learn when you should begin preparation and what method might be best for your garden.

Your Garden Soil

A whole lesson devoted to soil! Don't worry—this is actually much more interesting than it sounds. What you learn here will prepare you to create the perfect foundation for your edible garden. You'll examine soil up front, because you'll need to have a good understanding of your garden soil before you begin planting the delicious crops that will be discussed in the upcoming lessons. This lesson will discuss your unique soil type. You'll find out about the drainage, pH, and nutrients in your soil. Finally, you'll learn about soil amendments to create healthy soil that will nourish your garden.

Leafy Greens

Leafy greens are easy to grow, but they can get bitter if you aren't careful. In this lesson, you'll learn how to keep your leafy greens healthy and delicious. The lesson will start with an introduction to some of the varieties you can find and the benefits of each. Then, you'll look at important topics that affect your leafy greens, like bolting and slugs. Finally, you'll learn a technique to extend your growing season that can be applied to lots of vegetables, not just greens—starting your seeds indoors!

Root Vegetables

In this lesson, you'll discover the vegetables that lie beneath the soil. You'll explore different types of these special veggies, including carrots, potatoes, and beets, and then learn how to grow and harvest your crops. Finally, the lesson will show you how to make the perfect seed bed for your root vegetables to flourish.

Vine and Bush Vegetables

In this lesson, you'll take your garden up into the air by exploring vine and bush vegetables. You'll learn about lots of great edible options for adding height to your garden, including beans, peas, and tomatoes. The lesson will discuss important information about heirlooms and hybrids, as well as pests and diseases. Then, you'll explore the many ways that you can support your vertical vines as they grow up!

Fruits and Berries

This lesson will satisfy your sweet tooth as you learn about growing fruits and berries. It will discuss some of your options like apples, grapes, and blueberries, and then cover the specifics of planting, pollination, and pests. You'll also learn about the importance of pruning and how to make a proper cut.

Herbs

This lesson is all about herbs. You'll learn some specifics about herbs, like which ones are invasive and which ones need extra-deep containers to grow well. Then, you'll explore ways to harvest your herbs and still keep them producing. Finally, the lesson will go more in depth about how to grow crops indoors so that you won't have to leave your kitchen to collect your harvest!

Irrigation and Your Garden

Watering has the potential to be one of the most time-consuming parts of caring for your garden. It's often the part that beginning gardeners skimp on or overdo, resulting in a less-than-desirable crop. In this lesson, you'll learn about the various irrigation methods for different types of gardens and consider the best approach for your edible garden.

Collecting Seeds and Preserving Your Harvest

This lesson will talk about ways to use your excess bounty so that it doesn't go to waste. You'll learn how to collect seeds from your crops, which seeds you should collect, and what to expect when you grow them next year. You'll also discover ways to preserve the rest of your harvest through freezing, drying, canning, and pickling so that you can enjoy your surplus later.

End-of-Season Cleanup

Congratulations! You've grown a delicious, nutritious garden, and now it's time to put the garden down for the season. This lesson will discuss how to make sure your garden is properly prepared for the winter and how to get a head start for the spring. You'll also learn how to care for your tools so that your investment will last for many years.