Yes, you can grow your own yummy fruits and vegetables!

Once you have discovered your Gardening Style you can begin to plan for the season ahead. I personally use a mixture of vertical gardening, container gardening and raised beds, but I’ve also planted a traditional garden, in long rows, when I have the space. Vegetable gardening for food production and self sufficiency is what it’s all about. Not only will you be able to eat fresh, delicious food straight from the garden, but you will be learning a valuable skill for the future.

Seed Starting Tips –

You can certainly grow your own plants from seed at home. In fact, it is a rewarding hobby that most gardeners enjoy. If this is your first year planting a garden, I recommend getting your plants and seed from a reliable local source – perhaps a farmer’s market or a local nursery. This will let you learn about how specific vegetables grow without the risk of losing seedlings while you learn the tricks.

Some types of seed are easier to grow than others. Good beginner plants are lettuce, peas, and spinach. There is practically no learning curve to growing these vegetables.

Download the Seed starting worksheet to see when you should be planting and setting out some popular vegetables and herbs

See this publication from Purdue University about Starting Seeds Indoors, it will help you get started while you gain some experience. You can also try some of these other ideas in posts from PreparednessMama:

Is Sprouting Chia Seed Worth It? I recently added Chia Seed to my food storage ...
Read More

growing and using chia sprouts | PreparednessMama

Build a 6 X 3 Ft Raised Garden Bed for Cheap I've been busy at ...
Read More

Build a raised garden bed for around $12 | PreparednessMama

Can You Grow Quinoa Plants From the Grocery Store Seeds? Today I set out to ...
Read More

See if you can grow quinoa where you live | PreparednessMama

You Can Grow Your Own Ginger Fresh ginger is almost always on my grocery list, ...
Read More

You can grow grocery store ginger with these 8 tips in hand | PreparednessMama

Seed Self-Reliance This year I grew Mortgage Lifter tomatoes, an heirloom variety known for its ...
Read More

How to save heirloom tomato seeds using the fermentation process | PreparednessMama

Take a Photo Tour of My June Garden Welcome to the garden tour, we're glad ...
Read More

Garden success and failure in Central Texas garden zone 8b. | PreparednessMama

Get a Jump on Your Spring Planting Schedule It's the time of year to think ...
Read More

Download the Last Frost Date Planting Worksheet and get a jump on your seed starting schedule | PreparednessMama

It's Easier Than You Think to Have a Fall Garden Fall is one of the ...
Read More

$Starting seeds for the fall garden is easier than you think. Find our my strategy in this tutorial \ PreparednessMama$

Taking the Mystery Out of N-P-k Every gardener wants to have the best yield possible, but ...
Read More

The guide to garden fertilizers. Understanding N-P-K | PreparednessMama

A Garden Is a Terrible Thing to Waste. Congratulations, you've decided to grow a large ...
Read More

6 Tips for Gardening Success, part of #OrganicHarvest15 | PreparednessMama

19 Foods That You Can Regrow From Scraps. Ever the frugal gardener, I'm trying new ...
Read More

Have you ever tried food scrap gardening? Save this handy infographic for later and bring the sumer garden into your kitchen all winter long | PreparednessMama

A Natural Rooting Hormone Update from the archives: I have recently learned that while spring ...
Read More

Make DIY Willow Water Rooting Hormone | PreparednessMama

From the 1954 Girl Scout Handbook I was a Girl Scout as a youth. I ...
Read More

The home gardener badge from the 1954 Girl Scout Handbook. Could you earn it? | PreparednessMama

Count on Years of Healthy, Fresh Fruit We all know that fruit is good for ...
Read More

3 easy to grow edibles for any garden | PreparednessMama

The Simple Milk Jug Can Work Wonders in Your Garden I’m putting together a new ...
Read More

5 Ways to recycle a milk jug in the garden | PreparednessMama

Get Your 2015 Garden Started Right With Organic, Heirloom, Non-GMO Seeds! Organic seed is healthier for ...
Read More

Why we use organic heirloom seeds | PreparednessMama |

Drying and Saving Seeds for Long Term Storage It is the end of the seed ...
Read More

DIY Seed Vault - Learn how to save seeds for at least 10 years | PreparednessMama

The Mix & Match Guide to Companion Planting by Josie Jeffery Do You Envision a ...
Read More

Companion planting the Mix & Match way | PreparednessMama

Harvest the Rain - Passive Water Collection in Your Yard Did you know that for ...
Read More

10 Drought Buster Gardening Strategies | PreparednessMama

Learn to Test Old Seeds and Save Them the Right Way Every year my seed ...
Read More

How to test old seeds for viability | PreparednessMama

DIY Mini Milk Jug Greenhouses Have you been dreaming of spring seedlings and summer gardens, ...
Read More

Planting Tips for Cool Weather Crops

What Are the Cool Weather Crops? These are plants that can be set out in the garden before the first frost date. They will not be bothered by a bit of frost on their leaves. Some actually require the cool weather to get a good start and most do not like the long hot summer days of August.

You might also consider starting your seeds indoors to get a good start on the plants before they are set outside.

Even if You Can't Plant a Garden Right Now You Can Grow Microgreens It's easy to grow Microgreens Winter is ...
Read More

Bring the Garden Into Your Kitchen with Microgreens

Container Gardening Is Perfect for Big Potato YieldsFor many, a limited garden means you have a limited choice of what ...
Read More

Grow potatoes in containers | PreparednessMama

Creative Ways for Growing Potatoes in Containers

Pre Sprouting Potatoes Is Called Chitting or Greening I love potatoes, especially fingerlings. The organic ones are pretty spendy though, ...
Read More

Chitting is an old fashioned word for pre sprouting potatoes. Get a jump on growing your potato crop | PreparednessMama

Are You Chitting Me? Preparing Seed Potatoes for Planting

Growing Cilantro – The Cut and Come Again Method. Growing cilantro from seed is the only way to frugally get ...
Read More

Growing Cilantro – The Cut and Come Again Method

This year I am experimenting with small space gardening in my less than ideal yard, and I've promised not to ...
Read More

Yes Mom, You Can Grow Potatoes in a Laundry Basket

Overcoming Rocky Ground This year in eager anticipation of my new garden being tilled, I purchased Red Lasoda seed potatoes ...
Read More

Try your hand at growing potatoes in grow bags. Easy to control the soil and watering requirements | PreparednessMama

Potatoes in Grow Bags: A Surprising Solution to Rocky Soil

Learn How to Use Row Covers, Cloches, Cold Frames and Hoop Houses for Frost Protection in Your Fall Garden. You ...
Read More

Learn how to use row covers, cloches, cold frames and hoop houses for frost protection in your fall garden. Maximize the harvest with these frugal ideas | PreparednessMama

Maximize Your Harvest with Frost Protection

For Around $10 You Can Grow Fresh Salad Fixings to Harvest for Months We are eating salads most every night now ...
Read More

Grow Salads in Pots & Tubs

Get a Jump on Your Spring Planting Schedule It's the time of year to think about starting your seeds, but how ...
Read More

Last Frost Date Planting Worksheet

Here's a Handy List of Cool Weather Crops for Your Fall Garden It's almost here - the fall crispness will ...
Read More

It's time to plant cool weather crops | PreparednessMama

20 Cool Weather Crops To Start Right Now

Use the Cut and Come Again Method to Have Green Onions All Season Long Onions are such a versatile vegetable ...
Read More

Grow Onions in Containers

Grow Your Own Kale and Preserve It I recently re-discovered kale. Its been on my radar for a while now, ...
Read More

Growing & preserving kale | PreparednessMama

Rethinking That Whole Kale Thing

For $3.49 You Can Have Have Green Onions Every Day I really like onions and one of my favorite quick ...
Read More

Grow green onions on your deck and save a bunch of money | PreparednessMama

Grow Green Onions on Your Patio

Go Ahead! Purchase Your Bare Root Trees This Winter Part of my garden plan for the new homestead is to ...
Read More

Heeling In Bare Root Trees

Nutrition in Your Windowsill I came across a cool gardening idea last year and I think it’s the perfect answer ...
Read More

Grow Microgreens

Variety is the Spice of Life. Fall will soon be in the air. The leaves will start to fly and our ...
Read More

Five Reasons to Grow Garlic | PreparednessMama

Five Reasons to Grow Your Own Garlic

What Are the Warm Weather Crops?

These plants DO NOT like the cold. Even a bit of frost will stunt their growth or kill them. Have you ever seen a tomato once the last frost hits it? You do not want that to happen to your spring planting! Warm weather fruits include all melons – cantaloupe, watermelon, etc.

$Warm Weather Crops \ PreparednessMama$