October 5, 2024

KMCKrell

Taste the Home & Environment

A Beginner’s Guide to Starting a Garden

A Beginner’s Guide to Starting a Garden

The days are starting to get longer, and the sun is shining a bit more… 

which has us ready to start spending more time outside. We’ve shared Shea’s gardening tips and the McGee’s garden must-haves in the past, and now we’re sharing the steps needed to get your own summer garden started. Spring is officially here, which means it’s the perfect time to start dreaming up ideas and plans for your garden – there’s nothing better than making a salad with ingredients from your own yard, or clipping flowers from your garden. 

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A Beginner’s Guide to Starting a Garden

Planning 

As you start to plan your garden, consider your space and how you will utilize it. How much space do you have and how much of that can be allotted to the garden? Which sorts of plants will you want – are you hoping to have a floral cutting garden, vegetables and herbs for all your summer salads, or a little bit of both? Before you make the final selections on the seeds and plants you’d like to use, be sure to check your zone and the amount of light your garden will need. Once you’ve thought through these logistics, put your ideas to paper. Sketch out the measurements you need for a planting bed, or building a garden box, and measure out each plant and the amount of space they need to grow. Some can be planted close together, like zinnias, but other plants need more space and cages, such as peonies and tomatoes. Once the schematics are laid out, think about your soil – will you need topsoil brought in? Will the soil you have in your yard need amendments to ensure your plants get the nutrients they need? Taking the time to organize and prep the garden can feel daunting, but taking it one step at a time will ensure your garden will produce all season long, and you can enjoy all the delicious and beautiful results of your hard work! 

Terrain

Pollinator Garden Seed Set

Terrain

Salad Seed Starting

Terrain

Hudson Valley Seed Collection

Williams Sonoma

Wooden Herb Plant Stakes

McGee & Co.

Brass Garden Tags (Set of 4)

Williams Sonoma

Blue & White Ceramic Plant Markers

A Beginner’s Guide to Starting a Garden

Tools & Supplies 

A green thumb is thankfully not a required talent here, and so much can be learned along the way! Simple gardening tools will ensure success; a small shovel, a watering can or hose, some gloves and you’re set. Of course, with all that time in the sun, a hat is a must, and we love an apron for its functional purpose. A fresh set of sharp clippers make picking your flowers, fruits and vegetables a breeze and we love that these are as pretty as they are functional.  

McGee & Co.

Wood Handled Secateurs

Terrain

Haws Traditional Watering Can

McGee & Co.

Gardening Shears

Barebones

Ergonomic Stainless Steel Blade

Williams Sonoma

Crossback Chambray Apron

Cuyana

Wide Brim Summer Hat

Williams Sonoma

Professional Series Coil Garden Hose

Williams Sonoma

Sophie Conran Digging Spade

Pottery Barn

Soaker Watering Hose

Williams Sonoma

Leather Gardening Gloves

Barebones

Walnut Cultivator Tool

Bosmere

Haws Heritage Plastic Sage Green Watering-Can

Barebones

Walnut Square Hoe

Williams Sonoma

Sophie Conran Everyday Gardening Gloves

A Beginner’s Guide to Starting a Garden

Pots & accessories  

Half the fun of a garden is the accessories that go along with it. The basket from the outdoor collection is the perfect piece for bringing in all your cuttings or carrying your fresh vegetables from garden to grill. If you don’t have the space for a formal garden, you can plant in pots and sprinkle them around your yard. Pick a few of your favorite herbs and grow them by your kitchen window to bring the outdoors in and enjoy the scents in your home all season long.  

McGee & Co.

Terracotta Outdoor Planter

McGee & Co.

Olya Cement Planter

McGee & Co.

Jahi Rattan Drypot

McGee & Co.

Handled Basket

Terrain

Gardener Teak Potting Station

McGee & Co.

Rattan Gardening Tray

McGee & Co.

McGee & Co. Terracotta Planter

McGee & Co.

Edene Ceramic Planter

McGee & Co.

McGee & Co. Planter

A Beginner’s Guide to Starting a Garden