Finally! The days are getting longer and warmer. Soon the trees will bud and it’ll be here before you know it—spring! It’s time to get your garden ready.

Plan It
First and foremost, you need to decide where to put your garden and what’s going in it. Does it need full-sun? Partial shade? Decide what’s you’re going to grow (we know, it’s tough!), figure out how much sun the garden needs, and find the perfect spot in your yard.

Till Your Ground
Now that you know where to start your garden, you need to turn or till the soil. Once it’s tilled, water it generously every day for about two weeks to trigger germination of those pesky weed seeds in the soil. Once they sprout, you can pull them before you plant. This will save you lots of work during the growing season!

Start Seeds Indoors
It’s so much cheaper than buying seedlings from the garden store if you start them yourself. When these little babies are ready to transplant into your garden, use a TP roll to protect them from slugs and other pests that might try and take a bite. Plus hello, you’re recycling!

Use Coffee Grounds
A great way to add much-needed nitrogen to your soil is by adding coffee grounds which naturally contain nitrogen. This will help your veggies grow super strong! Add to your compost pile or directly to the soil itself.

Chamomile Tea
Tea time, anyone? Chamomile tea is used for more than relaxing and unwinding you. Add a spot of it around the base of your seedlings once a week to keep fungus at bay.

Grow Up, Not Out
If you have a small growing space, use trellises and poles to grow your veggies. Plants like cucumbers, pole beans, vine tomatoes, and melons love to climb up, and it will save you precious space. Plus you can grow so much more!

Companion Planting
Planting combos of veggies next to each other can be a great success, they grow better and work together in your garden. Try planting beans with broccoli, cabbage, or carrots. Kale works with strawberries and tomatoes, or peppers with basil, onions, and spinach. Yum!

Not only do you get to enjoy healthy, delicious food you grew yourself, gardening works wonders for the mind and body. Decrease stress, stay limber, and improve your mood. Do you have any tips for getting your garden started? Share with us in the comments below!