WEBVTT 00:00:00.000 --> 00:00:00.984 Hello everyone, 00:00:00.984 --> 00:00:02.716 Rob Greenfield here in the garden. 00:00:02.716 --> 00:00:04.301 And today, I am going to share my 00:00:04.301 --> 00:00:05.887 tips for beginner gardeners. 00:00:06.336 --> 00:00:08.106 So if you are out there feeling like 00:00:08.106 --> 00:00:09.457 you have a black thumb, 00:00:09.457 --> 00:00:11.447 feeling like whatever you plant dies, 00:00:11.458 --> 00:00:13.405 and you are dreaming of 00:00:13.405 --> 00:00:14.695 having a green thumb, 00:00:14.950 --> 00:00:16.111 dreaming of growing 00:00:16.111 --> 00:00:17.272 an abundance of food 00:00:17.272 --> 00:00:18.796 and having that fresh food 00:00:18.796 --> 00:00:20.320 on your table to eat, 00:00:20.567 --> 00:00:22.648 then this is the video for you. 00:00:22.870 --> 00:00:33.193 [music] 00:00:33.193 --> 00:00:34.988 I actually feel like I am in a really 00:00:34.988 --> 00:00:36.651 good position to be able to share 00:00:36.651 --> 00:00:37.667 these tips with you. 00:00:38.057 --> 00:00:39.788 The reason why is it is not that 00:00:39.788 --> 00:00:41.573 long ago that I was a complete 00:00:41.573 --> 00:00:43.358 rookie gardener myself. 00:00:43.716 --> 00:00:45.960 Go back just 3 years ago 00:00:45.960 --> 00:00:48.130 and I had grown very little food 00:00:48.133 --> 00:00:49.660 and then I launched into 00:00:49.660 --> 00:00:52.333 a year long project of attempting to 00:00:52.333 --> 00:00:55.200 and successfully growing and foraging 00:00:55.200 --> 00:00:57.209 everything that I ate for an entire year. 00:00:57.209 --> 00:00:59.402 During that year, I grew over 100 00:00:59.402 --> 00:01:01.475 different foods in my garden. 00:01:01.740 --> 00:01:03.511 So I quickly went from a beginner, 00:01:03.511 --> 00:01:05.283 who had grown very little, 00:01:05.497 --> 00:01:07.555 to a pretty experienced gardener, 00:01:07.555 --> 00:01:10.210 who has spent hundreds of hours 00:01:10.210 --> 00:01:12.366 in my garden and other people's gardens, 00:01:12.366 --> 00:01:13.828 both in the United States 00:01:13.828 --> 00:01:15.770 and in other parts of the world. 00:01:15.770 --> 00:01:17.890 So I am in a place where I can still 00:01:17.890 --> 00:01:22.100 remember the nights of frantic searching online, 00:01:22.100 --> 00:01:25.395 and calling friends, and seeds not sprouting, 00:01:25.395 --> 00:01:28.483 and plants dying and just that fear. 00:01:28.483 --> 00:01:31.490 To now having the confidence 00:01:31.490 --> 00:01:34.038 and really being way beyond that beginner stage. 00:01:34.333 --> 00:01:36.382 So that is why I am really excited 00:01:36.382 --> 00:01:38.836 to be able to share this advice with you. 00:01:38.836 --> 00:01:40.953 From a recent beginner to a now, 00:01:40.953 --> 00:01:43.071 pretty decent gardener. 00:01:43.434 --> 00:01:46.371 So my 1st tip is a really simple one, 00:01:46.371 --> 00:01:48.408 and that is to start small. 00:01:48.955 --> 00:01:50.594 A lot of people have this dream 00:01:50.594 --> 00:01:53.106 of turning their whole yard into a garden 00:01:53.106 --> 00:01:55.152 and growing and incredible amount of food. 00:01:55.152 --> 00:01:57.517 That is a wonderful dream to have. 00:01:57.624 --> 00:01:59.713 I completely support it. 00:01:59.713 --> 00:02:02.190 But what a lot of people miss out on 00:02:02.190 --> 00:02:04.298 is the fact that it does not happen 00:02:04.298 --> 00:02:06.594 over night that you go from having 00:02:06.594 --> 00:02:08.586 very little gardening skills, 00:02:08.586 --> 00:02:11.010 to all of a sudden this paradisical garden. 00:02:11.320 --> 00:02:13.738 Everybody has to start somewhere. 00:02:13.832 --> 00:02:15.521 For a lot of us who do not have 00:02:15.521 --> 00:02:17.211 gardening in our background, 00:02:17.214 --> 00:02:18.552 our parents did not garden, 00:02:18.552 --> 00:02:19.959 where we are starting kind of 00:02:19.959 --> 00:02:21.106 from scratch as adults, 00:02:21.360 --> 00:02:24.199 starting small is one of my absolute 00:02:24.199 --> 00:02:27.039 key places for beginner gardeners. 00:02:27.405 --> 00:02:28.903 That could mean a small raised 00:02:28.903 --> 00:02:30.054 bed in your front yard. 00:02:30.238 --> 00:02:32.266 It coud mean some plants 00:02:32.266 --> 00:02:34.295 on your balcony or on your windowsill. 00:02:34.581 --> 00:02:37.519 Do not put yourself down for 00:02:37.519 --> 00:02:39.198 any amount of food that you grow. 00:02:39.388 --> 00:02:40.731 Any amount of food you grow 00:02:40.731 --> 00:02:42.774 is a really positive step forward. 00:02:43.069 --> 00:02:45.212 So start small and each season, 00:02:45.212 --> 00:02:47.756 you can add on more and more and more. 00:02:48.020 --> 00:02:50.422 This will also build your confidence 00:02:50.422 --> 00:02:51.474 one step at a time. 00:02:51.777 --> 00:02:53.316 If you start with way more 00:02:53.316 --> 00:02:54.855 than you can possibly handle, 00:02:55.102 --> 00:02:57.127 often it gets away from you, 00:02:57.320 --> 00:02:59.130 you become overwhelmed, 00:02:59.130 --> 00:03:01.617 and then you just kind of lose it all. 00:03:01.920 --> 00:03:03.763 So, if that is the case for you 00:03:03.763 --> 00:03:05.309 and you do not think you can 00:03:05.309 --> 00:03:06.743 go big right away, 00:03:06.743 --> 00:03:08.177 absolutely start small. 00:03:08.404 --> 00:03:10.394 Now, if you have so much free time, 00:03:10.616 --> 00:03:11.693 and you really think 00:03:11.693 --> 00:03:13.162 this is what you want to do, 00:03:13.162 --> 00:03:15.206 I am not discouraging you from going big, 00:03:15.423 --> 00:03:17.429 but definitely, one of my 00:03:17.429 --> 00:03:19.259 number one tips is start small. 00:03:19.259 --> 00:03:21.638 If you feel like that is what is 00:03:21.638 --> 00:03:22.971 needed for you at the time. 00:03:23.185 --> 00:03:25.090 Next up is keep it local. 00:03:25.305 --> 00:03:28.002 Really try to seek out the local resources. 00:03:28.414 --> 00:03:30.816 The truth is that the gardening 00:03:30.816 --> 00:03:33.218 knowledge is almost everywhere. 00:03:33.220 --> 00:03:34.711 It is often that we pass it up. 00:03:34.711 --> 00:03:36.183 We do not realize that anybody 00:03:36.183 --> 00:03:37.109 gardens in our area 00:03:37.109 --> 00:03:38.755 because we are not looking for it. 00:03:38.755 --> 00:03:39.799 We do not realize it. 00:03:39.799 --> 00:03:42.203 But everywhere around the country 00:03:42.203 --> 00:03:43.257 and around the world, 00:03:43.257 --> 00:03:45.244 there are local resources 00:03:45.244 --> 00:03:47.231 that really know that area well. 00:03:47.396 --> 00:03:49.175 Seek out local nurseries, 00:03:49.175 --> 00:03:51.695 local seed companies, local gardeners. 00:03:51.729 --> 00:03:53.993 If you are driving around your neighborhood, 00:03:54.119 --> 00:03:55.276 and you see a garden 00:03:55.276 --> 00:03:57.684 in someone's front yard, knock on that door 00:03:57.684 --> 00:04:00.093 and say hello and talk to them. 00:04:00.093 --> 00:04:01.678 A really great way to go local 00:04:01.678 --> 00:04:03.071 is community gardens. 00:04:03.276 --> 00:04:04.610 Join a community garden 00:04:04.610 --> 00:04:07.057 so that you can learn what plants 00:04:07.057 --> 00:04:09.945 are growing well there, get support from them. 00:04:10.182 --> 00:04:13.173 Another thing is local classes. 00:04:13.173 --> 00:04:15.369 If you can find classes that are in your area, 00:04:15.369 --> 00:04:17.977 that is a great way to get the knowledge 00:04:17.977 --> 00:04:19.281 that is based on your area. 00:04:19.281 --> 00:04:20.585 And then books, as well. 00:04:20.771 --> 00:04:22.463 Check out your local library. 00:04:22.463 --> 00:04:24.140 Often they will have books that are 00:04:24.140 --> 00:04:26.211 based on your region or your state. 00:04:26.389 --> 00:04:28.354 For example, when I was in Florida, 00:04:28.354 --> 00:04:29.851 I got Robert Bowden's book, 00:04:29.851 --> 00:04:32.179 which was Florida Fruit and Vegetable Gardening. 00:04:32.179 --> 00:04:34.208 It was geared exactly towards my 00:04:34.208 --> 00:04:36.573 area and leaves out so much of the 00:04:36.573 --> 00:04:38.938 information that I did not need. 00:04:39.184 --> 00:04:41.670 It focuses on the information that you need. 00:04:41.670 --> 00:04:43.768 Keeping things as local as you possibly can. 00:04:43.768 --> 00:04:46.327 And then that moves into the next one. 00:04:46.541 --> 00:04:48.207 They are pretty much tied together. 00:04:48.408 --> 00:04:50.028 That is garden as a community. 00:04:50.369 --> 00:04:51.553 Garden together. 00:04:51.891 --> 00:04:53.670 There is no reason to do this alone. 00:04:53.926 --> 00:04:55.596 If you are at home alone, 00:04:55.596 --> 00:04:57.258 doing this all by yourself, 00:04:57.258 --> 00:04:58.823 and all you are doing is looking 00:04:58.823 --> 00:05:01.450 on the internet, facebook groups, 00:05:01.450 --> 00:05:04.311 things like that, watching Youtube videos. 00:05:04.311 --> 00:05:05.742 Sure those things are helpful, 00:05:05.742 --> 00:05:08.842 but it is easy to feel 00:05:08.842 --> 00:05:10.962 really overwhelmed and unempowered 00:05:10.962 --> 00:05:12.262 when it is all by yourself. 00:05:12.479 --> 00:05:14.642 So get involved with others. 00:05:14.855 --> 00:05:17.054 When I had my garden in my front yard, 00:05:17.054 --> 00:05:18.970 I would have people drive by 00:05:18.970 --> 00:05:20.887 and I would see them stop and look. 00:05:21.068 --> 00:05:23.424 I would encourage them to stop by. 00:05:23.424 --> 00:05:24.840 One time I even had someone 00:05:24.840 --> 00:05:27.638 knock on my door and he very timidly said, 00:05:27.638 --> 00:05:29.997 "I know this is awkward, 00:05:29.997 --> 00:05:31.507 but I have been dreaming 00:05:31.507 --> 00:05:33.832 of starting to grow food with my kids. 00:05:33.832 --> 00:05:36.158 I just had to knock on the door and ask." 00:05:36.422 --> 00:05:38.096 I walked him throughout my garden, 00:05:38.096 --> 00:05:39.893 sent him home with a bunch of food. 00:05:40.920 --> 00:05:42.410 Gardeners love that. 00:05:42.413 --> 00:05:44.049 Gardeners love to share their time 00:05:44.049 --> 00:05:45.054 and their knowledge. 00:05:45.325 --> 00:05:47.818 So get involved with local people. 00:05:48.084 --> 00:05:49.322 Joining a community garden 00:05:49.322 --> 00:05:51.201 is one of the simplest and easiest ways 00:05:51.201 --> 00:05:52.275 to do that if you can. 00:05:52.275 --> 00:05:53.563 Another thing you can do 00:05:53.563 --> 00:05:56.231 is volunteer at local organic farms. 00:05:56.953 --> 00:05:58.638 There is a website called WOOFing, 00:05:58.638 --> 00:06:00.664 World Wide Opportunities on Organic Farms. 00:06:01.082 --> 00:06:03.703 It is www.wwoof.net. 00:06:03.963 --> 00:06:06.211 That is a great way to just emerse 00:06:06.211 --> 00:06:07.799 in local food growing. 00:06:08.005 --> 00:06:10.335 You can also travel and do it as well, 00:06:10.335 --> 00:06:12.666 so there is no need to do it alone. 00:06:12.666 --> 00:06:14.019 The resources are out there. 00:06:14.019 --> 00:06:15.305 The knowledge is out there. 00:06:15.305 --> 00:06:16.633 The community is out there. 00:06:16.633 --> 00:06:18.361 Gardeners welcome people in. 00:06:18.361 --> 00:06:19.510 So do not do it alone. 00:06:19.719 --> 00:06:21.006 Do it with community. 00:06:21.006 --> 00:06:22.833 Now keeping on that theme of local, 00:06:22.833 --> 00:06:24.300 but moving into actual plants, 00:06:24.300 --> 00:06:25.768 moving into the planting. 00:06:26.020 --> 00:06:27.920 Where do you source your seeds 00:06:27.920 --> 00:06:29.087 and your plants? 00:06:29.368 --> 00:06:32.510 For me, it is all about local varieties. 00:06:32.732 --> 00:06:35.129 So seeking out local seed companies 00:06:35.129 --> 00:06:38.111 and local nurseries that have been growing 00:06:38.111 --> 00:06:39.842 these plants in your region 00:06:39.842 --> 00:06:42.371 for years or even decades. 00:06:42.631 --> 00:06:44.678 How that works is if a plant is 00:06:44.678 --> 00:06:47.461 designed for that area, 00:06:47.461 --> 00:06:48.832 it already knows the insects 00:06:48.832 --> 00:06:50.233 that are going to attack it. 00:06:50.233 --> 00:06:52.075 It already knows the weather patterns. 00:06:52.156 --> 00:06:53.680 This is a plant that is designed 00:06:53.680 --> 00:06:55.204 to grow in that area. 00:06:55.413 --> 00:06:57.171 So if you can buy your seeds 00:06:57.171 --> 00:06:58.757 from local seed companies 00:06:58.757 --> 00:07:00.530 that produce them in your area, 00:07:00.530 --> 00:07:01.860 as well as nurseries, 00:07:01.860 --> 00:07:03.861 this drastically increases your 00:07:03.861 --> 00:07:04.863 chance of success. 00:07:05.118 --> 00:07:07.565 Whereas going to the big box stores 00:07:07.565 --> 00:07:09.683 and buying the plants that have been shipped 00:07:09.683 --> 00:07:11.968 from who knows how far away 00:07:11.968 --> 00:07:14.800 from some sort of centralized distribution center. 00:07:14.800 --> 00:07:16.613 Those plants might not be 00:07:16.613 --> 00:07:17.926 designed for your area. 00:07:17.926 --> 00:07:20.192 For example, where I did a lot of my 00:07:20.192 --> 00:07:23.395 gardening in Florida, big fat juicy tomatoes, 00:07:23.395 --> 00:07:26.599 like beefsteak tomatoes, do not do well there. 00:07:26.819 --> 00:07:28.219 What does really well is the 00:07:28.219 --> 00:07:30.321 small everglades tomato. 00:07:30.571 --> 00:07:32.503 With the everglades tomato, 00:07:32.503 --> 00:07:34.671 a person with a black thumb... 00:07:34.671 --> 00:07:36.060 Boom! Green thumb, 00:07:36.060 --> 00:07:38.794 and tomatoes in incredible amounts. 00:07:38.794 --> 00:07:40.468 But if you are trying to grow those 00:07:40.468 --> 00:07:41.934 big ones that are not adapted 00:07:41.934 --> 00:07:43.740 to that area, black thumb. 00:07:44.078 --> 00:07:47.024 It dies, molds, gets tomato blight 00:07:47.024 --> 00:07:48.827 and you do not get anything 00:07:48.827 --> 00:07:51.035 and you walk away feeling like a failure. 00:07:51.478 --> 00:07:53.919 So seeking out your local seed companies 00:07:53.919 --> 00:07:56.651 and your local nurseries is a huge 00:07:56.651 --> 00:07:58.284 step in the right direction. 00:07:58.284 --> 00:08:00.786 When a lot of people start planning their garden, 00:08:00.786 --> 00:08:03.289 they start planning what they want to plant. 00:08:03.406 --> 00:08:04.988 What they do is they think about 00:08:04.988 --> 00:08:06.450 what their favorite foods are. 00:08:06.690 --> 00:08:08.348 They even walk down the grocery 00:08:08.348 --> 00:08:10.771 store isles and think, 00:08:10.771 --> 00:08:13.042 "Ok, these are my favorite things to eat, 00:08:13.042 --> 00:08:15.314 so this is what I am going to plant." 00:08:15.314 --> 00:08:17.609 Sure, that can be beneficial, 00:08:17.609 --> 00:08:19.396 but here is the downside of that. 00:08:20.017 --> 00:08:22.369 If you are doing that, most of our 00:08:22.369 --> 00:08:25.518 grocery stores are based on globalization, 00:08:25.518 --> 00:08:28.083 where food is shipped in from all different regions, 00:08:28.083 --> 00:08:30.263 where it does really well in this area 00:08:30.263 --> 00:08:31.803 and not well in that area. 00:08:32.178 --> 00:08:34.934 If you do it that way, you will often 00:08:34.934 --> 00:08:36.542 end up planting things that just 00:08:36.542 --> 00:08:38.371 are not going to do well in your area. 00:08:38.663 --> 00:08:40.567 So I think the best thing to do, 00:08:40.567 --> 00:08:42.355 instead of going to the grocery store 00:08:42.355 --> 00:08:43.924 and asking what you like to eat, 00:08:43.924 --> 00:08:45.499 talk to people in your community. 00:08:45.762 --> 00:08:48.548 Ask them, "What grows so rediculously 00:08:48.548 --> 00:08:51.997 well that you cannot even kill it?" 00:08:52.076 --> 00:08:53.366 What grows so well that it 00:08:53.366 --> 00:08:54.603 becomes a problem because 00:08:54.603 --> 00:08:55.730 there is so much of it? 00:08:55.851 --> 00:08:57.172 Plant those things. 00:08:57.461 --> 00:09:01.060 For example, here in this garden 00:09:01.060 --> 00:09:04.659 that I am in, mint is taking over like crazy. 00:09:04.903 --> 00:09:07.840 I just made a video about 00:09:07.840 --> 00:09:09.758 easy plants to start growing. 00:09:10.006 --> 00:09:11.115 This is one of them. 00:09:11.115 --> 00:09:13.080 Plant what has the fewest pests. 00:09:13.342 --> 00:09:14.549 What grows really easily. 00:09:14.750 --> 00:09:17.518 Then, once you have mastered 00:09:17.518 --> 00:09:19.776 those easier plants, then you can 00:09:19.776 --> 00:09:22.035 start to get into the more difficult ones. 00:09:22.353 --> 00:09:23.850 Maybe you love blueberries, 00:09:23.850 --> 00:09:25.347 but they grow in acidic soil. 00:09:25.366 --> 00:09:27.088 So if you do not have acidic soil, 00:09:27.088 --> 00:09:28.584 you do not want to start there. 00:09:28.584 --> 00:09:30.818 But once you get more experience, 00:09:30.818 --> 00:09:32.765 then you can work with changing 00:09:32.765 --> 00:09:34.053 the pH of your soil. 00:09:34.066 --> 00:09:36.236 That is a little bit more advanced gardening. 00:09:36.236 --> 00:09:37.830 So again with the grocery store. 00:09:37.830 --> 00:09:39.169 We have become disconnected 00:09:39.169 --> 00:09:39.979 with the seasons. 00:09:40.086 --> 00:09:42.018 Being able to get most things 00:09:42.018 --> 00:09:43.941 at any time throughout the year, 00:09:43.941 --> 00:09:45.725 but one of the absolute most 00:09:45.725 --> 00:09:48.068 important things is to plant the right 00:09:48.068 --> 00:09:49.621 things at the right time. 00:09:49.871 --> 00:09:53.334 If you try to plant tomatoes early on 00:09:53.334 --> 00:09:55.728 in the spring when it is still very cold, 00:09:55.728 --> 00:09:57.746 and the soil temperature is very low, 00:09:57.746 --> 00:09:59.394 you are going to have a hard time. 00:09:59.394 --> 00:10:01.418 Because in colder climates, they like heat. 00:10:01.418 --> 00:10:02.539 Same goes for basil. 00:10:02.539 --> 00:10:03.926 That is going to be later on. 00:10:03.926 --> 00:10:05.979 Early things, for example, 00:10:05.979 --> 00:10:08.838 kale can be started earlier and actually, 00:10:08.838 --> 00:10:10.845 in very hot places, it does not 00:10:10.845 --> 00:10:12.859 do well in the peak heat, 00:10:12.859 --> 00:10:14.873 because it likes the colder temperatures. 00:10:15.096 --> 00:10:16.768 It is really important to plant 00:10:16.768 --> 00:10:18.920 the right things at the right time. 00:10:19.149 --> 00:10:20.907 You do not have to figure out 00:10:20.907 --> 00:10:22.326 each individual plant. 00:10:22.516 --> 00:10:24.048 What you have to do is simply 00:10:24.048 --> 00:10:25.580 find a planting schedule. 00:10:25.830 --> 00:10:28.438 You can check at local universities. 00:10:28.653 --> 00:10:30.418 Often their extension program will 00:10:30.418 --> 00:10:32.183 have a planting schedule. 00:10:32.351 --> 00:10:34.812 Some community gardens will have them. 00:10:35.034 --> 00:10:36.868 You can also just go online and 00:10:36.868 --> 00:10:39.563 search for, for example, if you live in New York, 00:10:39.761 --> 00:10:42.516 "New York planting schedule" 00:10:42.682 --> 00:10:44.477 This will help you to plant the right 00:10:44.477 --> 00:10:45.922 things at the right time. 00:10:46.230 --> 00:10:48.209 By doing that, ensure 00:10:48.209 --> 00:10:50.189 the success of those plants. 00:10:50.392 --> 00:10:52.059 As far as the details, 00:10:52.059 --> 00:10:54.207 like how far apart do you plant 00:10:54.207 --> 00:10:55.253 each different thing, 00:10:55.253 --> 00:10:57.627 like tomatoes or kale or arugula. 00:10:57.856 --> 00:10:59.771 How deep do you plant the seeds? 00:10:59.771 --> 00:11:01.473 And should you transplant, 00:11:01.473 --> 00:11:03.954 as in starting from pots in a greenhouse 00:11:03.954 --> 00:11:05.634 or in your house, or direct sow 00:11:05.634 --> 00:11:06.855 the seeds in the ground. 00:11:07.112 --> 00:11:08.943 For that, I recommend following 00:11:08.943 --> 00:11:10.629 the instructions on the back of the 00:11:10.629 --> 00:11:12.046 seed packs that you get. 00:11:12.379 --> 00:11:14.690 And really importantly, getting a book 00:11:14.690 --> 00:11:17.143 for your area, which I mentioned at the beginning. 00:11:17.354 --> 00:11:19.838 A lot of these books that are based on your area, 00:11:19.838 --> 00:11:21.230 they give you those details, 00:11:21.230 --> 00:11:22.882 so you do not have to seek it out 00:11:22.882 --> 00:11:24.322 for each individual one. 00:11:24.322 --> 00:11:26.042 So in this video, I am not going to 00:11:26.042 --> 00:11:27.892 go into those details because they 00:11:27.892 --> 00:11:29.743 are based on each area. 00:11:29.743 --> 00:11:33.331 Instead, get a local book for your region 00:11:33.331 --> 00:11:36.353 and follow the instructions from the seed companies 00:11:36.353 --> 00:11:37.636 where you buy those seeds. 00:11:37.636 --> 00:11:39.861 There are a lot of other details, 00:11:39.861 --> 00:11:44.323 for example, sun and water and soil. 00:11:44.323 --> 00:11:46.073 You could talk about that for hours 00:11:46.073 --> 00:11:47.964 and hours and hours, but I want to give 00:11:47.964 --> 00:11:49.126 just a few tips on that. 00:11:49.126 --> 00:11:52.040 As far as sun goes, for beginner gardeners, 00:11:52.040 --> 00:11:54.135 I generally recommend full sun. 00:11:54.327 --> 00:11:56.416 Now if you are in a shaded area 00:11:56.416 --> 00:11:58.607 like I am right now, that is really difficult. 00:11:58.607 --> 00:12:00.973 There are plants that can grow well in shade, 00:12:00.973 --> 00:12:03.939 but generally, most plants need a lot of sun. 00:12:03.939 --> 00:12:06.482 Make sure that you are not under the shade of a tree, 00:12:06.482 --> 00:12:08.659 or where your house casts 00:12:08.659 --> 00:12:10.196 shade for half of the day. 00:12:10.421 --> 00:12:12.374 So before you plant your garden, 00:12:12.374 --> 00:12:14.300 keep an eye on that spot 00:12:14.300 --> 00:12:15.718 and remember that the sun 00:12:15.718 --> 00:12:17.056 changes throughout the year. 00:12:17.306 --> 00:12:19.080 So planting in full sun. 00:12:19.080 --> 00:12:21.454 As far as water, one of the basic 00:12:21.454 --> 00:12:23.574 ways to tell if you are watering enough 00:12:23.574 --> 00:12:26.199 is when you grab a handful of that soil, 00:12:26.199 --> 00:12:28.475 ideally, it should stay in a clump 00:12:28.475 --> 00:12:30.333 that breaks a little bit. 00:12:30.650 --> 00:12:33.060 It is basically the consistency 00:12:33.060 --> 00:12:35.470 of a wrung out sponge. 00:12:35.726 --> 00:12:37.639 Watering in the morning 00:12:37.639 --> 00:12:39.266 is the best, before the heat. 00:12:39.523 --> 00:12:41.567 If not the morning, then the evening. 00:12:41.593 --> 00:12:43.137 Not in the middle of the day. 00:12:43.137 --> 00:12:45.887 Another way to test if you have enough water 00:12:45.887 --> 00:12:47.997 is you stick your finger down into the soil, 00:12:47.997 --> 00:12:49.782 and if it is moist when you get your 00:12:49.782 --> 00:12:52.590 finger down to about your second knuckle here, 00:12:52.590 --> 00:12:53.799 then that is another sign 00:12:53.799 --> 00:12:55.118 that you have enough water. 00:12:55.118 --> 00:12:56.619 If it is dry all the way down, 00:12:56.619 --> 00:12:58.121 it needs to be watered. 00:12:58.329 --> 00:13:01.752 So soil varies all over the place. 00:13:01.752 --> 00:13:02.957 And how you are watering; 00:13:02.957 --> 00:13:04.390 whether you are in the desert, 00:13:04.390 --> 00:13:07.120 or in a very fertile area like southwest Wisconsin, 00:13:07.120 --> 00:13:09.383 or in Florida, where it is mostly sand. 00:13:09.545 --> 00:13:10.809 It is going to vary a lot, 00:13:10.809 --> 00:13:12.899 but those are a few tips with water. 00:13:13.114 --> 00:13:15.775 Again, local resources are key, 00:13:15.775 --> 00:13:17.768 because they are going to know your soil. 00:13:17.844 --> 00:13:20.458 Then, another one is healthy soil. 00:13:20.657 --> 00:13:23.784 A lot of people, they only focus on the plants. 00:13:23.784 --> 00:13:24.934 When they see problems, 00:13:24.934 --> 00:13:26.270 they think about the plants, 00:13:26.270 --> 00:13:27.858 but the truth is, one of the most 00:13:27.858 --> 00:13:30.767 important things is having healthy, living soil. 00:13:31.072 --> 00:13:33.740 Take care of your soil. 00:13:33.740 --> 00:13:35.312 Take very good care of your soil. 00:13:35.353 --> 00:13:38.563 Your soil is your lifesource to have 00:13:38.563 --> 00:13:40.642 that healthy and abundant food. 00:13:40.854 --> 00:13:42.977 My next tip is to make it convenient. 00:13:43.061 --> 00:13:45.145 Now, what I mean by that is putting 00:13:45.145 --> 00:13:46.833 your garden in a location 00:13:46.833 --> 00:13:48.522 where you naturally go. 00:13:48.947 --> 00:13:51.237 If you put your garden in a ten 00:13:51.237 --> 00:13:53.500 minute walk on the other side of your property, 00:13:53.500 --> 00:13:54.815 where you cannot see it, 00:13:54.815 --> 00:13:56.958 it easily becomes out of sight, out of mind. 00:13:56.958 --> 00:13:58.911 It is easy to neglect. 00:13:59.164 --> 00:14:01.164 So, put it in an area where you 00:14:01.164 --> 00:14:02.484 naturally go every day. 00:14:02.484 --> 00:14:03.662 Maybe your front yard, 00:14:03.662 --> 00:14:05.693 right next to your front sidewalk, 00:14:05.693 --> 00:14:07.237 where every day you have to walk 00:14:07.237 --> 00:14:08.595 past it to get to your car. 00:14:08.595 --> 00:14:10.226 That way, every morning and night, 00:14:10.226 --> 00:14:12.141 you are naturally drawn to it. 00:14:12.320 --> 00:14:13.513 The same goes for water. 00:14:13.513 --> 00:14:14.948 Making sure that you have your 00:14:14.948 --> 00:14:17.757 water source near your garden, ideally, 00:14:17.757 --> 00:14:19.121 whether that is a long hose 00:14:19.121 --> 00:14:20.784 or if you do not have a hose, 00:14:20.784 --> 00:14:22.505 right next to the spigget where you 00:14:22.505 --> 00:14:24.796 have your buckets or your rain water harvesting. 00:14:24.796 --> 00:14:28.297 Designing it so that it has a relative 00:14:28.297 --> 00:14:29.918 amount of convenience will make it 00:14:29.918 --> 00:14:31.199 easier to get out there. 00:14:31.324 --> 00:14:32.689 Do not put a whole bunch of 00:14:32.689 --> 00:14:33.924 obstacles in the way. 00:14:34.058 --> 00:14:35.461 This is really important when 00:14:35.461 --> 00:14:36.639 you are getting started. 00:14:36.639 --> 00:14:37.931 And you are not used to it. 00:14:37.931 --> 00:14:39.181 You do not have that habit NOTE Paragraph 00:14:39.181 --> 00:14:40.530 of getting into the garden. 00:14:40.530 --> 00:14:43.035 You have a habit of just going to the grocery store. 00:14:43.035 --> 00:14:45.267 It is easy to neglect it if it is 00:14:45.267 --> 00:14:46.740 out of sight, out of mind. 00:14:47.142 --> 00:14:49.259 Deisgn it to be relatively convenient. 00:14:49.264 --> 00:14:50.908 When you are just getting started, 00:14:50.908 --> 00:14:52.527 and you have an incredible amount 00:14:52.527 --> 00:14:53.750 of information out there. 00:14:53.750 --> 00:14:55.481 It is really hard to choose which is 00:14:55.481 --> 00:14:56.533 the right information. 00:14:56.533 --> 00:14:58.414 It is easy to be infiltrated 00:14:58.414 --> 00:15:01.216 by chemical mindsets. 00:15:01.410 --> 00:15:03.913 The idea that you need to spray things, 00:15:03.913 --> 00:15:06.089 that every insect should die, 00:15:06.089 --> 00:15:08.013 that the soil needs these massive 00:15:08.013 --> 00:15:09.354 amount of fertilizers. 00:15:09.354 --> 00:15:11.576 My tip is do not fall into 00:15:11.576 --> 00:15:12.631 the chemical mindset. 00:15:12.830 --> 00:15:14.462 In my year of growing and foraging 00:15:14.462 --> 00:15:16.226 all of my food where I grew over 00:15:16.226 --> 00:15:18.361 100 different foods, I never used 00:15:18.361 --> 00:15:21.430 a single pesticide, not even organic ones. 00:15:21.664 --> 00:15:23.994 These pesticides have only existed 00:15:23.994 --> 00:15:27.172 for a tiny, tiny fraction of all the times 00:15:27.172 --> 00:15:29.301 that humans have lived off of 00:15:29.301 --> 00:15:30.745 the food that they have grown. 00:15:30.745 --> 00:15:33.433 You can grow without all of that. 00:15:33.436 --> 00:15:35.295 Without needing to have all this 00:15:35.295 --> 00:15:37.582 money and these outside resources. 00:15:37.582 --> 00:15:39.678 And be able to grow in an organic 00:15:39.678 --> 00:15:41.775 and in a sustainable manner. 00:15:41.775 --> 00:15:44.305 Next I want to talk a little bit about mindset. 00:15:44.529 --> 00:15:47.640 Focussing on a mindset of abundance, 00:15:47.640 --> 00:15:49.474 rather than scarcity. 00:15:49.474 --> 00:15:52.351 Because when you think in scarcity, 00:15:52.351 --> 00:15:55.228 it often creates scarcity around you. 00:15:55.228 --> 00:15:57.690 But when you design in abundance 00:15:57.690 --> 00:15:59.008 and you think in abundance, 00:15:59.008 --> 00:16:01.746 it can actually help create that abundance. 00:16:01.968 --> 00:16:04.091 A really important part of that is 00:16:04.091 --> 00:16:06.394 remembering that in order to have 00:16:06.394 --> 00:16:09.314 an abundance, you have to have death. 00:16:09.514 --> 00:16:12.434 Death is a part of the gardening experience. 00:16:12.669 --> 00:16:15.014 So do not be afraid to kill plants. 00:16:15.187 --> 00:16:17.093 In fact, when you kill plants, 00:16:17.093 --> 00:16:20.025 think of that as part of your lessons, 00:16:20.025 --> 00:16:22.326 part of your learning to becoming 00:16:22.326 --> 00:16:23.478 a successful gardener. 00:16:23.573 --> 00:16:25.219 In that way, it is not a failure, 00:16:25.219 --> 00:16:27.536 it is a part of the success. 00:16:27.724 --> 00:16:30.651 Even more imporantly, remember, plants die. 00:16:30.849 --> 00:16:31.842 It is not like... 00:16:31.842 --> 00:16:34.740 Especially annual plants like carrots, 00:16:34.740 --> 00:16:37.638 and kale, and collards, and broccoli. 00:16:37.837 --> 00:16:40.373 All of these only live for a period of time. 00:16:40.575 --> 00:16:41.999 They have to be harvested 00:16:41.999 --> 00:16:43.423 and then they die. 00:16:43.627 --> 00:16:45.819 Do not think of death as a failure. 00:16:46.016 --> 00:16:48.234 Think about it as a part of the 00:16:48.234 --> 00:16:49.892 cycle of the gardening. 00:16:49.892 --> 00:16:51.808 Another thing that I mentioned just now, 00:16:51.808 --> 00:16:52.779 I mentioned annuals. 00:16:52.950 --> 00:16:54.873 Annuals are plants that basically 00:16:54.873 --> 00:16:56.346 you plant every single year. 00:16:56.589 --> 00:16:58.339 You harvest and you have to 00:16:58.339 --> 00:16:59.280 replant every year. 00:16:59.515 --> 00:17:01.549 Perennials are plants that you plant once 00:17:01.549 --> 00:17:03.782 and they come back for a very long time. 00:17:03.858 --> 00:17:06.621 Raspberries, blackberries, blueberries, 00:17:06.621 --> 00:17:09.880 strawberries, fruit trees like apples, 00:17:09.880 --> 00:17:11.842 pears, and plums, nut trees, 00:17:11.842 --> 00:17:14.844 Jeruselum artichoke, rhubarb, all of 00:17:14.844 --> 00:17:16.474 these foods that come back year 00:17:16.474 --> 00:17:18.104 after year are perennials. 00:17:18.329 --> 00:17:21.113 I recommend working with perennials 00:17:21.113 --> 00:17:23.221 as much as you can because they 00:17:23.221 --> 00:17:24.855 generally take less work. 00:17:25.079 --> 00:17:26.489 They have a lot fewer pests. 00:17:26.694 --> 00:17:27.993 They take less nutrients. 00:17:28.207 --> 00:17:30.087 They keep on coming back 00:17:30.087 --> 00:17:31.634 year after year after year. 00:17:31.900 --> 00:17:34.879 Many perennials thrive on neglect. 00:17:35.091 --> 00:17:37.270 Focussing on perennials is definitely 00:17:37.270 --> 00:17:39.449 a big tip that I would move towards. 00:17:39.676 --> 00:17:42.155 It is often great to start with annuals. 00:17:42.155 --> 00:17:43.715 For example radishes. 00:17:43.715 --> 00:17:45.215 They produce in 30 days. 00:17:45.366 --> 00:17:46.900 That is one of those easy plants 00:17:46.900 --> 00:17:48.592 that I mentioned, that can give you 00:17:48.592 --> 00:17:49.733 that boost of success, 00:17:49.733 --> 00:17:52.304 and that confidence to move forward. 00:17:52.594 --> 00:17:54.629 But as you get better and better, 00:17:54.629 --> 00:17:57.039 I recommend moving more away 00:17:57.039 --> 00:17:58.751 from those annuals and moving more 00:17:58.751 --> 00:18:00.464 toward the perennial system. 00:18:00.464 --> 00:18:01.480 So there you have it. 00:18:01.480 --> 00:18:03.274 Those are some of my most important 00:18:03.274 --> 00:18:05.069 tips for beginner gardeners. 00:18:05.162 --> 00:18:07.170 There are a lot of other ones out there. 00:18:07.170 --> 00:18:08.770 If you just start with those ones 00:18:08.770 --> 00:18:10.146 Remember to start small, 00:18:10.146 --> 00:18:12.544 start simply, maybe start with just 00:18:12.544 --> 00:18:14.942 5 easy plants that you are excited about. 00:18:15.141 --> 00:18:17.120 If you do 5 the next year, 00:18:17.120 --> 00:18:18.854 and you do 5 the next year, 00:18:18.854 --> 00:18:21.798 within a few years time, you can be 00:18:21.798 --> 00:18:23.683 growing dozens of different species. 00:18:23.866 --> 00:18:24.989 Make some goals. 00:18:24.989 --> 00:18:26.571 Make some of those smaller goals. 00:18:26.571 --> 00:18:28.124 Make some of those bigger goals. 00:18:28.124 --> 00:18:30.223 Use those smaller goals to chip away 00:18:30.223 --> 00:18:32.404 at that ultimate success 00:18:32.404 --> 00:18:34.892 of your giant front yard just 00:18:34.892 --> 00:18:37.199 dripping and oozing with food 00:18:37.199 --> 00:18:38.346 absolutely everywhere. 00:18:38.705 --> 00:18:41.255 I hope that you gained a lot from this video. 00:18:41.495 --> 00:18:43.689 If you did make sure that you subscribe. 00:18:43.734 --> 00:18:45.967 If you have friends who are beginner gardeners 00:18:45.967 --> 00:18:48.276 that consider themselves to have a black thumb, 00:18:48.276 --> 00:18:49.740 make sure to share this video 00:18:49.740 --> 00:18:51.928 to help them if you think it would be helpful. 00:18:51.928 --> 00:18:53.745 If you want to get this out into the 00:18:53.745 --> 00:18:55.788 Youtube world, ask questions, 00:18:55.788 --> 00:18:57.255 comment in the comments below. 00:18:57.447 --> 00:18:59.455 Make sure to give it a thumbs up as well. 00:18:59.665 --> 00:19:01.046 I love you all very much. 00:19:01.242 --> 00:19:03.521 I will see you again in the garden real soon.