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Spring is almost here and that’s means it’s garden season. Ready to dive into your first backyard vegetable garden? Here are a few easy tips to get you started on the path to growing greatness:

1. Think big, start small
   With all the excitement surrounding your first garden, don’t fall into the trap of getting overzealous with that newly discovered green thumb of yours. Plant small this season and so you can get the hang of things, then expand the following seasons. Start easy with a few herbs, maybe a tomato plant or two.
2. Pick the right spot
   Positive thinking and determination are great to have for your first-time veggie paradise, but picking the right spot is paramount to your garden’s success. The perfect spot for growth will have three key factors:
   
   • Access to water: It doesn’t take a botanist to know that crops die without water. So make sure your garden stays hydrated beyond what the rain clouds provide.
   • Great soil: Soil is just as important as water when growing your garden. The best kind of soil tends to be moist, well drained, and rich in organic matter. A mix of compost and peat moss are perfect for most any starter garden.
   • Sunlight: Most vegetables need 6-8 hours of sun a day. Starving your crops of sunlight not only stunts their growth, but also makes them more susceptible to insects snacking on all of your hard work!
3. Build raised beds and stay out of the weeds
   For those of us who don’t enjoy the sensation of crawling around tugging on weeds for hours every few days (OK, pretty much everyone), elevation is a life-saver. Building a raised bed for you garden not only makes controlling soil quality that much easier, but it’ll also save you from hours and hours of weeding. With less time devoted to yanking weeds, you can spend more time growing the stuff you actually want to eat!
4. Know your region
   A booming watermelon farm may be your dream but you should make sure that you can grow them in your area. Ask local farmers and gardeners what they’ve had the best luck with growing in your region and set yourself up for a successful first year.
5. Be ready to grow with your garden
   There’s no quick and easy path to becoming a backyard garden guru. Gardening is the ultimate growing process in the most literal and metaphorical sense. Remember to stay positive, learn everyday, and most of all have fun with it!

We hope these ideas inspire you to get your garden growing! For more gardening tips and tricks, be sure to follow us on Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook .

And for even more inspiration, don’t miss the Richmond Home + Garden Show at the Richmond Raceway Complex on March 3-5.

RICHMOND RACEWAY COMPLEX
MARCH 3-5