Great Ways to Learn How to Garden

Gardening is one of the most rewarding hobbies imaginable. What other hobby can provide you with fresh fruits and vegetables, a spectrum of every imaginable color, and scents that would make a perfumer jealous. And while many people think they have a "brown thumb" or can recall a houseplant that they killed, gardening is very easy to learn.

Start by familiarizing yourself with your garden. Observe it during different times of the day, different times of the year, when it rains, when it's hot, what direction the wind blows from. You can figure out what part of the garden gets the most sun, the most shade. What parts of the garden collect water when it rains, and which are the first to dry out. You'll begin to get a feeling for the area and can start deciding what plants to put in which areas.

Decide what plants you'd like to have in your garden, but do your homework. Find out which plants thrive in your area and soil conditions. Many books and Internet sites refer to the "Zone" that you live in. This refers to the USDA Plant Hardiness Zone (check out this website - http://www.usna.usda.gov/Hardzone/ushzmap.html ) and is based on the high and low temperatures of the region. Using this zone as a guide will help you determine which plants will grow well in your area.

Once you get to know your garden area, it's time to decide what plants to grow. Get a book from the library, research on the Internet, go to your local nursery, contact your local cooperative or college extension (we have a great free Master Gardner Resource in California (http://www.ucanr.org/ce.cfm ), take a community college course, or simply walk around your neighborhood with a pen and paper and take note of what plants your neighbors have planted that you enjoy. There are many ways to find plants that will fit your garden, and remember that there's no rush to fill every inch of dirt with plants as soon as possible. Give it time, let the plants grow and mature, and watch your garden fill out.

Above all, don't be afraid of failure. Even the best gardener has killed a plant from time to time. Don't observe every setback as a failure and don't think of every empty piece of dirt as a challenge, but an opportunity to learn. Keeping an open mind and patient heart will ensure that your time in your garden is peaceful and fulfilling