Grow Your Own Food
Simple, practical tips to start and care for your garden — whether you have a backyard, a balcony, or just a sunny windowsill.
Quick Start Garden Tips
These are the basics every new gardener needs. No fluff — just what works.
Start Small, Start Now
You don't need a huge backyard. Start with 3-5 herbs in pots on your porch — basil, mint, rosemary, thyme, and parsley. These are forgiving, useful, and build your confidence.
Know Your Zone
Find your USDA hardiness zone (most of Georgia is Zone 7b-8a). This tells you what to plant and when. Don't fight your zone — work with it.
Water Smart, Not Hard
Water deeply 2-3 times per week instead of lightly every day. Early morning is best. Mulch around plants to retain moisture and reduce weeds.
Follow the Seasons
Spring (March-May): tomatoes, peppers, squash, beans. Fall (Sept-Nov): lettuce, kale, broccoli, carrots. Winter: plan, prep soil, start seeds indoors.
Feed Your Soil First
Healthy soil = healthy plants. Add compost every season. Start a simple compost bin with kitchen scraps, leaves, and grass clippings. Your garden will thank you.
Companion Planting Basics
Tomatoes love basil (plant them together). Marigolds repel pests naturally. Beans fix nitrogen in soil — plant them near heavy feeders like corn and squash.
Want the Complete Breakdown?
Seed to System™ is the complete garden guide for Zone 7–8. 100 fruits, plants, and herbs — with growing guides, timelines, companion planting charts, health benefits, recipes, and trackers.
Everything you see on this page (and so much more) is covered in detail in the book. This is just a taste.