Easy Gardening Tips and Tricks for Beginners! {Our BEST Secrets}

Grab your shovel and get inspired with these easy Gardening Tips for Beginners to Pros!

If you love gardening, or have just been dreaming of that beautiful garden you’d like to start one day, these Easy Gardening Tips for Beginners to Pros are for you!  You’ll find out what works best and exactly what to avoid when growing your favorite fruits, veggies, and flowers this year!

You don’t have to spend a lot of money to create a fabulous garden.  So go grab your shovel, and get inspired with these helpful Gardening Tips and Tricks you’ll wish you tried sooner…

Easy Gardening Tips for Beginners

Related: Canning and Preserving for Beginners {Ultimate Guide to Get Started}

Growing Fruit at Home:

28 Strawberry Growing Tips! {How to Grow Strawberries in your Backyard}

Get ready for biggest, juiciest strawberries ever with these helpful tips plus common problems solved!

22 Watermelon Gardening Tips for Perfect Watermelons

No one ever gets upset about having a pile of juicy Watermelons in the garden!  Learn how to start growing your own today!

40 Tips for Growing Perfect Tomatoes Every Time!

Growing plump and delicious Tomatoes just got a lot easier!  You’ll love these tried and true tips!

Vegetable Gardening Tips:

Growing Green Onions {Indoors & Outdoors}

Did you know that you can regrow green onions from the grocery store?  They’ll grow great both indoors and outdoors!  You may never have to buy green onions again with this simple trick!

Sweet Potato Slips {How to Grow Sweet Potatoes at Home!}

Did you know it’s actually really easy to grow your own sweet potatoes at home? All you’ll need are some Sweet Potato Slips to get started!

45 Zucchini Growing Tips {How To Grow Perfect Zucchini}

Zucchini is so easy to grow and will get off to a great start with these tips…

30 Corn Gardening Tips and Tricks {How To Grow Corn at Home}

These creative tips and tricks will ensure a plump juicy crop of fresh corn!

15 Pumpkin Growing Tips for Perfect Pumpkins

Would you love some Perfect Pumpkins this year?  Then you need to check out these fun Pumpkin Growing Tips!!

Growing Leftover Romaine Lettuce Trick

This crazy Growing Leftover Romaine Lettuce Trick is a great way to always have fresh delicious lettuce within arms reach!

How to Regrow Celery from Scraps

Don’t throw away your celery stalk when you’re finished… instead use these tips to grow it in your garden!

Jennifer said: “We use heirloom seeds.  Most of the time they are the same price as the seed packs at Walmart (around $2.00 a pack), but your benefits are enormous.  Last year I saved around 10 – 20 packs worth of seed off of one plant.  I also got a half gallon of pumpkin seeds off of two pumpkins.  I would recommend buying what you can grow easily in your area and then branch out. Here in Missouri (in Zone 3), I can easily grow tomatoes, peppers, lettuce, cucumbers, and okra.  Green beans are hit and miss.
I am a 6th year gardener and I still don’t like starting plants early indoors. The plants seem to catch up if I just plant outside at the right time anyway.
Also, if you’ll check farmer’s markets, they often have plant seedlings available closer to the end of the starting season (around May) You can get these for just pennies.”

Nydia writes: “My husband always tills the garden, making rows, and then plants the seeds immediately.  The biggest investment that you should make is in good soil!  I live in the Houston area and have had success with big tomatoes and cucumbers.  Vegetable gardening is so much easier than most people think.”

Kelly writes: “I do winter sowing and love it because it is cheap and easy. The idea is to plant the seeds in a container and put it outside for the winter. When it is warm enough, they will start to grow.  No special lights, no hardening off, etc. So easy! I also use leftover containers, so I don’t have to buy anything new.  I have had the best success with juice containers, because they are tall enough for the plants to grow to a strong height while still being protected.”

Karen writes: “For small spaces, consider Square Foot Gardening and Container Gardening, too. A great way to get inexpensive plants is at a gardening club sale in your town. The members start the plants by seed or divide their plants (perennials).  I’ve gotten tomato plants for $0.10 each this way.   I concentrate on plants my family likes that are high producers, like tomatoes and cucumbers. For cucumbers, they grow on a long vine. Your vine can be moved outside the garden or along the perimeter.  I also plant onion sets just inside the perimeter of the garden. These are no hassle and you can harvest as needed any time after about 10 weeks after planting.  Also, Rhubarb comes back every year and can be put in your landscaping.  One Rhubarb plant will produce enough that you’ll be chopping it up and putting it in the freezer for later!”

Pamela writes: “Carrots and radishes are easy to grow and the first to come up.  They loved having the satisfaction of caring for them and especially harvesting them later.  Cucumbers take a lot of room.  Allow an entire plot for them.  Pole Beans are great in a container or small area.  Lettuce can be planted first and will take up some room.  You can plant radishes in between your lettuce to save on growing space.”

Jenny writes: “Use very large containers for most plants, except plants with shallow roots, like lettuce.  Roots need a lot of room to grow!  I have grown tomatoes, eggplant, cucumbers, peppers, chives, zucchini, squash, and strawberries in containers with varying degrees of success. Your harvest depends a lot on what variety of plant you have, how much water they get, how much fertilizer you use, how hot or cold the temperature is, and if you get attacked by any bugs.  Buy plants already started, don’t bother with seeds at first. Make sure you pick healthy plants with NO fruit or veggie on them yet, and with no bug or rot damage.  Follow the directions to plant them. Many plant labels will say if they are good for containers.  The first year is usually the hardest, so start small with just a few types of plants.”

Kelly writes: “If you have some space and need something to fill it, I would suggest rhubarb.  It’s easy to grow and continues to produce all summer (at least where I live in Zone 4).  It also is just a nice large plant to fill in a space. Plus there are so many things you can do with it.”

Donna writes: “We have a greenhouse business and we start our plants in the greenhouse.  Do not save seeds from hybrids.  Seeds from hybrids will not be like the year before.”

Herb Gardening Tips:

DIY Indoor Herb Garden {+ How to Dry Herbs}

Enjoy fresh herbs year round with these simple tips for a DIY Herb Garden!

How to Grow Basil From Cuttings

Expand your basil garden this year with this simple trick for How to Grow Basil From Cuttings!

How to Grow Rosemary from Cuttings

Growing your own rosemary is such a smart way to save money, while also enjoying an abundant supply of herbs.

How to Grow Sage from Cuttings in Water

No more trips to the grocery store every time you need to pick up some Sage!  Now you’ll know How to Grow Sage from Cuttings in Water!

Michaela writes: “Buy plants at the end of the season, including indoor pots. Then keep them inside over the winter!  The plants will keep growing throughout the winter and you will get an even bigger harvest the next year!”

Flower & Shrub Gardening Tips:

27 Rose Gardening Tips for Beginners to Pros

Check out these tried and true Best Rose Gardening Tips to grow your most beautiful blooms this year!

DIY Wildflower Seed Bombs

Truth be known, I had a great time getting my hands dirty and squishing the cool concoction between my fingers.  It was like I was 5 again.  Love it!

Lainey writes: “I buy one or two shrubs of a variety and then root all the ones I want from those.”

Jen said: “I like to look for ‘distressed plants’ at Lowe’s (and other home improvement stores).  Last year I got 8 marigold plants for $2.00 total.  The key is to check out the plant itself, not the flower.  The flowers will look bad, but if the plant is healthy enough, it can easily be revived. 🙂 ”

Rebecca writes: “Buy perennials! You can divide and start new plants from the few that you buy, and have a gorgeous garden.  You can then get a few annuals to put in pots around your garden for color all Summer!  Be sure to also start plants from seeds early in the Spring!”

Bruno said: “Have a neighborhood perennial swap. I will be trading with my neighbors this year, as I need to divide grasses, etc. and want a new color or texture to add to my beds.”

Arlena said: “When I see neighbors in their yard, I ask to cut off a portion of a plant that can be thinned out.  I usually start off asking about the plant or commenting on how nice their yard looks.  I find gardeners are very generous this way.  And I also offer plants from my yard if they need to be thinned out.”

Brenda writes: “Check Craigslist in the Spring… people are often thinning out perennials and give them away.”

Sandra said: “People with too many plants will want to thin out in the Spring.  I post on Craigslist that I’m willing to come dig up hostas or daylilies (or whatever).  I usually get several responses from people saying ‘please dig up mine.’  People will also often post that they’re getting rid of plants, for free or very cheap.”

Debra said: “In the Spring, look for landscapers cleaning out gardens. I have gotten boxes of hostas, tulips and daffodils out of a landscapers truck bed that had just been dug up.  I had to separate the plants from the weeds, but the following spring I reaped the benefit of a just few hours of work.  Also, look for plants that multiply, like ferns and hostas. Divide and replant these every other year to enlarge your gardens.   Then… be sure you do some stretching before you start gardening. It will help with those sore muscles!! Have fun!”

Cactus and Agave Gardening Ideas:

How to Propagate Cactus and Agave

Once you know how to propagate, you can have an endless supply of your own free plants, and beautiful gifts for friends, family, and neighbors. Or… you can even start a side hustle off of it!

Soil Tips:

What to Put in a Compost Bin at Home {Composting 101}

Knowing what to put in a compost bin is the first step to creating your own amazing compost for your home garden!

7 Natural DIY Soil Fertilizer Tricks

Are you looking for some easy DIY ways to fertilize your soil?  These tricks are great ways to enrich your soil!

Karen writes: “Start gardening with a good, fresh mixture of 2/3 topsoil and 1/3 compost.”

Marty writes: “We get fertilizer from our friends with horses.  They are always delighted to rid themselves of some nice, aged poo.”

Kathleen writes: “Get free coffee grounds from Starbucks, they give them away in huge bags!! Great for the garden!”

Janice writes: “Coffee grounds are great for acid-loving plants like Azaleas.”

Elvira writes: “I used to buy manure, but have started saving coffee grounds and egg shells. I mix the coffee grounds and egg shells in a 5 gallon bucket and frequently roll the contents to keep it mixed.  This is what I now use instead of manure.  It is very effective and all my plants react to it beautifully – even my African Violets, which keep blooms pretty much all year round.”

Donna said: “Soil is important!  Find your local agricultural extension agent, and get a soil test done. That way you do not waste your time and money buying fertilizers and lime that you do not need.  Hope this helps! Signed… ‘A Horticulture Teacher.’ ”

Frugal Gardening Hacks:

Frugal DIY Garden Watering Can

Got an empty plastic milk carton laying around? Check out this easy trick to make a Milk Jug Watering Can!

21 Home Depot Money Saving Tips for Your Backyard Garden Supplies!

Why pay full price for garden supplies?

23 Lowe’s Money Saving Hacks for Your Garden & Home DIY Projects!

Why pay too much seeds and gardening supplies?

How To Score Walmart Deals {20 Secret Tips}

I love saving money on splurges for my garden!  Several years ago, I found the cutest little pygmy palm tree on clearance at Walmart for just $2.00 {let’s just say it had seen better days}.  I snatched it up, trimmed off the struggling lower branches, planted it outside in front of our picture window, and it’s grown to  a gorgeous 6 foot tree now!  Use these Walmart Money Saving Tips for yourself to rack up some serious savings!

How to Make a DIY Raised Garden Bed

This super easy to build DIY Raised Garden Bed is the perfect option for hassle free gardening!

DIY Seed Starter Greenhouse {2 Liter Bottle Trick}

This DIY Seed Starter Greenhouse is a great way to get a jump-start on your seeds this growing season!

DIY Wild Bird Treat

It’s so simple to make and your feathered friends will love it!  You will be amazed at all the beautiful varieties of birds that come to visit.

Thrifty DIY Weed Killer Trick

You’re gonna love this frugal gardening tips for making your own Homemade Weed Killer.

Pamela writes: “Make sure your garden is south facing or gets plenty of light.  I recommend raising your beds.  It will help with drainage and your back!  Rabbits in your area? Be sure to fence in a small area if you have rabbits. You don’t want to see all your hard work eaten overnight.”

Pests in the Garden:

DIY Slug Trap Tricks

Don’t just let those snails and slugs eat your beautiful plants.  Get some help with these DIY Slug Trap ideas!

DIY Ways to Get Rid of Ants

Got ants??  It’s time to wish them farewell!  Check out these easy DIY Ways to Get Rid of Ants!

Indoor Gardening Tips:

How to Propagate Houseplants

Not only can propagated plants be great for you, but they can make nice gifts for neighbors, family, and friends, too!

Fingerprint Flower Pot Craft for Kids

Here’s another sweet and simple craft project for the kids.

How to Keep Cut Flowers Fresh Longer

Keep those blooms looking gorgeous with these easy tricks.

How to Keep Your Christmas Tree Alive Longer! {6 Easy Tricks}

Keep your live tree looking gorgeous all season long with these easy tips and tricks for how to keep your Christmas tree alive longer!

So do you want even more Frugal Inspiration for around savings around your home?  You need to try these Creative Tips!!

30 Gardening Gift Ideas

Whether you’re shopping for him or for her, these creative gardening gifts are both fun to give and SO fun to receive.

Canning and Preserving for Beginners {Ultimate Guide to Get Started}

You’ve just stumbled across the ultimate guide to Canning and Preserving for Beginners!

Homesteading 101! {The Ultimate Guide for Homesteaders Today}

Savor every moment of the simpler life and take your homesteader skills to the next level with this ultimate guide for Homesteading 101!

50 Backyard Chickens for Beginners Tips {Raising Chickens 101}

These Backyard Chickens for Beginners Tips and Hacks will have you up to speed and raising your own chickens in a jiffy!

Creating Curb Appeal on a Budget

Whether you plan to sell your home or enjoy your home for years to come, these ridiciulously simple Curb Appeal Projects can be tackled any weekend.

333 Brilliant Ways To Save More Money Around The House

Find some new ways to save on almost everything around your house!

So don’t miss any of the fun!  Stay connected with The Frugal Girls here for more fun and frugal tips…

So do you have any Easy Gardening Tips for Beginners or Tried and True Hacks you’ve Learned?

Share with us in the comments below…