Start Your Own Garden in 4 Easy Steps

My father was born with a green thumb. Even as a child, he was skilled enough to grow his own taro, locally known as gabi. Once the gabi flourished, he actually posed beside it for a picture—at a time when cameras and film were expensive and hard to come by, he valued his crop enough to take a photo with it!

Any gardener will tell you that my father had good reason to take pride in his hard work. After all, he invested time, energy, and effort into his own plot of land. And why not? Gardening is a therapeutic activity that can improve the beauty of your surroundings and provide you with fresh fruits and vegetables. 

If you would also like to reap the many benefits of growing your own garden, here are a few steps that you can follow:

• Choose your plants

First-time gardeners should consider planting herbs like basil, mint, and oregano. These miniature plants are easy to take care of and won't take up too much space.  

Click here to learn more about these easy-to-grow herbs. 

• Find the perfect spot

Who says that you need a big piece of land? You can plant in biscuit cans and ceramic containers placed on your windowsill! The most important thing is to look for an area that gets at least six hours of sunshine and is close to a source of water. You should also find garden soil that is not too dry or too hard.

• Allot enough space

If you have an outdoor area in your home, you can allot enough space for your own garden. For most homeowners, a 10x10 ft. space is a good place to start. You should leave 18 inches between the rows for easier access.

• Select the seedlings

Purchase seeds from established vegetable gardeners and seedling banks. You can also try your hand at nurturing cacti and succulents first.

Don't know where to start? Browse through the Instagram accounts of shops that sell plants in the Philippines!

Click here for a list of Pinoy plant shops on Instagram.