Gardening for beginners, minimal tools required! Start small. Observe. Learn to know what the plants need.
These easy gardening projects can be done indoors and you don’t need much space. Begin with underwhelming — you’ll be more likely to gain momentum and not give up.
Sprouts & microgreens
Sunflower sprouts or sprouted mung beans in a jar, where the entire process takes maybe 5 days? Here’s how – start with the seeds in a jar, fill with water overnight, and rinse twice a day thereafter. Indoors and in low light is just fine.
There are plenty of kits for growing microgreens, to make the process even easier and avoid shopping around for individual items.
Potted herbs
Basil for example, or an entire herb garden. You can find some adorable herb-growing starter kits out there!
Growing potted herbs in Florida is perfect for beginners, thanks to the year-round sunshine. Choose easy-to-grow herbs like basil, mint, parsley, or thyme, and plant them in pots with good drainage and high-quality potting soil. Place the pots in a sunny spot with at least 4-6 hours of sunlight daily, and water regularly to keep the soil moist but not soggy. Avoid overwatering, as Florida’s humidity can retain moisture. Rotate pots occasionally to ensure even sun exposure.
Pothos roots from cuttings
Slightly more advanced if you’ve never grown roots from cuttings. However, it’s as simple as cutting in the right spot, placing in water, and waiting for roots to pop out!
If you can’t sneak a cutting from somewhere, I sell them on my Etsy page. To grow pothos from cuttings, start by cutting a healthy stem just below a node, ensuring each cutting has at least 2-3 leaves. Remove the leaf closest to the cut end, and place the cutting in water or moist soil, ensuring the node is submerged. Keep the container in bright, indirect light and change the water every few days if rooting in water. Roots typically appear within 1-2 weeks, and once they’re a few inches long, you can transplant the cutting into soil for continued growth.
Mustard greens
I live in Florida and I’ve had better luck with mustard greens than anything else. Growing mustard greens in Florida is relatively easy, thanks to the warm climate and fertile soil.
First, grab a pack of seeds. These leafy greens thrive in cooler months, making fall through early spring the ideal growing season. They prefer well-drained, nutrient-rich soil and full sun to partial shade. Plant seeds or transplants about 12-18 inches apart, and keep the soil consistently moist but not waterlogged. Mustard greens grow quickly, typically maturing in 30-40 days, and regular harvesting encourages continuous growth.
Eat the weeds
Learn about your edible backyard weeds. I’ve mentioned that one of the first steps in adopting the gardener mindset is observation. Learn to notice and observe the weeds growing around you. Learn their names, their nutritional contents and their medicinal components. There are many books on the subject. You’d be surprised, you can replace the grocery store spinach with your local edible weeds.