Garden Expert: 35 Years of Gardening Lessons in 12 Minutes

Want to set up raised beds like Ben's. Check out this video:

Planning a bigger plot? You might find this video helpful:

For how to use grass clippings as mulch watch this next:

Ben has been gardening since he was 8 years old and started his own vegetable garden aged 11. In this week's episode, Ben lists 10 things he wishes he'd known when he first started out. Learn from his mistakes instead of making your own!

Ben gets our creative juices flowing with a back-to-basics look at vegetable garden planning, including practical considerations behind positioning a new garden, and how and where to locate crops within it. Get your garden off to a flying start this growing season!

And enjoy a no-obligation, completely free trial of the Garden Planner here:

[k.p.]

Ben, you are sunshine on a rainy day! It's so nice to have you here, encouraging us. I giggled when you said you learn something new every year. Aint that the truth! I have folks stopping by all of the time asking me to teach them how to garden. One family gave me a half hour, they had another appointment. At first I thought- AINT YOU SO CUTE! Then I realized they were serious. I love the idea that people are wanting to start gardening, but, they sort of expect you to fast food, what they need to know, in less than 1 hour. One lady stopped by a few of days ago- same question, and this time, I asked 1- How big do you want you garden to be? 2- What do you want to grow 3- What is your budget to get started? She said, I need to know all of that? I said, for the start, yes. 😆I then told her go home, get this list done, and then come back and we can start. She was going right home to do it....I have seen her since, but, I wonder why she looks away when she drives by? 🤔 🤣

[nineteenninetyfive]

My advice is to do as much as you want to. I think a lot of people get the idea from watching YouTube that you need to constantly be growing and maximising the space to be as productive as possible. This level of intense gardening isn't for everyone. Gardening is a marathon not a sprint. The most important thing is to enjoy what you do.

[jamesbrock]

If gardening is easy, it wont be as fun.

At least, that is what I tell my self when I saw a squirrel digging and uprooting my newly planted bare rooted strawberries. Unrelated note, I am now testing out the powers of black pepper.

Learn something new every day!

[brightantwerp]

You were born to be a gardener. It's so nice to learn from your experience. Thanks for sharing.

[veggiepatchideas]

30 years in and I'm still learning, That's the beauty of gardening. Great video Ben 🙏 🌱

[andyfarmer]

Your so right Ben. I start the 60th year of my gardenig apprentiship this year and I think I will need another 60 years learning.

[frankmckie]

As a disabled gardener I struggle some what... things some do in 5 minutes takes me most of the day. But I must say you're extremely up beat and practical approach just makes me say hell yeh let's get this done lol .... thanks your up beat attitude inspires me to get on with it lol 🙂👍🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿

[GeorgeLucas]

This video is so important. It is so easy to feel like a failure or discouraged early in your gardening career. I wish I could give such similar advice to myself years ago. Now I make sure to keep a solid rule in my head: if only 50% of what I plant is a success, then that is a 100% A+ success rate/grade. And if 0% of what I planted worked out, and I still had fun, then that is 100% successful too. Don't let results get in the way of happiness and the meditative aspects of the craft. Our expectations are self imposed, remember comparison is the thief of joy.

[nemian]

As a gardener for several decades myself I spent the first couple of decades in all out war with weeds and pests ( as was the mindset at the time). At a point 15 years or so ago I just stopped, no pesticides/herbicides and I focused on soil health. Once you have that and trial the vegies and fruit for your area you will find what provides abundance with minimal intervention.
As Ben mentioned it could be as simple as top dressing with some of your own compost once a year, basically mimicking die back and leaf fall.
TIP: In my environment Super dilute 1/10th of what they say of fish emulsion at flowering stage for just about everything just once in raised beds.
Weeds have become such an insignificant problem in my current temperate climate I tend to leave them if I think they may be insect friendly.
By the by some weeds make really tasty teas.;
About 20% of my sowing / propagating each year is for new/experimental plants of which something usually makes the grade.

I have farmed and gardened on three continents - Tropical / Sub Tropical and Temperate
Save money, time and effort, make good healthy soil.

[yazx]

Just moved into my first house at 36. We have a tiny plot for our area (suburban Western New York) .33 acres, but we really hit some gold <3. We live at the top of a hill with clear full sun days, loamy soil and the entire south-side of the plot is sloped with the side of the house available for trellising.

I have dabbled with above ground gardening, potted etc, but until me and my husband got married i just financially haven't had the tools or seeds to do much. This first year I have been overly excited to get things going but I am trying to dampen my expectations for a first year garden.

Thank you for all the videos that have kept me busy learning before i could put most of it to use in my bigger garden :)

[EmpoweredWithNicole]

Ben is my Gardening Guru - my Alton Brown of the gardening world!! Thank you so much for sharing your wisdom. We appreciate you!!

[wrongwayconway]

I started gardening when I was 15, now at 62, I am still learning and trying new things. Gardening is a lifelong learning experience. I love it.💚

[alisonfurlong]

Thanks for the reminder of lessons learned. This year for the first time I'm co-gardening an allotment and am desperately trying to keep myself from attempting too much at once. It's going to be great though - full sun, protected from marauding deer, and with a community of other gardeners to swap seeds, plants, and advice

[livlab]

this is great! I am going to move to a new house in a month and have brand new raised bed space, I can't wait to plan things out!

[blairbabylon]

Hello from the Northeastern US! I’m always glad to see a new video from you. I think I’ve watched almost everything else!

[yamakarasu]

Your enthusiasm and joy for gardening is infectious. Thanks so much for your videos 🥹

[BecomingVT]

I’m embracing my failures and choosing to learn and grow from them as a beginner! Thanks for another great video!

[wordwalkermomma]

You are, indeed sunshine! Thank you, Ben.
Question: What is the word/phrase you used...”Scatter-gone”? I think that is a perfect description of the way I have always approached growing. I get SO excited, and CANNOT wait for a plan, then hopelessly create more work for myself and end up with disgust at the failures and infestations that ensue. But NOT THIS YEAR! 😃
It ENDS HERE! I will stop and plan TODAY, during the umpteenth rain of the year. 😆

[sylviagrey-nc]

Yes, Ben, like many others, I'm so glad I found you. You are my gardening guide and a joy to watch and listen to. You explain things so well which makes for easy understanding. I look forward to your regularly received videos. Thank you!

[sarasunny-hrxf]

Your combined intelligence & common sense, have resulted in Who You Are ! Your willingness to share, Garden knowledge in your informative, friendly Videos, is very appreciated. Your garden smarts & common, are a great help, for those, who take our gardens seriously, but at the same time need practicable, easy ways to Garden. Wish I'd found you years ago. "You can teach an old dog new tricks" Humans can be taught too : ) At 85, I intend to prove it, by living at least another 4 years, and watching your Videos. Thank You !