I Started My First Garden 7 Times Before Getting It Right: The Real Beginner's Guide

The Garden That Died in Three Weeks

My first garden lasted exactly 23 days. I planted 18 tomato seedlings, 12 pepper plants, a row of beans, three zucchini, and an ambitious collection of herbs in a 4m × 3m plot. By week two, the leaves were yellowing. By week three, half the plants were dead. By week four, I'd given up entirely. The cost: €180 in plants and materials. The lesson: none, because I had no idea what went wrong.

That was 2018. Between then and 2025, I've started seven different gardens in three different locations (two rental properties, one owned home). I've spent €1,200 on various attempts, killed hundreds of plants, and slowly—painfully slowly—learned what actually matters for beginners. This isn't the idealized advice from gardening books. This is what worked after everything else failed.

The Sun Tracking Reality Nobody Prepared Me For

Every guide says '6-8 hours of full sun.' I thought I understood this. I was completely wrong.

My First Mistake (Garden Attempt #1): I eyeballed my yard, picked a spot that 'looked sunny,' and planted. What I didn't realize: the sun's path changes dramatically through the growing season. That spot received 8 hours of sun in March when I planned the garden. By June, a neighbor's tree cast shade for 5 hours daily. My tomatoes produced three fruits total across 18 plants.

What I Should Have Done (Learned by Attempt #3): Track sun exposure at different times of year. I now photograph my yard at 9 AM, noon, 3 PM, and 6 PM on the 21st of each month for three months before planting. This reveals seasonal shadows that aren't obvious in early spring.

The Free Sun Tracking Method: I use a simple smartphone app (Sun Surveyor, free version) that overlays the sun's path on photos of my yard. This tool revealed that my 'perfect' spot actually only got 4.5 hours of direct sun during peak growing season (June-August). I measured actual hours using a basic timer—setting it whenever the spot was in full sun, pausing when shade hit. The results shocked me: what looked like 'all day sun' was actually 5 hours, fragmented into 90-minute blocks with shade periods in between.

The Sun Hours Reality: After measuring three different yard locations for full growing seasons, I discovered:
• Morning sun (before 10 AM): Less intense, good for cool-season crops
• Midday sun (10 AM - 2 PM): Most intense, critical for heat-loving plants
• Afternoon sun (2 PM - 6 PM): Hot but slightly less intense, still valuable

Six hours of morning sun does NOT equal six hours of midday sun for plant growth. I tested this by growing identical tomato plants in two locations: one with 6 hours morning sun, one with 6 hours midday sun. The midday sun location produced 60% more fruit. This is rarely mentioned in beginner guides.

The Shadow Mapping Exercise (Cost: €0, Time: 1 Day): On a clear day in May (after deciduous trees have leafed out), I placed wooden stakes every 2 meters across my yard. Every hour from 8 AM to 7 PM, I photographed the yard from the same spot. Then I drew a sun map showing which areas received sun at which times. This one day of work saved me from repeating my first garden's location failure.

Unexpected Shadow Sources:
• Neighbor's fence: 2.5 hours of shade I didn't anticipate (fence height: 1.8m)
• My own house: Morning shade extends 4 meters from east-facing wall until 11 AM
• Clothesline pole: Casts surprising amounts of shade in evening
• Nearby power lines: Minimal impact but something to consider for tall crops

The Water Source Miscalculation: My first garden was 18 meters from the nearest outdoor tap. In July heat, I was making 12-15 trips daily carrying a 10-liter watering can. Each trip took 3 minutes. That's 36-45 minutes daily just walking back and forth. After two weeks, I stopped watering consistently. The plants suffered.

Solution That Worked: Garden Attempt #4, I invested €45 in a 25-meter garden hose with a spray nozzle. Watering time dropped to 8 minutes daily. The time savings alone justified the cost within one week.

Ideal Location Criteria (My Learned Priorities):
1. 6+ hours midday sun (10 AM - 4 PM minimum)
2. Within 15 meters of water source
3. Level ground or slight slope (drainage matters)
4. Protected from strong winds (I lost an entire trellis to wind in Attempt #2)
5. Away from large tree roots (they compete for water and nutrients)

The Size Mistake That Costs Everyone

I started with a 12m² garden. This was catastrophic.

The Time Reality Nobody Mentions: I tracked actual time spent on my oversized first garden:
• Weekly weeding: 2.5 hours
• Watering: 45 minutes daily × 7 = 5.25 hours
• Pest management: 1 hour
• Harvesting/maintenance: 1.5 hours
• Total: 10.25 hours weekly

I have a full-time job. I have other hobbies. I don't have 10 hours weekly for gardening. By week four, I was spending maybe 3 hours total, and the garden showed it—weeds everywhere, stressed plants, declining yields.

Garden Attempt #5 (The Right-Sized Garden): I built a single 1.2m × 2.4m raised bed (2.88m²).
• Weekly weeding: 20 minutes
• Watering: 8 minutes daily × 7 = 56 minutes
• Pest management: 15 minutes
• Harvesting/maintenance: 30 minutes
• Total: 2 hours weekly

This was sustainable. I kept up with it all season. The plants thrived because they received consistent care. The harvest per square meter was actually higher than my large garden because of better maintenance.

Cost Comparison:
• Large garden (12m²): €180 in plants + €65 in amendments + €40 in tools = €285 initial cost
• Small garden (2.88m²): €55 in plants + €20 in amendments + €15 in tools = €90 initial cost

The small garden produced 35kg of vegetables (estimate based on harvest logs). The large garden produced maybe 20kg before I abandoned it. Return on investment: dramatically better with the smaller space.

The Expansion Timeline That Works: I maintained the single raised bed for two full seasons. Season three, I added a second identical bed (€85). Season four, I added a third (€90). By expanding slowly, I learned the time commitment realistically and ensured I could manage the increased workload. Current state: three beds totaling 8.6m², which I manage comfortably in 3.5 hours weekly.

Beginner Size Recommendations Based on Experience:
• If you've never gardened: 1.2m × 2.4m bed (one only)
• If you've grown houseplants successfully: 1.2m × 2.4m beds (two maximum)
• If you have vegetable gardening experience: 1.2m × 3.6m beds (two maximum)

Resist the urge to start bigger. You can always expand next year. You can't recover the money and motivation lost to an overwhelming first garden.

The Soil Disaster and €350 Lesson

Garden Attempt #1: I removed sod, tilled existing soil, and planted directly. Total soil cost: €0. Result: complete failure.

What Was Wrong With My Soil: In Garden Attempt #3, I finally sent a soil sample to a lab (€35). The results:
• pH: 7.8 (too alkaline for most vegetables—ideal is 6.0-7.0)
• Organic matter: 1.2% (should be 5%+)
• Nitrogen: Low
• Phosphorus: Very Low
• Potassium: Low
• Clay content: 65% (explains poor drainage)

My native soil was essentially unsuitable for vegetables without massive amendment. This explained everything.

The Amendment Attempt (Garden #2): I added 5cm of compost to the existing soil and tilled it in. Cost: €120 for 1.5m³ of compost. Result: Slight improvement, but still struggling plants. The problem: 5cm of compost mixed into 30cm of poor soil just diluted the compost. I needed much more.

To Fix That Soil Properly Would Require:
• 15cm of compost (€360 for 12m² area)
• Sulfur to lower pH (€25)
• Multiple seasons of cover crops and organic matter addition
• Total estimated cost: €500+
• Time to achieve good soil: 2-3 years minimum

Why I Switched to Raised Beds: Garden Attempt #5, I built a 1.2m × 2.4m raised bed with 30cm depth. I filled it with purchased raised bed soil mix. Cost: €65 for 0.86m³ of soil (I needed to fill 0.86m³: 1.2 × 2.4 × 0.3 = 0.86m³).

The Immediate Difference: Plants established in 3-4 days versus 10-14 days in the amended ground soil. Growth rate was visibly faster. First harvest came 12 days earlier. Final yields were double per plant compared to my ground garden attempts.

Soil Mix Recipe That Worked: When I built beds two and three, I mixed my own soil to save money:
• 40% compost (€15 per bed)
• 30% peat moss/coco coir (€12 per bed)
• 20% vermiculite (€10 per bed)
• 10% garden soil (free from friend's garden)
• Total cost: €37 per bed vs. €65 for pre-mixed

This DIY mix performed identically to the expensive bagged stuff. The savings over three beds: €84.

The Raised Bed Construction Cost (Detailed):
• Untreated pine lumber (1.2m × 2.4m bed, 30cm high): €35
• Wood screws (€8)
• Landscape fabric (prevents weeds growing up from below): €6
• Soil mix: €37 (DIY) or €65 (bagged)
• Total: €86-€114 per bed

Is this more than in-ground gardening? Yes. Is it worth it for beginners? Absolutely. The success rate difference is staggering.

Alternative Budget Approach That Worked: For my first bed, I used untreated pallet wood (free from local businesses) and basic screws (€8). It wasn't pretty but functioned perfectly. Cost: €51 total including DIY soil mix. This proves you can start for under €60 if needed.

The Plant Selection Failures That Taught Me Everything

I've tried growing 47 different vegetable and herb varieties over seven attempts. Here's what actually worked for a beginner.

Garden Attempt #1 Failures:
• Peppers: 12 plants, 8 fruits total (expected 50+)
• Cauliflower: 6 plants, 0 heads formed (bolted immediately)
• Eggplant: 4 plants, 2 fruits (expected 20+)
• Cantaloupe: 3 plants, 0 fruits (ran out of season)
• Why they failed: All require specific conditions, long seasons, or precise timing I didn't understand

Garden Attempt #1 Successes:
• Radishes: 30 planted, 28 harvested (93% success)
• Lettuce: Continuous harvest for 8 weeks
• Zucchini: 2 plants produced 35 fruits (almost too many!)
• Bush beans: 75% of seeds germinated and produced

The Pattern I Discovered: Easy plants share characteristics:
• Fast-growing (radishes: 25 days, lettuce: 45 days)
• Short season (don't need 90+ days)
• Forgiving of beginner mistakes
• Visible feedback (you can see when something's wrong)

My Tested 'Beginner Success' Plant List:

Vegetables - Guaranteed Success Tier:
• Cherry tomatoes (not beefsteak): 'Sweet 100' variety produced 200+ fruits from 2 plants
• Zucchini: 'Black Beauty' produced 15-20 fruits per plant
• Bush beans: 'Provider' variety, extremely reliable
• Radishes: 'French Breakfast', harvest in 25 days
• Lettuce mix: Any mesclun mix, cut-and-come-again style
• Peas: 'Sugar Snap' if planted early spring

Herbs - Impossible to Kill:
• Basil: 'Genovese' variety, pinch regularly for bushiness
• Parsley: Grew in partial shade when everything else struggled
• Chives: Survived my complete neglect, returned year after year
• Oregano: Also survived neglect, spread aggressively

Plants I'd Avoid as a Beginner:
• Cauliflower: Temperature-sensitive, long season, difficult timing
• Melons: Long season, specific spacing needs, pest-prone
• Celery: Extremely slow, needs constant moisture
• Carrots: Germination difficult, long season, soil needs to be perfect
• Artichokes: Multi-year commitment, large space requirement

The Seed vs. Seedling Decision:

What I Start from Seed (Cost-Effective):
• Radishes: €2.50 for 500 seeds vs. not sold as seedlings
• Beans: €3 for 50 seeds vs. €18 for 6 seedlings
• Lettuce: €2.80 for hundreds of seeds vs. €3 per seedling
• Zucchini: €3 for 15 seeds vs. €3.50 per seedling

What I Buy as Seedlings (Time/Success Rate):
• Tomatoes: €3.50 per seedling, saves 6-8 weeks of indoor growing
• Peppers: €3.20 per seedling, difficult to start from seed
• Herbs (first year): €2.50-4 per plant, immediate harvest vs. waiting 6-8 weeks

Cost Comparison for First Garden (1.2m × 2.4m bed):
• All seedlings: €68
• Mixed approach (what I recommend): €35
• All seeds: €22 (but requires seed-starting setup and skills)

For a first garden, the mixed approach provides best balance of cost, success rate, and learning curve.

The Planting Mistakes That Killed My Crops

Spacing Failure #1: I planted tomatoes 30cm apart (tag said 60cm). They became a tangled, diseased mess by July. I lost 6 out of 8 plants to fungal issues from poor air circulation.

Why I Ignored Spacing: The recommended spacing looked like wasted space. I wanted to maximize yield in my limited area. The result was lower yields from overcrowded, struggling plants.

Spacing Success (Learned by Garden #4): I followed spacing guidelines exactly. Plants had room to spread. Air circulated freely. Disease pressure dropped to near-zero. Individual plant yield increased 40%. Total bed yield increased 15% despite fewer plants.

The Transplanting Depth Error: Garden #2, I planted tomato seedlings with the root ball sitting 3cm above soil level (I rushed and didn't dig deep enough). Within a week, roots were exposed and drying out. I lost 4 plants before I understood the problem.

Correct Method (Learned Through Failure): Dig hole 5cm deeper than root ball. Remove plant from container gently (don't pull on stem). Place in hole so root ball top is level with or slightly below soil surface. Backfill and press firmly. Water immediately and deeply.

Tomato Exception: Tomatoes can be planted deep—bury 50-75% of the stem. They'll grow roots along the buried stem, creating a stronger plant. I tested this in Garden #5: standard-depth tomatoes vs. deep-planted. The deep-planted produced 25% more fruit and showed better drought tolerance.

The Seed Depth Failures: Garden #1, I planted bean seeds 7cm deep (double the recommended depth). Germination rate: 35%. Garden #3, I barely covered seeds with 5mm of soil. Birds ate half; remainder dried out. Germination rate: 20%.

The Rule That Finally Worked: Seed depth = 2× seed diameter. For beans (1.5cm diameter), plant 3cm deep. For tiny lettuce seeds (1mm), barely cover with 2mm soil. Following this rule exactly: germination rates jumped to 75-90% across all seed types.

Seed Germination Testing: After wasting €35 on seeds that didn't germinate well, I started testing germination rates before planting entire packets. Method: Place 10 seeds on damp paper towel in a sealed plastic bag. Count how many sprout in 7 days. If 8+ sprout (80%+ rate), the seeds are good. If fewer, increase seeding rate or buy fresh seeds.

The Watering Crisis and €80 in Dead Plants

Garden Attempt #1 Watering Disaster: I watered every morning for 5 minutes with a sprinkler. By afternoon, plants wilted. I increased to morning and evening watering. Plants still struggled. I had no idea why.

What Was Wrong: Sprinkler watering was wetting the top 2-3cm of soil only. Plant roots extended 15-30cm deep. They were essentially in drought conditions despite daily watering. I was fooled by the damp soil surface.

The Finger Test Discovery: Garden #3, someone suggested I stick my finger into the soil 7-10cm deep before watering. If it felt moist, skip watering. If dry, water deeply. This simple test revealed my watering wasn't penetrating.

Deep Watering Method That Works:
• Water slowly at soil level (not spraying leaves)
• Continue until water pools briefly on surface
• Wait 5 minutes for absorption
• Water again until soil is saturated 15-20cm deep
• Time required: 2-3 minutes per plant for deep saturation

This method uses more water per session but less frequently. I went from daily watering to every 2-3 days, with better plant health.

The Moisture Meter Investment: After killing €80 in plants through overwatering (yes, possible even with struggling plants), I bought a €12 moisture meter. It measures soil moisture at different depths. This tool revealed:
• Surface (0-5cm): Dries out quickly, misleading
• Root zone (10-20cm): Where it matters
• Deep zone (20-30cm): Indicates if you're watering deeply enough

Using the meter, I discovered I was overwatering seedlings (roots shallow, soil staying soggy) while underwatering established plants (roots deep, soil dry below surface). Adjusting based on meter readings: plant survival rate increased from 70% to 95%.

Watering Schedule That Evolved:

Week 1-2 (Establishment): Daily light watering, keeping top 5cm moist
Week 3-4 (Root Development): Every 2 days, deeper watering to 10cm
Week 5+ (Established): Every 3-4 days, deep watering to 20cm, adjusted based on weather

This schedule reduced my watering time from 40 minutes daily to 20 minutes every 3 days while improving plant health.

The Heatwave Emergency: July 2023, temperatures hit 32°C for 7 consecutive days. My every-3-days schedule wasn't enough. Plants wilted by afternoon despite morning watering.

Heatwave Adjustment:
• Increased watering to every 2 days
• Watered in early morning (6-7 AM) before heat
• Added 5cm additional mulch layer (see below)
• Rigged temporary shade cloth over beds during peak heat (2-5 PM)

These adjustments saved the garden. Without them, I estimate 70% plant loss based on my neighbor's experience (who didn't adjust and lost most of her garden).

Mulch: The Discovery That Changed Everything

I didn't mulch my first three garden attempts. This was stupid.

Garden #1 Without Mulch:
• Weeding time: 2.5 hours weekly
• Watering frequency: Daily, sometimes twice daily
• Soil surface: Hard, cracked, hot to touch
• Plant stress: Visible by afternoon on hot days

Garden #4 With Mulch:
• Weeding time: 20 minutes weekly (88% reduction)
• Watering frequency: Every 3-4 days (60% reduction)
• Soil surface: Cool, moist, soft
• Plant stress: Minimal even on hot days

The Mulch Test I Conducted: I left one tomato plant unmulched as a control. I mulched three identical plants with 7cm of straw. Over 8 weeks in summer, I tracked water usage, soil temperature, and yield.

Results:
• Unmulched plant: 42 liters water used, 3.2kg fruit harvested
• Mulched plants (average): 24 liters water used (43% less), 4.7kg fruit harvested (47% more per plant)

The mulched plants also had fewer pest issues (slugs avoided traveling over dry straw) and showed better consistent growth rates.

Mulch Materials Tested:

Straw (€8 per bale, covers 5m²):
• Pros: Clean, light-colored (doesn't absorb heat), lasts full season
• Cons: Can contain weed seeds if not truly straw (wheat/oat stems)
• My rating: Best overall choice
• Cost per raised bed: €2.40

Shredded Leaves (Free):
• Pros: Free, adds nutrients as it breaks down
• Cons: Blows around, decomposes quickly (needs replenishing mid-season), can mat down when wet
• My rating: Good if you have abundant supply
• Cost: €0, but labor to shred and collect

Grass Clippings (Free):
• Pros: Free, breaks down to feed soil
• Cons: Must use thin layers (5cm max) or it mats and smells, decomposes very fast (monthly replenishment), can be too nitrogen-rich
• My rating: Good if used carefully
• Cost: €0

Wood Chips (€25 per m³, or free from tree services):
• Pros: Long-lasting (2-3 years), looks neat
• Cons: Can tie up nitrogen as it decomposes, not ideal directly around vegetables
• My rating: Better for paths than beds
• Cost: €15 per bed if purchased

Black Plastic (€12 per roll):
• Pros: Completely prevents weeds, warms soil
• Cons: No organic matter addition, can overheat soil in summer, not attractive, not organic/sustainable
• My rating: Effective but not my preference
• Cost: €4 per bed

My Current System: Straw mulch applied when plants reach 15cm height. I add a 7cm layer initially, then top up with 2-3cm every 4-6 weeks as it decomposes. Annual cost: €24 for three beds. Time saved in weeding and watering: 60+ hours. ROI is absurd.

The Mulch Application Method That Matters:
• Wait until soil is warm (late May in my climate) so you're not insulating cold soil
• Water soil deeply before mulching
• Keep mulch 5cm away from plant stems (prevent rot and pest hiding spots)
• Apply 7-10cm depth (thinner isn't effective, thicker is wasteful)
• Top up as it settles and decomposes

The Timeline Reality: From Planting to Harvest

Nobody told me how long things actually take. My expectations were completely unrealistic.

What I Expected (Garden #1): Plant in late April, harvest starting late May, abundance all summer.

What Actually Happened:
• Late April: Planted
• Early May: Tiny growth, plants still small
• Mid-May: Slow growth (weather still cool)
• Late May: Finally seeing good growth
• Mid-June: First radish harvest (50 days from planting)
• Late June: First lettuce, peas
• Mid-July: First tomatoes (80 days from transplanting)
• August-September: Peak harvest

The 'harvest all summer' fantasy was actually 'wait patiently for two months, then harvest for 6-8 weeks.' Understanding this timeline would have prevented a lot of impatient frustration.

Days to Harvest (Documented in My Gardens):
• Radishes: 25-30 days from seed
• Lettuce: 45-50 days from seed for full heads (30 days for baby leaves)
• Bush beans: 55-60 days from seed
• Peas: 60-70 days from seed
• Zucchini: 50-60 days from seed (35-45 from transplant)
• Cherry tomatoes: 70-85 days from transplant
• Basil: 60-70 days from seed for heavy harvest (30 days for first picking)

These timelines assume proper care, good conditions, and correct variety selection. Poor conditions can add 2-3 weeks to all these estimates.

The First-Season Cost Reality (Complete Breakdown)

Here's what my successful Garden #5 actually cost:

One-Time Infrastructure:
• Raised bed construction: €86
• Garden hose: €45
• Basic tools (trowel, pruners, watering wand): €32
• Moisture meter: €12
• Total: €175

Recurring Annual Costs:
• Seedlings: €28
• Seeds: €12
• Mulch: €8
• Fertilizer (organic): €15
• Soil amendments: €10
• Total: €73 per season

First Season Total: €248

Harvest Value (Conservative Estimates):
• Cherry tomatoes: 8kg × €4/kg = €32
• Zucchini: 12 fruits × €2 each = €24
• Beans: 3kg × €6/kg = €18
• Lettuce: 20 heads × €1.50 = €30
• Radishes: 2kg × €3/kg = €6
• Herbs: Equivalent to 15 supermarket packs × €2 = €30
• Total value: €140

First Season ROI: Lost €108 financially, but gained:
• Organic produce worth €140
• Infrastructure (reusable for 10+ years)
• Skills worth infinitely more than the investment
• Satisfaction: priceless

Second Season Costs: €73 (infrastructure already exists)
Second Season Harvest: €180 (better skills, higher yields)
Second Season ROI: €107 profit

By season two, the garden becomes financially positive while providing organic produce, exercise, stress relief, and genuine satisfaction.

What I Wish I'd Known From Day One

Start in May, Not April: I planted too early multiple times, excited by warm spring days. Late frosts killed seedlings twice (€45 loss each time). In my climate (Dublin area), mid-May is safe. Waiting 2-3 weeks would have prevented €90 in losses and weeks of wasted effort.

Focus on 3-5 Crop Types Only: My first garden had 15 different crops. I couldn't learn the needs of each. Garden #5 had 6 crops. I learned them deeply, adjusted care precisely, and yields per plant more than doubled.

Keep a Garden Journal: I started this in Garden #4. I logged planting dates, weather, harvest amounts, problems, solutions. This data transformed my gardening. I could see patterns, avoid repeated mistakes, and plan better each year. Cost: €0 (used old notebook). Value: immeasurable.

The Journal Changed My Success Rate: With no records, I repeated the same mistakes yearly. With records, success rate improved 20% per season as I referred back to what worked and what failed.

What to Track:
• Planting dates and locations
• Variety names (not all 'cherry tomatoes' perform equally)
• Harvest dates and amounts
• Weather patterns
• Pest problems and solutions attempted
• Photos weekly (visual record is powerful)

Join a Local Garden Group: I should have done this immediately. Instead, I struggled alone for three years. When I finally joined a community garden Facebook group (free), I learned more in one month than the previous three years. Local knowledge about timing, varieties, and pests is invaluable.

One Garden Mentor Changed Everything: In Garden #4, I met an experienced gardener at a plant sale. She offered to visit my garden and provide feedback. In 30 minutes, she identified six problems I didn't know existed and suggested simple solutions. That one conversation was worth more than hundreds of hours reading generic gardening advice.

The Seven-Attempt Progression (What I'd Do Now)

If I could start over with current knowledge, here's the exact sequence:

Season 1 (Learning):
• One 1.2m × 2.4m raised bed
• Four crops maximum: cherry tomatoes, zucchini, lettuce mix, radishes
• Focus: Learn to water correctly, observe plant needs, keep basic notes
• Expected success: 60-70%
• Cost: €250

Season 2 (Expanding Skills):
• Same bed, add 2-3 new crops
• Implement mulching fully
• Start basic pest management (monitoring only)
• Focus: Improve consistency, increase yields per plant
• Expected success: 75-85%
• Cost: €75

Season 3 (Expansion):
• Add second raised bed
• Try succession planting (staggered sowing for continuous harvest)
• Improve soil with compost
• Focus: Efficiency and variety
• Expected success: 85%+
• Cost: €160 (new bed + annual costs)

This slower, more deliberate progression would have saved me €700+ and years of frustration.

The Truth About First Garden Success

My first six gardens taught me what success actually means. It's not perfection. It's not a magazine-worthy space. It's not even maximum yields.

Success is: eating one tomato that tastes infinitely better than anything from a store. It's learning that your zucchini plant needs more space. It's discovering that you actually enjoy the morning ritual of checking on plants. It's understanding that failure teaches more than success.

Garden #7—my current garden—still has problems. I still lose plants to pests occasionally. Weeds still grow. But the failure rate dropped from 70% (Garden #1) to 15% (Garden #7). The harvest increased from 20kg to 150kg across three beds. The time investment became enjoyable rather than overwhelming. The garden evolved from a stressful project into a reliable source of food, learning, and genuine satisfaction.

That progression took seven attempts, seven years, and €1,200 in total investment (including all failures). But the €1,200 bought knowledge that will serve me for the next 40+ years of gardening. The real cost per year is €30. The real value is immeasurable.

If you're starting your first garden, you will make mistakes. I've made them all, documented them here, and hopefully saved you from repeating the most expensive ones. Start small, focus on easy wins, keep records, ask for local help, and be patient. The learning curve is steep, but the view from the top—standing in your garden with a basket of produce you grew yourself—is absolutely worth the climb.