Ready to Garden? Start Here with these Practical Resources

It’s that time of year—when the seed packets are calling, the garden dreams are growing, and maybe (just maybe) you’re wondering if you’re already behind.

Let me tell you right now: You’re not. Whether your seed trays are already cozy on a shelf or you're still deciding what to grow, you’re right on time.

To make things a little easier (and hopefully a lot more encouraging), I pulled together some of my favorite garden-related posts, videos, and podcast episodes. These are resources I’ve shared from my heart—whether you’re brand new to gardening or just looking for a few new ideas this season.

Let’s dig in.

Beginner's Guide to Starting Tomatoes from Seed Indoors

If you're wondering where to begin with home gardening, tomatoes are such a great place. They're forgiving, pantry-friendly, and honestly? A little magical to grow. If you're growing your own food for storage or preservation, tomatoes are a must.

🎥 Watch This Video:
How to Start Tomatoes from Seed | Gardening for Food Storage

In the video, I walk you through:

• My super simple indoor seed starting setup

• The tomato varieties I’m growing for canning, sauces, and dehydrating

• Tips for bottom watering, using a heat mat, and labeling your trays

• How I grow with our pantry in mind—not just for fresh eating

Even if you’ve never started seeds indoors, I promise this is doable and beginner-friendly.

Gardening for Preparedness: Podcasts on Planning Your Food Storage

Sometimes the best garden planning happens while you're folding laundry or washing dishes.

Here are a few garden-related episodes to start with:

🎙️ Garden 101 - Getting Started – Ep. 18
All about finding your garden space and what to consider before you plant that first seed.

🎙️ Garden 101 - Garden Planning – Ep. 20
This is where the fun begins—how I plan my garden, keep notes, and decide what goes where.

🎙️ Food Preservation with Crystal from Whole Fed Homestead – Ep. 26
A conversation about preserving what you grow (and what to grow because you want to preserve it).

You can listen to the This Prepared Life podcast on your favorite platform:

• Apple Podcasts

• Spotify

• YouTube Music Podcast

Real-Life Gardening Tips for Beginners, Food Storage, and More

Instagram is where I share the day-to-day—my wins and my messes. If you’re looking for food storage garden inspiration, real-time tips, and encouragement, this is the place.

You’ll find:

• Reels with beginner gardening tips and seed starting ideas

• Posts about choosing the right crops for food preservation and long-term pantry use

• Real-time updates on what I’m growing in my North Idaho homestead garden

Come say hi here: @thispreparedlife

Grow with Confidence: Join the This Prepared Life Gardening Membership

Inside This Prepared Life Membership, I’ve put together even more resources to support your journey into gardening for preparedness and peace of mind:

• Printable resources to help you plan your vegetable, herb, and perennial garden with purpose

• Behind-the-scenes garden tours that show how I set up and manage my own garden spaces throughout the seasons

• Simple, encouraging Gardening 101 lessons that walk you through the basics step by step

• Monthly live chats with me and fellow members to ask questions, share wins, and get personalized support

If you’re craving encouragement, peace of mind, and a like-hearted community of women who prep and grow their own food, we’d love to have you. 💛

🔗 Join the Membership Here

You don’t have to do it perfectly. You just have to begin.

Whether you're starting one tomato plant or planting out your whole backyard, you’re growing something good. I’m cheering you on every step of the way.

Let’s grow together,
Allison