Gardener shares easy tips on how she started a garden for free with zero experience: 'Amazing job'

A homesteader took to TikTok to give newbies tips on how to get a garden started. 

The scoop

TikToker Kari from The Boo Bear Homestead (@boobearhomestead) shared a helpful video that requires just cardboard, compost, and seeds. 

@boobearhomestead Starting a garden is easier and more affordable than you think! The method I use is called the no-till method. I never till the ground, I simply add carboard on top to kill the grass, and add compost over top. Overtime the cardboard and compost will breakdown and enrich the soil. This method works on all soil types (clay, sandy, compacted, etc). By keeping the soil structure intact, it builds organic matter, retains moisture, and fosters the best biodiversity. Healthier soil = stronger, more nutrient-dense crops. 🌱 🍅 #garden #gardening #beginnergardener ♬ original sound - TheBooBearHomestead

Kari starts with boxes obtained for free from McDonald's and a dollar store. Those are layered on the ground before being soaked with water. Then, a six-inch layer of compost is added before seeds are planted.

The compost was another material obtained for free, this time from a local dairy farm. Kari suggested checking Facebook Marketplace if you don't have a connection like that. 

"Over time, the compost breaks down, enriching the soil so you don't have to keep feeding your garden," she said.

How it's helping

What Kari did is create a quick and easy garden. The cardboard serves as a good base and will become soil thanks to the water and as it heats up over time under the compost. 

The compost serves as a natural fertilizer for the plants, giving them nutrients and helping them to retain moisture and grow well in their early days. It's safer for the environment than chemical fertilizers and has the same effects. As the compost gradually spreads via waterings and rainfall, it feeds the soil around it, essentially supercharging your garden and helping plants grow bigger and better than they do in topsoil. 

Kari's method also saves time and effort, as you don't have to break ground prior to planting. 

What everyone's saying

Commenters loved this trick. 

"Zero experience?" one said. "It looks like you picked up five years of experience along the way. Amazing job!" 

"That is a great tip!" another wrote.

When do you plan to start gardening this year? I already have 🧑‍🌾 In the next couple of weeks 🗓️ As soon as the ground thaws 🥶 Probably never 🤷 Click your choice to see results and speak your mind.

"That is awesome!" a third user said.

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