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There is something tremendously spirit-lifting about gardening. The accomplishment that comes with planting flowers, fruits, and veggies and watching them become bounteous is a one-of-a-kind feeling.

However, last year seemed to be a challenge for many of us that call gardening a hobby.

This year, I have been doing a bit of research so that I can nip those problems in the bud! (See what I did there?)

I have had an interest in gardening since my youngest days - from eating dirt out of pots as a toddler, to helping dig, plant, and water when I grew big enough to follow directions and handle tools.

Forget the several years when I became a surly tween/teen and did not want to help in the yard at all. Those don't count!

Fast forward to now, as 30-something year-old with a bit of space to call my own and a chance to forge ahead once again with my dirt-digging hobby.

For a couple of years, I lived in a rented house that already had garden beds in the yard - easy peasy way to get started.

My dad took me to get supplies, explained what I needed to do to get the earth ready for planting, and I had a ginormous crop of veggies within a few months.

"I am so good at this!" I would exclaim as I picked giant cucumbers and beautiful tomatoes.

Then, I moved in with my awesome fiancé - and had to switch to mostly container gardening.

"I can do this!" I thought after a few hours on Pinterest.

"Oh, can you?" said the garden supplies.

Truth is, last year did not go nearly as well as the years prior.

Teeny tiny cucumbers. One tomato plant died, the other one did okay-ish. Peppers were not pretty. My herbs barely survived. It was a sad sad garden.

This year, I am taking a different approach.

Armed with several library books on container gardening, my mistakes from last year are becoming clear.

It's time to pay more attention to the when and where of planting, smart pairings of plants, as well as learn which soils and what kind of fertilizers are best for what I plan to grow. I can do this!

I also plan to build a raised garden bed with help from my best friend and her knowledge from a project she did last year.

Two DIY-loving gals with some plywood, power tools, and a medium sized fluffball dog underfoot can do anything they put their muscle to!

Each year seems to be a lesson in earth science, chemistry, critters of the furry, slimy, and flying variety, patience, and the simple fact that I cannot control the weather.

You could say that it will not matter how my garden grows this year, as long as I enjoy the process and learn along the way. Is anything more delicious than a fresh cucumber, though? 

Need a little garden guidance? Here are the books I have been using this year:

Edible Spots & Pots 

by Stacey Hirvela

Small is Bountiful: Getting More Crops from Your Pots

by Liz Dobbs and Anne Halpin

Fairy Gardening: Creating Your Own Magical Miniature Garden

by Julie Bawden-Davis and Beverly Turner

Grow Your Own Vegetables in Pots

by Deborah Schneebeli-Morrell

Fruit and Vegetables in Pots

from DK's Simple Steps to Success series