Growing up in the city, I never really experienced what it was like to grow anything except a house plant. And while my houseplants do thrive, I realize that growing vegetables can be a lot more complicated. But last year I took the plunge and decided to grow pumpkins. I love pumpkins, and I love everything pumpkin, which seemed to make growing pumpkins a good choice. I prepared a small area in my backyard and planted the seeds. And waited. And still waited. Until finally, one day, there they were, the first green sprouts that would later become pumpkins. Once those green sprouts appeared, I became obsessed. Were the leaves the right color? Were they too light? Were they spotted? Were they dry? Those pumpkins became my children, and when I saw my first pumpkin on the vine, it was a feeling I will never forget. My small pumpkin patch ended up yielding five pumpkins. I took them indoors, placed them on the mantle, and marveled that they grew from a seed that I had planted. It was the best feeling in the world, and one that made me decide that I would expand my vegetable garden in the future. If you’re looking to start your own garden, be sure to start slow, and only plant one or two types of vegetables the first year – making sure to choose vegetables that are known to thrive in your area. Start slow, with one or two vegetables your first year, and make sure to choose those that are known to thrive in your area. For more information on starting your own garden, be sure to read this handy list of suggestions from Gardensalive.com. To read more about soil health, visit our website at Holisticmanagement.org