It’s that time of year to don a pair of gardening gloves and start digging in the dirt. Here are some tips to get your green thumb going, and you can help impoverished families do the same.

Whether you’re a seasoned gardener or a beginner, you’ll need to plan what to plant and when. Use this free Garden Planning Worksheet to get ready for the season. Some other tips:

• Location – Be mindful of areas in your yard that will get full sun or are mostly shady. Tomatoes, cucumbers, peppers and most leafy greens do best in areas with at least six hours of sun a day. Carrots and other root vegetables can thrive in shadier areas.
• Grow a herb garden – Herbs will sprout after only a few weeks. They can also be transplanted from indoor pots once the ground stops freezing overnight. Herbs will thrive in nutrient-rich outdoor soil. They make healthy food taste sensational, and growing your own can save you money at the grocery store.

This content and garden worksheet have been used with permission from Botanical Paperworks – a Canadian supplier and manufacturer of eco-friendly seed paper products