Vegetables straight from the garden offer unmatched flavor and health benefits. The great joy a gardener gets from tending to plants and watching them grow can be very fulfilling. Fortunately, getting started isn’t hard at all, and the rewards are amazing.

Swipe through these quick tips for starting your own vegetable garden.

A good first step is to decide what you can grow based on where you live and the time of year, then make a list. Many people start with spring gardens.

If you’re extra industrious, you can start your own seeds. Depending on what you’re planting and where you live, you’ll probably plant them in mid-late winter indoors and in seed trays.

If you don’t want to mess with seeds you can purchase vegetable plant seedlings at garden centers. You can usually find a wide assortment of vegetables, herbs and much more.

Before putting anything in the ground, make sure the soil is in good shape. You might need to add compost or fertilizer to the soil to make sure it has the nutrients to support your plants. Also, make sure the dirt is loose and broken up, not hard and compact.

Whether you grew them in trays from seeds or purchased them from a store, you can transplant veggie seedlings outside as soon as nighttime temperatures are above 50° Fahrenheit.

Most vegetable plants need generous amounts of water, especially if it's hot where you live. You’ll want to water your plants daily, or every other day at the least.

As much as you like your tomatoes, squirmy little bugs like them, too. If you see pests, consider using a natural treatment such as neem oil, which is available in an easy-to-use spray.