An amateur gardener, learning out loud

Why I started this site

When I started gardening, every question I searched turned up ten different answers. Some were too technical, some were trying to sell me something, and very few were written by someone who had actually dealt with the same problem in a backyard. I started Chris The Amateur Gardener to be the resource I wished I had: clear, practical, and honest.

How I garden

I keep container gardening simple. I use one container for everything: a 10 gallon fabric grow bag. I plan each bag like one square in a square foot garden, so I always know how many plants fit. Crops with shallow roots get less soil, and deep rooted crops like tomatoes get the full bag. One size, one system, and a lot less guesswork.

What you'll find here

• Gardening advice, tips, and tricks. Practical, no-fluff help for growing more food in containers.
• The gear I use. The 8 products in my garden right now, with how and why I use each one.
• The gear I'm testing. 3 products on trial, with my test plan and results as they come in.
• Videos. Walkthroughs and product tests on my YouTube channel.

How I choose products

I only list products as "in my garden" if I actually use them. New products go into the "now testing" section first, and they only move up if they earn it. If something stops working for me, I take it down.

Some links on this site are Amazon affiliate links. If you buy through them, I may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you. That never decides what I recommend, and it helps keep the site free. You can read the full details in my affiliate disclosure.

Let's grow together

Gardening is better shared. Follow along on YouTube, Instagram, TikTok, and X, and tell me what you're growing. Let's dig in and grow something amazing.

Chris The Amateur Gardener is owned and operated by Code Peak Solutions LLC.