The following is a tutorial on the basics of gardening with the VoidPlants solution. As an Amazon Associate, we earn from qualifying purchases.

• Choose Crops: Create a list of what foods you need each month and how many. If you’re new to gardening, we recommend using larger seeds: corn, tomato, watermelon, cantaloupe, or okra. Tinier seeds like onions are harder to sprout.
• Store Seeds: Store seeds to prevent them from dying. The best way is to place them in a Ziplock bag, press the air out, and place it in a refrigerator. Ensure your environment is 40°F, 15-40% humidity, and the container is air tight. Home Depot and Amazon have great selections of seeds.
• Add Soil: Using a trowel and gloves, add nutrient-rich soil to a pot, grow bag, or a raised bed. Ensure the container has 2-3 drainage holes on the bottom, or excess water will rot the roots. If you’re unsure if the soil is healthy enough, wet the soil, and stick a pH sensor in it for 30 seconds. Most plants prefer a reading of 7-8 and won’t grow if under 4. Optimal soil is a mixture of sand, silt, and clay. One of the cheapest ways to get large quantities of high-quality soil is Facebook Marketplace or Home Depot.
• Optimize Light: Plants usually need from 50K – 100K daily lux hours. Check the current lux value with a smartphone app. If you need less light, use shading cloth. If you need more light, use a greenhouse.
• Sow: Ideally, sow seeds directly in its final location or grow bag, based on needed root space. If 50% or more of your seeds aren’t sprouting, we recommend buying this 400 cell humidity dome with tray. Sowing and germination require the following: correct expiration date, temperature between 65-85°F (heat mat), humidity without algae growth, water in the tray, sowed 2-3x the thickness of the seed deep in the soil, and soil that is sifted and nutrient-rich, not rocky. Wait about 4-15 days.
• Water & Fertilizer: We recommend using fertilized water.
• Catch Water: If these plants will go indoors, it’s best to add a water saucer underneath the pot to catch the water.

Routinely check your plants for the following issues. If you’re unsure, try using the PictureThis app auto-diagnosing feature.

• Leaves
  • Wilting & Discoloration: If the topsoil is overly wet, don’t water for a week. If the soil near the bottom of the roots is dry, it needs more water. If none of the above, give less light.
  • Crunchy: If the bottom soil is dry, needs more water. If the soil is normal, needs less light.
  • Curling: High temperature or low water
• Pests
  • Aphids: Spray or Concentrate
  • Bagworms: Spray
  • Blight: Spray
• Roots
  • Black: Don’t water for a week.
  • Root-bound: If you decide to start your seeds in smaller pots, transplant a seedling when you see a 3rd leaf, or a growing plant when it’s root-bound. Gradually introduce the plant to greater levels of light to prevent scorching, known as hardening off.
• Stems
  • Black: Don’t water for a week.
  • Leggy (Long Stems): Give more light
• Soil
  • Quickly Drying: Check if it’s root-bound, add mulch, or get a bigger pot
  • Green: Excess humidity grows algae
  • Weeds: There are multiple options to get rid of weeds: temporarily uproot the plant and sieve the soil, use a hoe or sickle, or use an organic weed killer.

• Pollination: Many vegetables pollinate by rubbing a male and female flower together.
• Production: After harvesting, a plant may bolt to produce seeds. After bolting, a plant won’t produce anymore.
• Reproduction: Most plants can reproduce by sowing its seeds or cutting a stem, and placing it in moist soil to regrow the roots.