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Gardening Season Begins, So Where Does A First-Timer Start?

CAMBRIDGE (CBS) - Spring is finally here and maybe you're itching to get out to your garden, or like me, you're a first time gardener with a lot of questions. I met with Mark Saidnawey from Pemberton Farms in Cambridge recently for some advice.

"You'll definitely need the right equipment to do gardening, so we usually walk people around and get them the right stuff. You need a good set of tools, a good rake to do raking, the garden and the lawn, a good shovel for digging and these too, a good pair of gloves to save the hands and a really good pair of pruners," he said.

gardening shovels
Gardening shovels at Pemberton Farms. (WBZ-TV)

So don't use the kitchen scissors and invest in the proper tools.

Once you've cleaned the garden area, you'll need one more key ingredient before you start planting.

"There's an old saying that we have, as you put a $5 plant in a $10 hole. Spend the time and spend the money and buy a good set of compost to mend the soil with," Saidnawey recommended.

In other words, no regular dirt will do.

"Something to enrich the beds, we have a lobster compost, we have composted manure. There are so many on the market. Definitely spend the time and enrich your beds," he said.

So what can you start planting now?

"It's still early in April, there are some plants you can put outside or you can start your seeds. You can do your peas in the ground now and some cold stuff like lettuce. Hold off on the peppers and tomatoes for at least another week or so." said Mark.

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