Start small. The surest way to become frustrated with gardening is to bite off more than you can chew. Of course, small is a relative term; in an area of, say, only 100 square feet, you can plant a lot more than you might think. Small gardens are easy to manage, and by starting on a small scale you'll quickly learn gardening basics such as weed control, pest and disease control and watering requirements without being overwhelmed. As you develop more confidence and skills, you can expand the area or create a new garden bed elsewhere.

Start a compost pile. Whether you choose to build an elaborate bin and compost on a grand scale, create a simple pile in an out-of-the-way corner of your property, or place a store-bought composter in a sunny spot in the yard doesn't matter. All that matters is that you make compost — and use it, of course. Spread a thin layer over your garden beds at least once a year. Mix it with the native soil when planting. Apply it as a topdressing to lawns. Top off containers with it. If you can't make your own compost, remember you can always buy compost in a bag.

Maintain healthy soil. The use of compost goes hand in hand with maintaining healthy the soil, but there are other things to consider:

• Try to avoid walking on the soil in established gardens, because every step compacts the soil, and compaction makes it difficult for roots to grow. Create paths between rows or in beds, or place a board on the soil adjacent to areas where you work to distribute your weight more evenly over the soil.
• Avoid working the soil when it's wet. Otherwise, once it dries, you'll wind up with big clumps of hard-packed soil.
• Don't overwork the soil, especially with a rototiller. Good soil isn't powdery; it's a mixed bag of particles of varying sizes and shapes. Occasionally loosen the soil with a broadfork, which aerates the soil without disturbing its complex structure.

Mulch. Mulch suppresses weed growth, maintains soil moisture, stabilizes soil temperatures and much more.

Water properly. Don't water frequently for only brief periods of time. Doing so causes plant roots to hover near the soil surface. Instead, deep soak each time you water to encourage roots to grow deep down into the soil. Also water early in the morning so plant leaves have a chance to dry during the day. That will help minimize fungal diseases.

Minimize maintenance. Cut back on fertilizers and pruning to minimize the maintenance in your garden. Fertilizing and pruning cause plants to produce tender, succulent growth, which is what bugs prefer most.

Visit the garden regularly. Spend 10 minutes a day wandering around your lawn and garden. Along the way, you might stop and pull a few weeds, spot a plant in need of water, realize that slugs or aphids are on the move, and so on. By dealing with those little things each day, you won't be so overwhelmed by the time the weekend rolls around.