Start with your conditions
Identify your available space and light before choosing crops. Decide whether you will grow in the ground, a bed or containers.
Choose a short list
Pick vegetables you actually eat and keep the first season manageable. Learning how a few crops respond to your space gives you useful information for next year.
Keep simple notes
Record what you planted, roughly when you planted it and what worked. A basic garden log can prevent you from repeating the same mistakes.