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Good afternoon, and welcome to Globe Climate, a newsletter about climate change, environment and resources in Canada.

If you are getting ready to exercise your green thumb this season, we’ve got some tips to help grow your own food. Here’s a newsletter edition dedicated to better understanding sustainable and intentional living.

Now, let’s catch you up on other news.

1. Report on Business Magazine: The head of WWF-Canada says you can’t build a country by destroying nature
2. Finance: Food security expert urges Canada to invest in agriculture, not just military capabilities
3. Policy: Advocacy groups file constitutional challenge of Ontario’s Special Economic Zones Act
4. Medicine: Canadian researcher Gerry Wright is searching for the next generation of life-saving antibiotics
5. In Photos: The Artemis II mission succeeded in reminding a fractious world why going to the moon matters to humanity

For this week’s deeper dive, a closer look at creating an edible garden that doesn’t require a large backyard or expensive equipment.

Even as a novice gardener, you can still grow your own food. Whether you have acreage, a patio or a sunny windowsill, it’s possible to grow something fresh and nourishing.

Globe lifestyle feature writer Gayle MacDonald spoke with Tasha Medve, author of the book The Purposeful Gardener: Double Your Harvest and Create a Food Oasis with Raised Beds, Vertical Growing & Companion Planting. Here are some of her tips for gardening this season.

Start with a plan

Keep things manageable. Winter is a good time to decide what to grow, sketch a layout and think realistically about how much time you can spend in the garden. Apps such as Sun Seeker track sunlight patterns throughout the day to help determine where the garden should go.

Starting seeds indoors

Starting seeds is one of the most rewarding pastimes, but Medve warns many first-timers try to grow too much too quickly. Seed starting supplies are pretty basic, but light is essential. Grow lights can be helpful in homes that lack strong natural light.

Healthy soil matters

One of Medve’s favourites is Sea Soil, a compost made from fish waste and forest fines – organic material left over from the logging industry. She also looks for products labelled OMRI-listed, which meet standards used in organic gardening.

Raised beds help

Raised beds reduce weeds, clearly define planting areas and are way easier on your back. Because the soil warms more quickly in spring, and stays warmer than in-ground beds, they can also extend the growing season.

Choose easy crops

Medve says good starter vegetables are leafy greens, beans, radishes and onions. Vegetables generally fall into two categories: cool-season (thrive in moderate temperatures and tolerate light frost) and warm-season crops (require steady heat and cannot survive frost).

Make use of vertical space

Growing plants upward also improves air circulation, which can reduce disease and make harvesting easier – especially in smaller spaces, making it especially useful for patios and balconies.

Keep the water flowing

Whenever possible, water your plants early in the morning or later in the evening. Watering during the hottest part of the day can lead to rapid evaporation before moisture reaches the plant’s roots.