Start a Dreamy Kitchen Garden Today with These Tips

Fresh And Tasty Produce

The fresher the ingredient, the tastier it will be. You can also cut out some items from your grocery lists, such as the herbs, vegetables, and fruits you are buying. Even if you have to spend some time and a little space to make your kitchen garden, you’ll save some money buying from the grocery store, but also you’ll have the satisfaction of bringing to the table food that came from your garden. Just remember that this takes time but has high rewards. This activity is a hobby you’re going to want to take on board as soon as possible.

The best time of year to start your kitchen garden is in early spring when the air is warmer and there are no chances of your garden freezing. You can always begin sooner with some tricks, of course, or if you want to wait, you can start by doing all the research and ordering all the things you might need for this new project. You need to make sure you have the space to make your garden, so it’s essential to keep that in mind when ordering materials. Soon you’ll have healthy and fresh fruits and veggies steps away from your home.

What Size Garden Can You Manage?

Start by deciding on the size of your kitchen garden. It’s a good idea to begin small to grow with the hobby and see what grows well and what doesn’t. A more miniature kitchen garden will also be more natural to manage when you start and get the hang of it. If you don’t have much time to attend to your garden, go small. Even if you go to the smaller scale garden, you’ll have more than enough space to grow exceptional crops that are small but can give you a lot like lettuce and eggplants.

Maybe you have more time and are enjoying your kitchen garden; in that case, a large vegetable garden will be perfect for you. Having a big garden means, more work and it is always good to find useful techniques to make it more manageable for you, so do your research before deciding what to get. Just remember that there’s a lot of time and work that you need to put into it, so time management is a priority when deciding the size. When you finally know how big your next project will be, it’s time to go to work on the next big decision!

Find The Perfect Spot

Now it’s time to decide where you should put your kitchen garden. This decision will depend on the space you have. Ideally, a perfect spot for your kitchen garden would be in an open and sunshine-filled place, one that gets the fantastic morning sun. Your fruit and vegetables will need about six to eight hours of direct sunlight each day, a nearby water source, and good circulation and drainage. The light will help them to grow faster and also to grow nicely. Watch how the sun moves in your home and your garden to find the perfect spot. There are a few ways to find it; look at it as a garden experiment in your backyard.

Making a map of your backyard is an excellent way to find the perfect spot. Mark any obstacles and record the areas the get the best sunlight possible. Try as much as you can that the site is free of utility lines, you can call your utility company, and they will let you know where the lines and pipes are before digging. You can use wood stakes to mark the area that you think it’s perfect for your garden. You can also take a picture of your entire yard and, using a notebook, draw the area’s design, marking the shady and sunny areas.

What Grows In Shade?

If you’ve noticed that you don’t get these lovely sunny spots during the day, there are still plants that will grow in less light and do very well. Not all plants need 6 to hours of sun, so it’s best to make a garden that can exceed under these conditions. These include cherries, raspberries, blackberries, Swiss Chard, cabbage, blackcurrants, and some rhubarb. You still need to do a few things to make shady plants grow, so it’s essential to choose the right fruit and veggies.

Understanding the conditions will help you to decide what food you can grow. You will still need to find an area that gets the most amount of sunlight, and there, it’s best to plant your seedlings. It’s a priority to get them the most amount of light as possible. You can grow them in pots and module trays and when they’re big enough, transplant them in another part of your garden that is good for them. Give your plants the best chance for success by knowing what environment is best for their growth; otherwise, it will be a rather fruitless hobby.

Protect Your Plants From The Wind

Apart from the sunlight, there are other environmental factors to consider, such as wind. You don’t want your brand new sprouting to get blown over by the wind and have no chance of survival. It will also slow down the growth of your garden when plants get damaged regularly by the wind. High winds can even destroy young trees easily, so having a safer area for your garden to get protected from it is necessary for your kitchen garden to succeed. That requires some thought and some investment that, in the end, will be worth it.

Place them in an area protected from the wind if you live in a windy area. You could also put up a wind barrier in the form of a fence or even a hedge if you create this kitchen garden outdoors. You can even use trees as protectors, but you’ll need to be careful of keeping them away from too much shade. Delicate plants like brussels sprouts can get damaged easily, mostly because of the chill factor, which will reduce the heat in the air that plants need and replace it with cold temperatures, so keep your garden very well protected from the weather conditions.

Check Your Soil pH Levels

Your kitchen garden will need to have soil, and you’ll need to make sure that your soil is a good quality for your food to grow well. If your soil has too many alkaline levels, your plants will grow slower and sometimes not at all. Plants will also need a slightly high level of acidity in the soil. Too much will also damage it, so having well-balanced soil is very important. You can start by testing the soil’s pH levels, so help choose what you will be planting there.

This step isn’t expensive either, and you can quickly order a soil testing kit online and do it yourself. There is also a cheap home hack that you would only need baking soda and vinegar. Get 1 cup of soil from different parts of your garden, put a spoonful in a container, and then add ½ cup of white vinegar. If it fizzes, then you need to add water until it stops. Then add ½ of baking soda. If you don’t see any type of reaction, then your soil is perfect for your kitchen garden!

The Ideal Soil For Your Kitchen Garden

If you are starting with vegetables, light soil is suitable for early vegetables, but you’ll need to make sure you add some compost and organic matter so that the water doesn’t drain away from the product too quickly. There are also other tricks like adding coarse sand and mix it with the soil. Doing so will help the drainage so that water can flow thru. So it is important to control how much water it can absorb. Too much humidity can rot the roots or create fungus that can kill your plants, and too little can dry it out.

What is the ideal soil for your kitchen garden? It will be quite loose and crumbly loam. You might also need peat moss in combination with sand. This texture is suitable for absorption as it can keep all the water to feed your plants, and it also holds the nutrients in the soil that your plants will need for their growth. It will drain well, which will control the water consumption. Having the perfect dirt will help keep your garden growing and free of any diseases that can affect them when there’s not good drainage.

Loamy Soil And Raised Beds

Did you know that raised beds with loamy soil are one of the best places to grow vegetables? This method is a great idea if your garden’s soil isn’t good quality, and it can also add a nice feature for your garden. That will also give you the option of planting closer together so that every inch of the raised bed is productive. You can also implement techniques like succession planting and vertical supports for even more usage per square inch. Raise beds gives you total control of your kitchen garden.

The great thing about these is that they have good drainage, stop soil compaction, and increase soil temperature. They will also have fewer chances for weeds to grow since they tend to be densely planted. The bed’s raised sides will prevent the soil from being washed away in the rain and somewhat protect it from snails and slugs. Having more than one raised bed will also give you the option of dividing your plants depending on the soil they require, so you’ll have more control of it and have a better quality kitchen garden in your backyard.

Make Your Own DIY Raised Bed

The great thing is that you can buy ready-made raised beds, which means you can start this hobby very soon without the hassle of having to build your raised beds. You can find many types of raised beds in your local gardening store, from wood to recycled plastic, aluminum, and composited wood. Most raised beds are 6 inches high, ideal for letting the roots have space to grow without any problems. Many great videos on the internet will show you how to make your own raised beds if you want to do it yourself.

The cool thing about making it yourself is that you can customize the size of the and make it ideal for your yard. If you have some wooden planks lying around, making them yourself could be a great option, you can make yourself feel proud making everything from scratch. See what you have at home that needs to be used and research what you can construct from it, and if it’s a good option for your kitchen garden raised beds.

Use Empty Space

A kitchen garden is so exciting to start. You might have decided to start this because you noticed a waste of space in your backyard or thought you would like to see if you have a green thumb and grow your produce. Having that empty space gives you so many options and ideas that you can do to make the best kitchen garden you will ever imagine. If you decide to follow your heart and start this hobby/adventure, it’s best to make a map of the space and construct what you want on paper before investing in equipment.

However, when you start, there is no stopping – you’re going to fall in love with your garden, and it will become a lot more than just a hobby. It will become a new lifestyle that you will improve on and learn more about each year. It’ll be a lot of work at first, but you’ll be proud of how this hobby turns out to be. It’s just a matter of time and practice until you become a master of your garden, so take that space and make it into your favorite part of your home.

Start with a Packet of Seeds

You can start by purchasing many seed packets from your local garden center and seeing what happens with that. If you want to put more thought into what you want to grow, this is how you should go about it. Seeds are cheap and easy to storage, so getting a few packs of the fruits, veggies, and herbs you want for your kitchen garden is recommended. However, before going crazy buying all the seeds of all the plants you want in your future garden, there’s one thing that you need to do so that all the seeds are used and not a single one wasted.

Start by making a list. This list should include all the things you love to eat. Write down the herbs that you enjoy cooking with and perhaps even some of the herbs you want to cook with but are a bit too expensive to buy regularly. That is also an excellent way to see the most important thing you want this garden to be about. Even though seeds technically don’t expire, try to keep in mind that seeds tend not to be too useful after five years, so don’t wait too long to make your dream garden!

Grow What You Love

You should also note all the vegetables you enjoy eating – don’t plant something you have no intention of using. If you don’t like carrots, don’t buy carrot seeds because these will just end up going to waste. Keep in mind that you need to be conscious of the space you’ll have, how much time you can invest in this project and how easy or challenging is the care that your favorite fruit or veggie has. Having the perfect kitchen garden for you means a lot of choosing and deciding what’s best for you.

Once you’ve noted what you want to look into, consider the space and the growing conditions. Do your research and see what will suit your environment. This step will help you to narrow down your list of what you should be growing. Take into consideration that depending on the conditions of your yard and space. You might need more than what you think you need, so always plan. Even if you don’t use them at first, you can plant whatever your heart and stomach desire with the changing of seasons in consideration.

Make an Organic Kitchen Garden

If you are interested in organic produce, it is an excellent opportunity for you to grow an organic kitchen garden instead. That would mean that you would need to source organically grown seeds and plants. Growing organic fruits and veggies means you are about to enjoy healthy and fresh produce free of synthetic pesticides and chemicals. It has the same care and maintenance as any other garden, but with 0 harmful chemicals. For this, you need to learn how to choose the right ingredients and seeds to make it happen, and knowing what to look for will make the process easier.

You’ll also need to look into the soil you are using for your raised beds and make sure that this will help in your aim to create a beautiful and organic garden. To have organic soil, you need to make sure that it has organic matter like manure, compost, or peat moss since it contains decayed organisms of previous plant life, which comes with nutrients your plants will need. You could also have an organic patch and a conventionally grown plant patch. You can also reduce weeds by spreading a thick layer of soil over the soil.

Seeds Are Cost-Effective

When starting your garden, you may be tempted to buy sprouts instead of seeds as they are already beginning to grow. However, working from the seed is the cheapest option when it comes to creating a kitchen garden. You can buy cheap local seeds in bulk and save a lot of money that way, plus you can witness and learn about transplants and how to take care of them. Just remember that seedlings need daily water and at least 6 hours of sun to grow enough to transplant in the kitchen garden.

It is also possibly more rewarding as you are helping these plants grow from the start. You can make seedling containers using toilet paper tubes and newspaper or recycled plastic containers to make them more earth-friendly. You could even encourage your friends and family to do this as well, and you can swap seeds between you to get a selection of options. That could be a friendly learning activity if you have kids, and they can learn where fruits and veggies come from. Making a cost-effective garden is a plus to have.

Which Herbs to Grow

Many herbs can work on your garden, but you need to choose depending on everything we’ve discussed before wisely. To be cost-effective, you should also select expensive seeds to buy as ready grown herbs or plants in the store than growing them in your kitchen garden. However, choose herbs that you know you can use and complement whatever else you have in your garden. Some of the herbs to choose from include herbs like mint, dill, parsley, rosemary, and thyme.

One practical thing about having herbs in your garden is that they are low maintenance enough to keep even as an indoor garden by using containers or a small pot. You can even keep them in your kitchen, but only if you can place them close to a window where they can get that needed sunlight. You’ll benefit from these herbs for about nine months out of the year, and they are also easy to grow, which means they are perfect for beginners. Many herbs are perennial, which means they will come back each year.

Tomatoes Grow Vertically

If you are a little short on space but you have a lot of time to dedicate to your kitchen garden, you may want to consider growing tomatoes. They are considered to be high-maintenance fruit as they need a lot of water. However, you can harvest them in a short time, as it can be ready to harvest in 50 to 60 days after planting. Growing from seedlings, it can take just 1 to 2 weeks to be prepared to be transplanted in your garden and have tomatoes growing in 4 to 6 weeks.

The great thing about tomatoes is that they grow vertically, and they also produce quite a decent amount of fruit. This feature makes them perfect for growing on your balcony; it will look lovely as well. Vining tomatoes can grow to be 6 feet tall or more depending on the container or bed rest that you have them in. You can use a wood stake to wrap the vine as it grows, and with lots of water and care, you can have a very decent amount of tomatoes to harvest. There’s nothing more delicious than enjoying tomatoes that come from your garden.

Throw Out the Rule Book

When it comes to a kitchen garden, there are no rules – do whatever works best for you and in the space you have. You can choose to mix all your vegetables and fruits and even flowers in the same bed or separate them. You could divide them up according to vegetables, herbs, and fruits. Or you can create rows of variations in one raised bed or pot. If you want to get fancy, you can plant them in a beautiful geometric pattern that you love. Alternatively, even have them by color! Do what makes you happy.

As long as you understand how some plants interact, you don’t have to worry about too many rules. It’s essential to how to care for each plant. Follow your creativity and heart to design the perfect kitchen garden for your backyard or indoors. This hobby might be hard work, but it can also be relaxing and satisfying for your heart and family. You can even include them in the design and choose the plants for an even more interesting twist. No matter what you do, just have fun while making something as satisfying as a garden.

Why You Should Mix Plants

Did you know that mixing plants can act as a natural form of protection from insects? When an area has a lot of a single crop, it might attract a pest that enjoys eating that food type. Mixing them up will confuse them and will ignore anything that usually will attract many critters. When you are dreaming up your idea for your kitchen garden, you should start by mapping it out on paper so that you are ready when you have your seeds, and you can get started straight away and know how you want to do it.

You also need to analyze the pros and cons of mixing your plants. It is a tricky concept that depends on how well some plants interact with each other. For example, planting a rosebush beside some tomato vines will end in a harrowing disaster when harvesting. Blueberries and asparagus need their own space to grow, so putting them together with something as delicate as lettuce won’t do much good. You can mix fruits and veggies that are mostly permanent for a whole season, like carrots, strawberries, leeks, parsnips, and cabbage, so research to look for cool mix combinations before trying it out.

Leave Space Between Your Raised Beds

When designing your dream kitchen garden and doing it outside in the backyard, make sure to keep space for pathways between your raised beds. Some plants can invade each other and make a big mess, so it’s better to keep them as separated as you can. Also, ensure that your beds are comfortable enough to reach into for weeding and harvesting. You should have around 2 to 4 feet of space between them, not only so that you can walk freely but also evade accidents while taking care of your garden.

You should also try to avoid having long grass, and lots of flowers in beds next to your kitchen garden as this can be very attractive to slugs, and they will find your kitchen garden very tempting to munch around. It is possible and a good tip to not plant too close, especially if they share the same space since the roots will be competing for the water, sun, and other nutrients in the soil. So before you buy any raised beds to put in your garden, keep in mind the measurements to maintain adequate space between them, and modify accordingly.

Make a Pathway

You can build a lovely gravel path between your boxes and make a real feature in your garden. Creating a beautiful space will encourage you to spend more time in it, and this will be amazing for the food you are growing. Making a path will also keep any weeds between the raised beds controlled, which will also help for weed to spread to your garden. If you don’t have the garden space and will be doing this on a patio or balcony, consider investigating the climbing crops you can grow to capitalize on your available area.

You can make any type of pathway between garden beds using materials like gravel, two-layered mulch, sawdust, wood trimmings can give it a very rusting and beautiful feel and will not cost you much. However, if you want to invest in something more permanent, you can make a brick or tile path, it might take you some time to get it done and some help if you’re planning to do it yourself, but in the end, it’ll look more sophisticated. No matter your choice, make a pathway that will make you happy.

The Vertically-Growing Produce

It’s not just tomatoes that are climbing plants; you can also plant peas, cucumbers, and even beans. You will be able to grow these up tripods and frames and nurture them as they grow. What else should you grow alongside these? Consider planting nasturtiums to encourage pests to go to that instead of your fruit and vegetables. You may also want to plant companion plants that will bring in useful insects such as marigolds and even some daisies. Your balcony space will look beautiful and fresh. There are so many benefits of even making part of your kitchen garden into a vertical garden, especially if you have a wall outside that you want to make useful.

Planting vertical can save you space to have even more fruits, veggies, and herbs — from having cucumbers to melons like a cantaloupe. These can be trained to hold vertically, which will take only one or two square feet from the ground. Using gravity in your favor, you can have cucumbers hanging, which will grow longer and straighter. It will also be protected from ripening vegetables thanks to the wind and sun by having bigger leaves as protection. You’ll have a beautiful wall of fresh fruits and veggies that will be the envy of the neighborhood.

Opt for a Fruit Tree

If you have a small space, you don’t only have the option of climbers; you could also have some fruit trees. These will frame a balcony so well and also provide you with some delicious fruit to enjoy or put into your fruit bowl as decoration. You have a surprisingly good amount of fruit trees that work well in containers, like lemons, cherries, figs, peaches, and even apples. You’ll need to select a container big and deep enough to grow a healthy fruit tree that you don’t need to compromise to have on the ground.

Last but not least, for your kitchen garden design, you could consider putting in a living wall if you are short on garden space. A fence will give many options to create and have all the fruits and veggies you dreamt of having. These are becoming more and more popular and are fantastic for the environment too. The space of your yard is the limit when gardening the perfect kitchen garden. You can have fruit bushes, trees, or anything you desire—no need to go to the grocery store to visit the produce section. Anything you want can be steps away from the kitchen.

Picking Your Seeds

Now for the fun part; it’s time to pick what to grow in your kitchen garden! If you are a beginner, it might act as a guide regarding what plants are easy to grow and will work in your kitchen. First off, you’re going to want to produce something you can use in a salad or any of your favorite dishes. Starting with your base, you’re going to need some salad leaves. Did you know that lettuces are very easy to grow from the seed, and they also give a high yield? For example, you can also choose fruits that will work well for jams or pies.

You need to also keep in mind that not all seeds will flourish where you live, so knowing which seeds work in your environment is the key to a successful garden. Your local garden store can also help you show you which seeds are better for you and which ones to avoid depending on what you want in your garden. Selecting seeds that will work on the season, you decided to start this journey is also very important for success. Keep an eye on the price for an epic kitchen garden.

Fresh Garden Lettuce

Lettuce is a very versatile veggie that has a lot of vitamin A, and it’s even better when it grows in your beautiful kitchen garden. You can start planting lettuce in the spring two weeks before frost season ends, and in the fall, you can begin sowing again eight weeks before the fall frost. What’s excellent about planting this leafy green is that it proliferates, it produces for a very long time, and it’s easy to maintain as long as you keep watering it. It works well to grow in raised beds and even containers, so it works well in small spaces.

Growing some fresh garden lettuce is an excellent alternative to just buying it from the store in bags. You will notice a difference in the taste, and it will be fresh. You can also just pick what you need and won’t let the lettuce go to waste. Lettuce seeds like the soil to be fertile and also moisture-retentive. You will be able to sow these seeds every four to six weeks, and this should give you a continuous supply that you can frequently enjoy in your salad from spring to fall. There are many lettuce types to choose from, so plant your favorites!

Grow Carrots

You’re going to need some other vegetables to add to that salad, so what about some carrots? This popular root vegetable for humans and rabbits alike is a blind growth since you can’t see exactly how it’s going or when it will be ready to harvest. Carrots are biennial vegetables, which means that they will be growing continuously for two years. They are typically harvested in the first year of growth and set flowers the next year. They come in different colors and shapes, but orange ones are the most common.

If you want a dose of carrots all year round, you’re going to have to sow every few weeks from the beginning of spring until late summer. Since they grow well in cold weather, you really can’t go wrong with it. Carrots favor light soil in full sun if they are early varieties, and if they are the main crop variety, they like a little bit of shade. Carrots can be grown just about anywhere – in containers or raised beds. Just add some extra water to them if you have dry weather.

Tomatoes Fresh from the Garden

Add a lovely dose of tomatoes to your salad, and you’re almost done. Tomatoes are a great option to grow on a warm windowsill since they love the heat and the sun, or you can even buy the plants already starting to grow from a garden center. They do not tolerate frost, so you’ll need to plant around April or May to make sure that they’ll sprout. That all depends on where you live, so follow the weather closely. As long as the weather is warm and not at risk for frost, your tomatoes will grow beautifully.

Your tomatoes will want nutrient-dense soil, and if you’re going to raise them from the seed, you can plant them from March onwards. Using a very rich compost will help it grow better with all the nutrients it’ll need. Your very own vegetables will be the best you have ever tasted! You will need to train your tomatoes to grow upwards if that is the plan to have more space for other plants, and it’ll give more chances to produce as many tomatoes as possible. You can transplant them into your garden, too, and the process will be a bit faster.

Growing Your Apple Tree

Add a pinch of sweetness to your salads or your fruit bowl when you grow apples. This trendy fruit is a plus for any kitchen garden to have. If you’ve decided to go with a fruit tree, apples can be planted from November to March. They are not hard to grow, but they are a few things to keep in mind if you decide to have a tree in your garden. Apple trees are prone to host a few pests like codling moths and diseases, so keeping the area around the tree clean and free of weeds will reduce any disease transmission.

Apple trees also need sandy loam soil. If you have a smaller area, you can train them to grow against the wall or your balcony fence. Having a more diminutive size apple tree will erase the struggle of needing a ladder to harvest your apples. Plus, they are easier to maintain and even more disease resistant in some cases. A smaller one also tends to bear fruit earlier than a full-sized tree, so you can enjoy a nice crisp apple earlier than expected. You’ll need to give it a lot of water for the first few years and might have to wait for your fruit for a while.

Beetroot Are Easy to Grow

If you’re looking for something easy to grow from seed, you should give beetroot a try. Beetroot work very well in the ground or a pot if you don’t have garden space. Ideally, you should plant it into the soil anywhere between April and July, although they do like cool weather. They thrive in moderate temperatures around 50 to 65 degrees Fahrenheit (10 to 18 Celsius). You can sow beets to the garden two weeks before the end of frost in the spring. They are perfect for succession planting every three weeks until temperatures reach 80 degrees F or 26 celsius.

It will need light and neutral soil. They also like organic matter to grow better and must be kept well watered and keep an eye out for weeds with this plant. They like full sun rays with a bit of shade, especially in warm regions. Depending on your variety, it should be ready to harvest in about 11 weeks from planting the seeds. Try to remove all stones and clods from the planting beds to have enough space to grow their roots. You can even use seaweed to increase the yield.

Try Rainbow Chard

With beetroot, you can also eat the leaves and work as a replacement for spinach, or you can use it in salads as well. Something similar you might want even to grow is Chard, especially if you like leafy greens. Chard is incredible for vegan people or on a keto diet, and it’s a great companion for spinach and kale. It is easy to grow, filled with healthy goodness for you, like Vitamins A and C. You don’t need to wait for too much to plant Chard. You can start planting them in the spring or as soon as the weather starts getting warmer.

This plant also requires much liquid and likes to be watered regularly. Chard likes areas that have direct or partial sunlight with a bit of shade. It needs very loose soil that can drain well. It is perennial so that it will grow again and again over the years. If you want a vow factor with this, try to plant the rainbow varieties. You’ll also really enjoy adding this product to your stir-fries. If you are a fan of crunchiness in your salad with lots of flavors, Chard is an excellent addition to your kitchen garden.

Harvest Your Beans

Beans are also good yielders and also work well in small areas as they take up vertical space. They are easy to grow from the seed, and if you water them well and even harvest them frequently, the more the plant will produce. Most beans work better when they are directly sown in the garden with other plants and dislike being transplanted since their roots can be easily damaged since they are so shallow. However, if you still want to do a transplant, you can do it safely by planting it in a biodegradable pot and plant the entire container in your garden.

There are so many different bean varieties, so you will need to decide what you want to grow and then research the best time to sow them. Each type of bean has its own requirements and season that are best to plant. For example, runner beans are best sown at the end of May and can be harvested 12-14 weeks after. They need to be planted only one inch deep into the soil and water immediately after that. You’ll need to water it daily until they sprout. Your main focus is not to let the soil dry out.

Sweet Strawberries

Now to get to some delicious things in your garden – strawberries! Imagine yourself picking some fresh fruits from your kitchen garden, enjoying them with freshly whipped cream, making some sweet jams, or making a berry dessert. They are three main types of strawberries; June-bearing, everbearing, and day-neutral. All three grow in different conditions, so you need to keep in mind which ones are perfect for your climate. June-bearers strawberries like warm climates, so you can start planting them after April or when the weather is warmer for you so they’ll be ready for a summer cold drink.

This dream is possible! You can grow strawberries in the ground or even consider growing them in a hanging basket or any container. You should put about five or six plants in one basket and water them daily when they are developing, and you’ll enjoy them in a summer harvest if you have planted them in April. They require at least 6 hours of sunlight every day and lots of water with well-drained soil. They tend to do better when the soil is mixed with well-rotted manure. Overwater is no good so try to keep an eye on rainy days.

Berry Delicious

Another berry you may enjoy growing in your garden is gooseberries. These are easy to grow, and there are many beautiful varieties available. Autumn is the best time to plant these, and you should plant them in a sunny but sheltered area. They like a deep, moist soil that is reasonably fertile and full of nutrients. It is best to use well-rotted manure or garden compost before planting any gooseberries. You can also scatter pelleted chicken manure around the roots at least once a year to add a layer of organic matter.

You should start harvesting in late May, depending on your climate. Try to avoid planting gooseberries at the bottom of slopes or next to solid walls or fences, especially when the weather is on the cold side since they can freeze the plant. You should cut any old and dry branches to help with the growing. These first fruits harvest will work well when cooking and in jams. When you get to do your second harvest a few weeks after this, the berries will be sweeter, and you can enjoy them as a snack on their own.

15 Years of Produce

Last but not least are currants. White, red, and black currants should be planted between October and March. They’re easy to look after, and once they’re happy, they will produce their fruits for about 15 years. Currants are better in well-drained but moisture-holding soil with water regularly in a very sunny area of your garden. Red and white currants tend to like a partial shade with cooler weather, so try to plant it facing the north or in areas of the garden where only a few fruits can thrive, but always with the protection of high winds that can damage the plant.

Contrary to the red and white currants, black currants tend to grow better in a very sunny spot with at least 6 hours of sunrays. All types like lots of organic matter before planting, and it’s good to feed it sulfate of potash before topping it up with a layer of mulch at least once a year. You’ll need to train these plants to be their best version, but this will be a real pleasure once you get into kitchen gardening. The best tip is to research what will grow in your environment and decide what food you love.

Protection for a Kitchen Garden

It is never acceptable to check on your garden and see that all your hard work has been ruined by pests and other critters that wanted to munch on your harvest. That might eventually kill all your plants, and having to start again sounds like too much work was wasted. Luckily, there are alternatives to protect your garden that are safe and without chemicals that might harm your harvest, and it’s as easy and planting the right bug-repelling plants to preserve the important ones. You can plant these close to your garden or even close to where people might keep everyone protected.

Plants like lavender, catnip, marigold, citronella grass, and allium are great to keep any critters out of your garden. Lavender can even keep rabbits away from trying to eat your carrots. Catnip not only will make your cats happy and bugs away. Citronella is low maintenance and is the most effective to keep mosquitos away. The common thing around all these plants is that they have a strong smell and oils that keep insects away. They might smell good for us humans, but pests will not be happy and will stay out.

Make Things Faster with Transplants

Even if it’s a bit exciting seeing your plants go from being a tiny seed to tasty and beautiful lettuce, sometimes you want the process to be faster with fewer chances for it to die out. To make the stakes even higher to get your crops to mature and start the next batch, it’s a good head start to sow the seeds in pots first. Transplanting gives you better control of the results of your garden. It is also better since you’ll have time to prepare the area where they’re going to be and keep your crops organized.

When you have transplants, they tend to grow stronger since you can plant them a few weeks old. They are easier and faster to adapt to their new soil than direct-seeded plants, and the chances of growing healthier are higher. Transplants can sometimes be more resistant to insects or pests for being mature when you put them in your garden, especially because many insects like eating small seeds, so skipping that step keeps them safer from that happening. You also need to be careful not to introduce weeds or diseases when transplanting to your garden, so make sure the sprouts are good to go.

Learn How Much Water the Garden Needs

All fruits and vegetables are 70%, which means you need to ensure that your plants are well cared for and hydrated regularly, especially the plant is young and growing. It is essential that you know how much water your plants can handle. When they’re young seedlings, it is recommended to water them daily. Once they start to mature, they will only need one inch of water every week. You need to know other tips to make sure your garden is getting the right amount of water and useful techniques to keep it going.

It is vital to measure rainfall, and the best way to do it is with a can or a rain gauge that you can get at any garden center. If it’s not raining much, try to water deeply at least once a week, especially if they’re seedlings that need more water. Remember to water your plants in the morning if it’s possible to avoid damp leaves at night, which might attract slugs, disease pressure, and it will prevent water loss in the hottest part of the day. Having a drought-stressed plant will be more susceptible to weed and insect pest pressure.

Make Homemade Compost

Composting sounds a bit intimidating and difficult to do, but it is not in reality. Composting is tossing organic material into a pile, give it some water and oxygen and lot’s of patience and time, and you’ll get the best soil you can get for your garden. It might seem like a lot of work, but when you get the hang and start seeing the results, you’ll realize how easy it is to do it. You’ll need very few materials to get started and lots of organic material to make it happen, and here we’ll explain to you the basics.

You need to find a good site to put your compost pile or bin. It needs to be a place that is convenient for you, depending on if you’re going to be placing kitchen scraps into your pile or raw materials from your vegetable garden, either way, it needs to be a suitable place. It’s a good idea to keep a bin in the kitchen to put all your scraps so that you can move them to your trash outside. Try to keep it away from tree roots and within a hose range so it’s easier to water it since you need to keep it moist since if it gets dry, the process will come to a halt.

Time your Crops Well

When you’re doing succession planting, it gives you the chance to grow more crops in a growing season in the same area. Some skilled gardeners can harvest their crops three or four times per season and have more with a smaller space. Getting the right gardening flow is essential to make it happen and to do so, you need to follow these three simple rules that will help you along the way. So take notes, and let’s make the perfect kitchen garden that will give you lots of fruits and veggies to share around your family.

The first step is to use transplants that are a month or so old when you plant them. That will help your plant to mature faster than a seed, which in the end, will give you more crops. Step two is to choose fast-maturing varieties of fruits and veggies like beets, onions, lettuce, strawberries, and tomatoes. Furthermore, the third step is to replenish the soil with a ¼ to ½ inch layer of compost, which is around two cubic feet per 100 square feet every time you replant. Working the top inches of soil will give the nutrients the new plants will need to keep growing.

Extend the Season by Covering the Beds

There are so many tricks that you can do for having as many crops as you can, have healthy plants, and choose the right seeds for your garden. However, this trick will give you a few more weeks of the growing season to get even more crops by the end of the season. You can plant faster-growing plants like kale, turnips, or even more tomatoes and guarantee that you have enough in the pantry. The trick to making this happen is to keep the air around your plants as warm as it can be, even if the weather is getting colder.

You can use mulch, cloches, row covers, or cold frames to give that extra heat to your plants to keep them doing their thing. You can even start as early as spring by using “blankets”- one to warm the air and one to warm the soil. It will give you six to 8 weeks before the last frost day so you can plant melon, peppers, and even eggplant. You can also preheat the soil by covering it with infrared-transmitting mulch or black plastic that will absorb heat. When the soil temperature is around 65 to 70 degrees Fahrenheit, you can set your plants and cover them with black plastic mulch with straw. You can take the plastic as soon as the air temp is warmer.

Do Not Use Too Much Fertilizer

It’s always good to give a balance when it comes to your garden. Having the right amount of fertilizer is one of them. If you use too much of it, especially the nitrogen type (you can check by looking at its ingredients if it’s the first ingredient, then the number is higher), it can promote lots of lush green growth, and instead, you’ll get a smaller harvest and fewer fruits and veggies. Too much fertilizer can also damage the plants and soil, so always make sure to add as much organic compost as possible. It’s recommended to add around 20% of the total soil makeup.

Mixing it with the rest of the soil means that you’ll be giving your plants enough nutrients they need to grow naturally. Make sure to always provide the plants with just what it needs, preparation is critical for your garden to grow so you can have a fruitful season with lots of fresh food that tastes better than anything you can find in the supermarket. Just remember that when you feed the soil with the right amount of nutrients, your plants will be happy and healthy to bring a great harvest to the table.

The Right Location for the Right Garden

It is essential to always look for information on the plants you want to have in your garden. Some will need more shade than others, so planting them with others that need more sun, means that your plant will not make it. Most vegetable plants love the sun, so find a place in your backyard that can get you at least six hours of sun every day if it’s possible. No matter the site you choose, remember to have a source of water nearby to keep it hydrated, especially if they’re going to be getting all the sun rays.

Organizing them when you put them will save you from having headaches. Try to place the tallest plants like corn on the north or west side of your garden to shade the smaller plants. There’s also a cool tip, especially if you have a more miniature garden or don’t have enough space to keep your plants organized in a way to get all the shade or sun they need. Place your plants on wheels or a trolley. That way, you can move them around to the right spot that your garden needs.

Prune and Trim the Plants

Pruning and trimming will give your plants an extra boost and keep them safe from pests or any other disease that they might be getting. It also increases the air circulation, and fewer leaves mean less water will spill on them instead of the soil. Pruning is a practice where a gardener removes branches, buds, or roots to train the plant to grow a certain way and improve the quality of the fruit. It is also an excellent opportunity to eliminate any damaged or dead sections. That works best on fruit plants and ornamental trees when they lose leaves in the winter.

It hasn’t been researched enough to see if this will also work good on veggie plants, but it’s always good to remove any yellow leaves or disease looking parts on vegetable plants. However, from what we know, it’s best only to cut small branches, and now big ones since that can damage the plant, no more than 20% of it should be trimmed or pruned. It is also important to disinfect the shears after cutting and before using them in any other plant to avoid spreading any disease in your garden. When it’s possible, you can even use just your fingers to take out any leaves.

Love the Beneficial Bugs

Not all bugs are nasty for your crops! Some can be your plant’s best friends, so it’s important to keep them around. It’s essential to know how to identify the good insects from the bad and their job. They can be divided into three categories: Pollinators. These include bees, butterflies, and moths. Their job is to pollinate your garden’s flowers. Predators that eliminate pests, like ladybugs and praying mantis. And finally, there are the parasitizes, which prey upon other insects but by laying eggs in the bad bugs. A good example of a parasitized is the parasitic wasps.

There are simple ways to attract these little critters to your garden by providing water, food, and shelter. It is also good to have plants that might attract the good and keep the bad ones out. Early blooming plants with tiny blossoms like parsley and even carrots will draw beneficial bugs to your yard. There is also mint, sage, lavender, or any herbs with a strong smell that will keep the bad ones out and welcome the good ones. If you tend to use chemical pesticides for pest control, it’s important to know that you will often kill good bugs, too, so please be aware and try using natural options to keep the right balance in your garden.

Contain Your Garden

Growing vegetables and fruits in containers is a nice way to keep your backyard in order, beautiful and productive. It is not for all plants, and there are some steps a cares to follow before moving everything in pots and containers. First, you need a moment to choose the right variety of plants to grow, the right size container, and the adequate potting mix that it will need. That is also a cool way to recycle any old containers or pots that you have around. Any material will work, but lately, plastic or wood is recommended to hold moisture better than clay that tends to absorb it and dry the plant.

We recommend a few varieties of veggies that are easy to get and grow, like peppers, which you can combine with various them, and they also look beautiful as decorations. Tomatoes are very common to see in pots, and the harvest is guaranteed. Carrots like Little finger or Romeo are great too, but you need to make sure you have a pot with lots of soil so that they grow big and strong. You can even venture into growing watermelons! Just make sure to have space for the vines since they can grow fast. Eggplants don’t take much space, and they proliferate too. Just give it a try and have fun.

Don’t Forget the Herbs

Herbs like basil, cilantro, parsley, thyme, and rosemary are a must when cooking a nice stew or Italian dishes. They are easy to grow, smell delicious, and it’s a good complement to your veggie garden. You’ll need to find the perfect location for your herb garden. A good location would be close to the kitchen or any place that gets at least 6 hours of sun a day. You can grow them in a small container and leave them close to a window. They make a perfect indoor garden. The important thing is to have good soil for them to grow healthy.

You’ll need good high-quality loose soil since they need good drainage. You can add compost, peat moss, or coarse sand if the dirt consists of heavy clay to improve the quality. It is also important to plant early in the morning or very late in the afternoon to prevent wilting in the midday sun, especially if they’re transplants. You’ll need to space them about 18 inches apart to give them room to grow and spread out their roots. Once established, provide them with plenty of water. At least one inch of water weekly throughout the growing season will be more than enough.

Maintain a Healthy Garden

After all your hard work in your kitchen garden, it’s crucial to maintain it properly so that it can keep giving you crops all season long. The best inspiration you can have for this is in nature and how native plants grow together. Instead of mono-cropping a raised bed with only one type of plant, try a mix of different types, keeping the large plants in the center, medium plants to the side, and small plants like herbs and flowers on the outside. This layer creation will keep weeds away, with better water retention, and prevents pests and diseases.

You will still need to do some maintaining like pruning or trimming. It will help the plant grow and keep it healthy. However, having your plants set in a helpful way will make things easier to maintain. Thus, you won’t need to worry too much about it. You will also need to keep an eye on when it’s time for harvesting since all plants are different. Please make sure to check on them regularly. Just remember to use nature as your biggest inspiration when it comes to taking care of your garden.

Succession Planting is Key

Succession planting is when you continually plant new crops while you harvest others. This practice will keep your kitchen garden active and growing for as much as it can in the season. When you have a smaller space for a garden, it is vital to use all the available space all year long. Succession will guarantee that you will always have production running. Even when seasons are changing, you will always be prepared to replace that small area that you have available. Planning is an excellent way to have some fresh veggies and fruits ready to eat.

Also, using seedlings rather than seeds are better for this practice. That way, if you can have a small area to grow seedlings to make the process faster, it will keep the engine going for succession planting. Just remember that every time you harvest your crops and plant new ones, you will need to enrich your soil. Do so with either compost, aged manure, or high-quality soil in between to help the seedlings get the nutrition they need. Depending on your climate, this technique can work on you to have fruits and veggies all year long, no matter the season.

Enhance Annual Growing with Perennials

These low-maintenance plants will enhance your garden and will help you create a great kitchen garden. Perennials live longer than two years, rather than the basic kitchen plants, which are typically annuals or biennials. However, perennials are essential for the garden because they will bring enrichment to the environment, for example, placing a fruit tree on the north side of your garden so it doesn’t cast shade, but at the same time, protecting the garden from high winds. You can also create a hedge around your kitchen garden with fruit bushes or perennial flowers to lure pollinators.

You can also replace an area meant for an annual plant like okra and put asparagus instead of updating your garden. Creating a boundary with fruit bushes around your kitchen garden will give it a great look, and it’ll also be practical. Planning your garden’s design with perennials in mind gives you lots of options of what to do in your area. Having an apple tree as a windbreaker for your plants and harvesting for a delicious apple pie sounds like a great addition to any garden.

Sources:

https://www.realhomes.com/advice/how-to-create-a-kitchen-garden

https://www.sarahraven.com/articles/starting-a-vegetable-garden-from-scratch.htm

https://www.gardendesign.com/plants/mosquito-repellent.html

https://balconygardenweb.com/tips-for-starting-a-kitchen-garden/

https://organicgrowersschool.org/gardeners/library/seeds-vs-transplants/

https://organicgrowersschool.org/gardeners/library/watering-your-garden/

https://www.hgtv.com/outdoors/landscaping-and-hardscaping/composting-the-easy-way

https://www.goodhousekeeping.com/home/gardening/a20706435/vegetable-garden-tips/

https://www.growingagreenerworld.com/tips-for-growing-the-perfect-vegetable-garden/

https://www.diynetwork.com/how-to/outdoors/gardening/selecting-the-best-location-for-a-garden

https://www.huffpost.com/entry/the-8-best-gardening-tips_b_5563873?guccounter=1&guce_referrer=aHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuZ29vZ2xlLmNvbS8&guce_referrer_sig=AQAAANHCIgA8aOnX9dhIwOgrUHWJC3RVaRGODegWVDB1wkeuSLFARf3ZQraYiVjvVLsNNa9V9INu6qEbjXKDqG_gWkXEq383jWbeAJoVX0z2mw6x_RDbDooVB9A6nbNO6gHbTZRwDXLJ3k2cceWQJF4RRv4b07yDfGIEEy6VQXK51mVT

https://www.fix.com/blog/why-you-should-prune-vegetable-plants/

https://www.almanac.com/beneficial-insects-garden

https://savvygardening.com/container-vegetable-plants-the-best-varieties/

https://www.hgtv.com/outdoors/landscaping-and-hardscaping/how-to-plant-a-kitchen-herb-garde

https://savvygardening.com/kitchen-garden/

https://savvygardening.com/succession-planting-for-a-non-stop-harvest/

https://www.treehugger.com/kitchen-garden-layout-ideas-tips-5095423

https://www.growveg.com/guides/grow-fruits-and-vegetables-in-the-shade/

https://preparednessmama.com/testing-your-soil-ph-without-a-kit/#:~:text=Collect%201%20cup%20of%20soil,pH%20between%207%20and%208.

https://www.bhg.com/gardening/vegetable/vegetables/tips-for-growing-an-organic-vegetable-garden/

https://www.denverpost.com/2017/05/12/gardening-mixing-flowers-vegetables/

https://www.thespruce.com/how-to-grow-carrots-in-the-vegetable-garden-1403472#:~:text=Carrots%20grow%20well%20in%20cool,of%20weeks%20throughout%20the%20spring.

https://harvesttotable.com/how_to_grow_beets/#:~:text=Beets%20are%20a%20cool%2Dweather,F%20(26%C2%B0C).

https://www.thespruce.com/how-to-grow-green-beans-1403459#:~:text=Plant%20the%20seeds%201%20inch,3%20to%204%20inches%20apart.

https://www.kitchengarden.co.uk/how-to-grow-gooseberries/#:~:text=Gooseberries%20prefer%20a%20deep%2C%20moist,matter%20each%20year%20in%20spring.

https://www.kitchengarden.co.uk/how-to-grow-currants/#:~:text=Growing%20Tips&text=Like%20most%20fruits%2C%20currants%20need,few%20other%20fruits%20will%20thrive.