A trip to the farmers market or local grocery store is a great way to get an abundance of fresh fruits, vegetables, and herbs, but what if you could get a similar harvest in your own backyard? Creating a one-stop vegetable patch for everything you need to cook can do just that.
A home garden gives you fresh produce that you can use immediately after harvest (or you can dry, pickle, or can your harvest to use year-round). Plus, this type of gardening gives you the opportunity to grow and eat unusual varieties of herbs, fruits, and vegetables that aren't easily available at your local grocery store.
To help you create your own home garden, we spoke to experts who told us everything you need to know about the process, from designing the layout to selecting and harvesting plants.
- Stephanie Rose,author Regenerative Gardens: 80 Practical Projects for Building Self-Sustaining Garden EcosystemsThis book introduces readers to the basic concepts of backyard permaculture in an easy-to-understand way.
- Kip McConnellPlant experts at the Southern Living Plant Collection, a collection of plants designed to solve landscape challenges.
- Renee PottleFounder of SeedtoPantry, a website offering safe food preservation techniques, easy and creative recipes, and ideas and tips for suburban self-sufficient living.
- Dominic Charlesgardening expert and owner of Plots and Pans, a service that helps people create the garden of their dreams.
Choosing a location for your vegetable garden
The most important thing to consider when choosing a location for your vegetable garden is sunlight. Generally, most herbs and vegetables prefer direct sunlight, so choosing a location that gets 6 to 8 hours of sunlight is ideal. You should also choose a location with well-draining soil to prevent your plants from becoming waterlogged and developing root rot.
Convenience is also an important factor when deciding where to plant your garden: “Plan your culinary garden as close to your kitchen as possible,” says Stephanie Rose, founder of Garden Therapy. “You'll want to be able to harvest regularly to eat.”
Prepare the soil
Once you know where you want to plant your vegetable patch, have the soil tested there. “A soil test will tell you if the soil is alkaline or acidic and will also identify the key nutrients your plants need to thrive,” says Jim Putnam, plant expert at Southern Living Plant Collection. Some plants, like cauliflower, Brussels sprouts, and cabbage, require neutral to alkaline soil, while others, like blueberries, raspberries, radishes, tomatoes, and peppers, prefer acidic soil.
Generally, light, loamy soil is best for home gardens, but a soil test can tell you what amendments your soil needs. For example, if your soil is alkaline and you're growing plants that prefer acidic soil, you can lower the pH level by adding compost or peat moss.
Selecting plants
When it comes to creating a vegetable garden, you have a lot of plant options. Thinking about the foods you enjoy eating is a good place to start, but there are other things to consider that will help guide your choices.
Know your zone
When choosing plants for your vegetable garden, it's important to understand the climate and conditions in your area. “Use your address to find your USDA hardiness zone. This information will give you a rough idea of what types of plants are suitable for your local climate,” says Putnam.
In addition to knowing your growing region, knowing the length of your local growing season will help you know when to plant your plants, says SeedtoPantry founder and author Confident canner.
Think about what you like
An essential part of gardening is planting and eating what you love in season. “My first suggestion to anyone thinking about starting a garden is to decide what you love and what you want to spend your money on,” says Dominic Charles, gardener and garden consultant at Plots and Pans. As well as thinking about what you love to eat, think about what you love to see and smell.
Focus on companion plants
Choose a few edible plants you want to grow and then research which fruits, vegetables, and herbs grow well next to them — a gardening strategy called companion planting. For example, tomatoes do well next to basil, because the strong scent of basil repels tomato-eating bugs like the tomato wasp.
Consider what will fit in your space
How much space you have in your garden can also affect what you grow. For example, Pottle says she doesn't grow much corn because you need to plant multiple rows to get a good harvest, and the stalks are larger than other crops. “I almost always grow tomatoes and green beans because you can get a lot out of a few plants,” she says. Take stock of your space and figure out how big each plant will be at maturity.
Decide how to segment your garden
Sketch out a design plan for dividing your garden into sections, which will help keep it organized once your plants start growing. “It's helpful to divide your garden into rows or sections, as the space between sections makes it easier to weed, water, stake if needed, and harvest,” says Putnam.
wood
One way to create natural rows in your vegetable garden is to grow trellised fruit trees, with branches trained to flatten and fit into tight spaces. Fig trees, especially dwarf varieties, are well suited to trellising because they can fit into tight spaces and containers that other fruit trees can't, Putnam says.
Fences and trellises
Create space in your garden by installing a fence or trellis, which can do double duty as a place to plant edibles. “Blackberries grow well on a fence or trellis, or on wire stretched along an existing wall,” says Putnam. “This makes it easier to pick the berries from thorny varieties.”
Living Border
You can also section off your vegetable garden with a living border: “Choose compact, mounding edible plants to create a clean, crisp border,” says Putnam. Rosemary varieties are fragrant, edible, and evergreen, making them a great choice for adding year-round visual interest to your culinary garden.
Choosing between raised and recessed beds
You can grow your vegetable garden in the ground or in raised beds. Raised beds give you control over the quality of your soil, so you can plant with well-draining soil that meets your plants' needs. And because raised beds can be raised to any height, they're easier to access for people with mobility issues. “Raised beds are also easier to maintain than planting in the ground, requiring less weeding and providing better drainage,” Putnam says.
In-ground planting is less expensive and requires less maintenance if you use the existing soil in your yard. In-ground plants also require less watering than raised bed plantings.
How to care for your home vegetable garden
Although each plant you grow in your garden requires its own unique care and maintenance, there are a few things you should keep in mind when caring for your crops.
water
Most plants need to be watered thoroughly when first planted. Once the plant is established, follow the directions on the plant's tag for further watering. To keep your plants healthy, it's best to stick to a watering schedule that's tailored to your plant's individual needs.
Light
Most common edible plants tend to thrive in partial shade to full sun, but if you're growing a shade-loving variety, consider planting a taller, full-sun variety next to it to provide some natural shade, says Charles.
soil
Edible plants usually need well-drained soil to thrive. Some varieties prefer certain types of soil, such as acidic or sandy, so it's best to research the plants you're growing and improve the soil as needed.
Fertilization
Fertilizing your plants is essential to ensure they have the nutrients they need to thrive. “Learn more about the variety you're growing and find out what type of fertilizer it needs and the appropriate time to apply it,” says Putnam.
Staking
Maintenance will vary depending on the types of plants you're growing, but home gardeners will need to support climbing plants and heavier crops like tomatoes and beans with stakes. “Bamboo or plastic stakes, twine, cable ties, tomato stakes and wire will help,” he says.
pruning
Edible plants don't usually need pruning or deadheading like flowers do, with the exception of tomatoes, which need pruning to encourage fruit growth. Some plants may need thinning when planted from seed. “Carrots, lettuce, rutabagas and beets all fall into this category,” Pottle says. “They need plenty of room to grow.”
harvest
Most vegetable seed packets will have information on them that will tell you when your edible plants are ready to harvest. “But you can also taste them yourself,” says Rose. “Go out into the garden and taste a few things that look like they're about to ripen. If they taste good, you'll know they're ready to harvest.”
How to keep pests away from your vegetable garden
One of the downsides to a home garden is its susceptibility to animal and insect infestations, but there are some preventative measures you can take to protect your space.
Growing pest-resistant plants
Keep pests at bay in your garden by growing pest-resistant, especially insect-resistant, varieties. “If a plant is pest- or disease-resistant, it should have that information listed on the plant tag at the nursery or hardware store,” says Putnam.
Create a physical barrier
Creating a physical barrier around your yard, such as a chain link fence or wire mesh, can help protect it from common pests like deer, rabbits, and squirrels. “You can buy pre-assembled systems online or make your own from garden stakes and supplies at your local garden center,” Putnam says.
Use natural pesticides
If you suspect pests have invaded your garden, natural insecticides are always an option. Charles recommends using neem oil and diatomaceous earth if you notice spots or holes in your plants. Neem oil should be sprayed over the entire plant, including the leaves and soil. Diatomaceous earth can be sprayed over the entire soil around the plant.
