Kitchen Garden: How to Get Started And Maintain Well

Kitchen garden A-Z: Kitchen Garden Ideas – Start at The Right Time – Make the Best Value from Your Kitchen Garden.

There is a saying, “Grow a garden if you’ve never known the joy of doing more than your imagination!”. There is no one-size-fits-all garden. Close your eyes and imagine your favourite garden. Is it a kitchen garden you see? They’re showing up in people’s backyards all around the planet.

It isn’t easy to think of anything but positive thoughts when eating a homegrown tomato. So, here, giving you the absolute salt and pepper to come up with your very own kitchen garden with a professional touch!

How Kitchen Garden is Different from Regular Vegetable Garden 

To begin, a kitchen garden is a type of edible garden that has a long history dating back to old English and French culinary gardens. A kitchen garden, like a regular vegetable garden, contains more than just vegetables. You’ll be able to cultivate scrumptious fruits, veggies, herbs, and edible flowers in it. 

Consider your kitchen garden to be a celebration of fresh produce and tasty home-cooked meals just outside your door.

Kitchen gardens and regular vegetable gardens can provide a sense of accomplishment and pleasure for a well-done job. Aside from these similarities, the two have some significant differences.

• Convenience 

Convenience is one of the most important aspects of a kitchen garden at home. The ingredients you’ll need to create your everyday meals should be easy to find. As a result, a kitchen garden should be as close as possible to your food preparation area. 

Suppose you’re cooking meals and suddenly realise, “This recipe could use a little more thyme.” Wouldn’t it be nice to be able to reach directly outside your door to snip a couple of stems instead of trekking out to your central vegetable garden while you have pots cooking on the stove? 

The quicker it is to grab what you need when cooking with a kitchen garden, the better. 

• Space 

Because they are so close to the house, kitchen gardens are usually smaller than regular gardens. Of course, this isn’t always the case, but having a kitchen garden close enough to allow convenient access while cooking may restrict the amount of space available.

If you just have a small area for the kitchen garden plants, understand that a traditional vegetable garden is about preparing for the future and planting. But a kitchen garden is about enjoying what you have right now.

As a result, fruits and vegetables that you plan to preserve for later use – or crops that take up a lot of room, such as corn or beans – are suitable candidates for a typical vegetable garden where space is less of an issue.

Kitchen gardens, on the other hand, are typically stocked with the foods you make and enjoy while they’re still fresh. Fresh herb pots, tiny cherry tomato plants, and leaf lettuce varieties are all excellent compliments to a kitchen garden. If you don’t have enough space for a typical garden, a tiny kitchen garden can provide you with fresh, delicious produce throughout the growing season.

• The Charm 

Whereas a regular vegetable garden is all about function and output, the decorative aspect of a kitchen garden adds to its allure. A kitchen garden is more difficult to hide than a traditional garden because of its proximity to the house. As a result, they are frequently created to offer a sense of beauty to your home. 

Lemon thyme, for example, can be used to create a lovely, aromatic boundary surrounding plants and containers. Consumable flowers, such as violas and daylilies, can be used to give a burst of colour. Blueberry shrubs that are compact are also gorgeous and provide a lovely yet practical barrier. 

A kitchen garden, as you can see, provides both practicality and beauty in a bit of space. You’ll only need a few large pots, a kitchen garden kit, fresh herbs, your favourite compact tomato plant, and lettuce kinds to get started. 

And of course, if you need more of a broad understanding to know the details, check out our information-packed Kitchen Gardening and Maintenance online course!

Where to place your kitchen garden 

You should be very careful while considering the location of a kitchen garden; it may not be as simple as simply giving up a little rectangle of the current yard. 

The very first step is to decide on the type of kitchen garden you want to plant. Keep in mind that a kitchen garden does not have to be limited to yearly crops. Understanding this can help you determine the size of the space you require. Also, you should consider:

• Environmental Factors 

Regardless of the type of kitchen garden you intend to plant, the first and most significant considerations will be environmental ones. 

Understanding your garden is crucial not just when choosing plants but also when considering layout and placing. 

Although this may appear to be self-evident, it is disappointing how many individuals fail to notice it.

When it comes to picking a location for new kitchen garden beds, many newbie gardeners overlook the fundamentals. 

The majority of annual vegetables will thrive in an area with at least 6 to 8 hours of direct sunlight every day (know how you can come up with a sun map for your garden). 

Generally speaking, sheltered areas are best. During the summer, stay away from frost pockets and places that have dried up excessively.

Environmental circumstances should be the starting point, notwithstanding the many complications involved. You can then focus on finding the specifics for a site.

• Placement 

Vegetable beds (or rows) are traditionally oriented north-south rather than east-west, according to conventional thinking. This is a wonderful way to maximise light while minimising undesired shading. 

However, there are several reasons why you shouldn’t place a kitchen garden in this manner.

Because of the site’s geography, surrounding landscape features, and other factors, a different orientation may be ideal. It’s possible that you won’t be able to grow in standard rectangular beds or rows at all.

• Putting the Pieces Together 

When we consider the inputs needed for a kitchen garden, we quickly realise how critical it is to locate it as close to composting sites and water sources as possible. 

Consider how easy it will be to transfer supplies, keep your garden fertile, and water/irrigate it over time. 

Also, your kitchen garden should be close to kitchen areas where you will prepare the food your plants provide!

Everything else should start to fall into place if you consider these items first.

Kitchen Gardening Ideas 

Generating home gardening ideas is always fun! Especially when you know, you can get incredibly benefited from it. 

Different kitchen garden magazines might help you to understand how to start and what to grow in your garden. But here, we will give you the vision to use as your starting point and go further to enjoy homegrown foods, flowers and so on!

• Raised Bed Garden 

If you want to start a kitchen garden in your backyard but don’t have access to the best soil, a raised bed kitchen garden layout is the way to go. You can place the planters at a given height from the ground and then fill with fertile soil suitable for vegetable cultivation. 

A structure that encloses all of the soil is required for this form of a kitchen garden. You can make it out of wood, bricks, stones, hay, or any other repurposed material you have around the house. 

You may make the raised beds any size you choose, but they’re typically 6 to 8 feet long, 3 to 6 feet wide, and 6 to 8 inches high. The bed’s height will also safeguard the plants from pets and children.

• Roof Garden 

Rooftop gardening ideas are an excellent alternative if your roof is mostly unoccupied and gets direct sunlight. You can choose a kitchen garden design that is both functional and fashionable, depending on the size and your preferences. 

Rooftop gardening pots are perfect since you can move them around as needed. You may customise the size of the box by filling it with dirt and planting different plants inside. 

You can rotate the placement or change the soil after one season.

• Balcony Kitchen Garden 

Thyme, tarragon, and chives are herb plants, available in huge pots at garden shops and plant nurseries. Plants of strawberries, tomatoes, cherries, or chilli peppers that are already covered in fresh fruits can be purchased. They are more expensive, but they allow you to harvest right away.

You can grow most veggies and herbs in your balcony kitchen garden with the right amount of sunlight and attention. One can also use many platforms to keep different plantings in order and accommodate more plants in a much smaller space this way.  

Take advantage of fences and vertical space by using your ideas. You’ll be able to cultivate little veggies, salad greens, and aromatics this way.

• Indoor Kitchen Garden 

If you live in a city or don’t have any outdoor area, indoor kitchen garden ideas are a good option. Indoor kitchen gardens require less upkeep and are simple to maintain. As an added plus, you won’t have to hurry all of the pots inside every time it rains heavily, or there’s a storm. 

Planting herbs and microgreens in little pots and keeping them on corner shelves or window sills is simple. Maintain a watering regimen to ensure that your plants do not go dry for an extended period. Make sure the plants have plenty of light coming in through the windows.

• Vertical Kitchen Garden 

If you don’t have the extra square footage in your apartment for a kitchen garden, use the vertical space instead. Because of the scarcity of space in metro areas, vertical gardening has been popular in recent years. 

However, we can’t apply the same criterion for vertical gardening as we do for traditional gardening.

The location of the plants is critical in deciding the success of the vertical garden; it is pointless to buy your favourite plants if the placement is inadequate. Consider the shape and size of the adult plants to ensure that they do not obstruct each other. Is it like mint or rosemary in that it grows straight up? Is it like lettuce in that it tends to spread out to the sides? You must consider all of this so that they do not overlap.

Undoubtedly, some parts of your vertical garden will get more direct light than others; make use of this. Also, for your vertical kitchen garden, planting plants that prefer drier soils in the upper portion, where the water flow will be less, and those that prefer wetter substrates in the lower half, where the flow of water will be more, is the best option.

You should avoid growing Tomatoes, beans, and peppers in vertical kitchen gardens. They only seem to survive in professional hydroponic vertical gardens or those with a vast substrate capacity, which necessitates a considerably more expensive and expert setup.

• Hydroponic Kitchen Garden 

Hydroponic gardening is basically growing plants without soil or compost . Regardless of the season, you can grow vegetables, fruits, or herbs indoors all year. Nutrients essential for plant growth are dissolved in water and absorbed by the plant roots in this system. 

Hydroponic kitchen gardens, one of the unique vegetable garden ideas, are more productive and take up less area. With the right tools, you can make your own DIY hydroponic kitchen gardens. Planters are made from plastic bottles with the side portion chopped off. 

In a hydroponic kitchen garden, you can quickly produce herbs like oregano, basil, and stevia, as well as vegetables like lettuce, celery, and spinach. To choose your vegetable plants better, take a look at one of some kitchen garden course, which will give a more precise understanding. 

• Window Kitchen Garden 

A window kitchen garden is your three-dimensional window that extends from the home. You can use these windows to create a cosy spot for plants like flowers and herbs.

The kitchen window garden is appealing as well as functional. Because it is close by and easy to use, the best use of this garden is to grow various herbs that may be utilised in cooking. 

Fresh and healthful plants that can be grown in your kitchen window garden include garlic, pepper, lemons, sprouts, and mushrooms. They are small enough to grow in a vegetable garden and are prevalent in a variety of cuisines. 

The natural process of nature blooming in your kitchen window usually draws attention, but if you want to add more decorative effects, here are some suggestions:

• When put between the pots, trinkets can give the window a unique look.
• The addition of objects suspended from the ceiling, such as wind chimes, suspended plants, and other suspended components, elevates the window to a new level of elegance.
• Painting the pots and utilising different pot sizes can make the kitchen window garden look much more planned.

Spring Kitchen Garden Plants 

You may effortlessly cultivate the vegetables listed below in spring, whether you have a small yard or some pots on your balcony. 

You can directly seed some, such as carrots and spinach, while you will need to prepare a seedbed for others.

• Cucumbers: Because transplanting cucumbers is difficult, sow them immediately in a pot. Since it is sensitive to cold, you have to avoid temperatures below 15 degrees. It takes 8 to 10 days for the seeds to germinate, and you can harvest them after 10 weeks. You must water the plants frequently.
• Spinach: These seeds grow in 10 to 12 days, are cold-tolerant, and produce a stunning collection of leaves in 2-3 months. This plant can be cared for with mild and frequent watering but not flooding; at least 3 litres of container is required.
• Tomatoes: You should sow tomato seeds in seedbeds or peat pots. It takes 5-10 days for the seeds to germinate, and the ideal temperature is 20 degrees Celsius. You can harvest tomatoes between 4 and 9 months, depending on the cycle, when they have three or four genuine leaves. Waterings must be evenly spaced and plentiful.
• Pepper: Plant seeds in peat pots and move when they reach a height of 12-15 cm. They take 3-6 days to sprout and take 5-7 months to bloom. Watering must be regular but not excessive, with a minimum water content of 14 litres.

Gardening allows you to add years to your life and life to your years. Surely, you’d want to know more about choosing the right crop for your garden! Click here and join us today to experience the saying, “There are no gardening mistakes, only experiments.”!!

Vegetables for Winter Kitchen Garden 

The winter crops can be highly diversified. Even though the orchards are usually deserted in the winter, if you prepare ahead, you may purchase some of your favourite veggies and greens. Consider the following scenario:

• Turnip daikon is a Japanese turnip that is elongated and white. It is excellent for enhancing the liver’s function.
• Carrots are one of the most frequent winter vegetables that we can grow in our kitchen gardens. 
• Brussels sprouts are cabbages that are commonly utilised in a variety of cooking preparations. While reaping them, you must take them individually. The tastiest ones are the smallest ones.

Summer Kitchen Garden 

During the summer, eating fresh, seasonal veggies can help you avoid skin allergies, dehydration, and vitamin shortage. 

You may easily grow various veggies in your kitchen garden if you provide enough sunlight and raise the soil temperature. Brinjal, Pumpkin, Bottle Gourd, White Onions, and Okra are some of the most frequent summer vegetables.

Conclusion 

Grow the food you love to eat! It appears to be a fantastic health motto to follow, but it also appears to be a lot of money and effort. When most people hear the term “kitchen garden,” they immediately think of this, but this is not the case. 

A kitchen garden is practical, long-lasting, and you can customize its finances to your preferences and needs.

You may easily manage many plants and cultivate vegetables, fruits, or herbs for your daily usage, depending on your available space. A kitchen garden will not only provide you with fresh, organic ingredients, but it will also save you money at farmers markets and grocery shops.

Kitchen gardens are becoming increasingly popular worldwide. People are more interested than ever in mindful eating and healthy foods while enhancing their home’s appearance and giving it an Enlightenment atmosphere. Depending on the available space, you can choose from a variety of kitchen garden designs. To get the most out of your investment, learn everything there is to know about kitchen gardening and upkeep.