Grow your own kitchen garden

Having access to fresh and organic fruit, vegetables and herbs will completely change the way you eat. Becoming responsible for the food you cook with allows you to monitor what you put in your body and the benefits of growing your own produce are limitless.

We’ve put together a quick guide on how to build and maintain your own kitchen garden, and start reaping the rewards of this healthy trend.

1. Plan your produce

Consider which fruits, vegetables and herbs you’d like to plant. Different produce require different conditions and you may find that your area is unsuitable for a certain plant.

2. Plot your space

Look at the space you have in your backyard and start to plan where your crops will grow. If you are planning on gardening soil beds, keep in mind that some plants need to be placed at a distance in order to allow for the roots to spread (if you decide to grow your kitchen garden from containers or buckets, they will not be fixed and so can be moved around as your leisure). Don’t forget: a healthy garden needs plenty of sun, plenty of water and good soil.

3. Build and plant your garden

There are many ways to garden, and just as many ways to build your plots. Whether you decide to plant directly into the ground, create raised soil beds, or try using pots is entirely up to you. A quick and easy option is to plant directly into bags of garden soil mix. For this method, lay out bags of the mix (purchasable from most garden stores or nurseries) where you wish your garden to be, and cut away the side of the bag facing the sky. Plant your crops directly into the bag of soil and tend to over the course of a few months. Once the plants have taken hold, cut away the rest of the bag and remove, then rake the soil back into shape.

Are you already a savvy gardener? What tips do you have for others trying to get started and grow their own produce?