To grow a kitchen-friendly garden, start by choosing a sunny area as close to your kitchen as possible. Make sure it’s easily accessible as well. You don’t want to have a cooking garden right outside your kitchen window, but you have to walk halfway around the apartment to get there. Plan your plants so that the low-growing herbs and vegetables are at the edges and the taller plants are towards the center of the plot. Keep the tallest plants and those that need support for the back row of your garden.

Garden preparation

Before you plant, you need to prepare your garden bed. You want your soil to be nutrient rich and well drained. Remove weeds and grass from the desired area. Typically, a 5ft by 5ft lot provides enough produce to keep the busiest cook happy. Spread about 3 inches of compost over the area and work it into the soil.

To keep you from trudging through dirt, grass, and mud into your yard, plan a walkway around your vegetable garden. Lay pavers or other material around your yard for easy access.

Planting and aftercare

Begin sowing your seeds in the ground in early spring. Or start your seeds indoors a few weeks before the last frost if you live up north. Plant shorter plants like lettuce or parsley along the outer rows of your garden. Try planting onions towards the center of the garden bed and rosemary towards the back. Distribute soak hoses along the rows and cover your bed with mulch.

She prefers cool conditions but can be grown in all zones.

You want to grow herbs and vegetables that suit your tastes. However, here are a few suggestions. Try a few varieties of lettuce in the front rows of your garden. Lettuce leaves are a tasty choice. It only grows to 10 inches tall and its ruffled green and burgundy leaves are very attractive. Leaf lettuce is rich in vitamins and has a sweet taste. She prefers cool conditions but can be grown in all zones. Or try Batavian lettuce, which grows 10 inches tall. This lettuce likes cool conditions and is an annual for all zones. Another type of lettuce to try is romaine lettuce. This plant grows up to 12 inches tall. It has a ruffled texture with a mild flavor. It can also be grown in all zones. Some of the smaller herbs can also be grown in the outer rows of your garden. Chives grow up to 18 inches and have a nice onion flavor. This herb grows in zones 3-9. Another short breeder is Lemon Balm. It has a minty lemon flavor and works well in zones 3-9.

Onions also do well in all zones

In your next few lines, you might want to try onions. They can grow up to 24 inches tall and their grass-like leaves are a beautiful greenish-blue color. Onions also thrive in all zones. Along with onions plant parsley. It grows up to 15 inches. Parsley tastes sweet and is full of vitamins. It can be grown in all zones. Paprika is another plant that fits into this series. They are very colorful in red, green, yellow, purple or orange. They grow up to 2 feet tall and do well in all zones.

With Dijon mustard flavor

As you move inward to the next few rows, you might want to try some ‘Red Giant’ mustard. She grows up to 24 inches tall and has beautiful purple leaves with a Dijon mustard flavor. This plant likes a cool climate, so plant it in spring or fall. It is an annual plant that grows in all zones. Another plant to try in this series is shungiko , also known as edible chrysanthemum. This plant Garden Aftercare up to 30 inches tall and has lacy gray leaves. It works well in salads and for stir-fries. The flowers are bright orange and yellow and can be cultivated in all zones.

Plant a rosemary bush at the back of your kitchen garden. She grows up to 6 feet tall and has a very strong aroma. Since it prefers zones 8-10, you may want to overwinter it indoors. The back row of your garden is also great for herbs or vegetables that need some sort of support. Try growing beans or cucumbers as they need a trellis to grow effectively. Another great herb to plant is Elephant Garlic. It grows up to 3 feet tall and thrives in zones 6-9. Greek oregano is an herb that grows up to 30 inches tall. It grows in zones 5-10.

Final thoughts

Before planting your chef’s garden, plan it carefully. Pay attention to the vegetables and herbs you use most often in your cooking, and do your research to determine which plants are easiest to grow. Go online, visit nurseries and talk to friends and family with gardening experience. There is tons of information out there just waiting to be found. And most of all have fun!! Nothing beats the taste of a fresh salad that was grown in the garden 10 minutes ago!