Start Your Own Backyard Vegetable Garden
There’s nothing quite like growing your own fresh produce; pick ripened vegetables and fruit that you’ve worked hard to nourish, and you’ll be hooked with this productive hobby. Even if you’ve never been much of a green thumb, creating your vegetable garden is easy enough for anyone to do and gives you more reasons to get your daily serves in!
In this piece, we’re giving you some simple steps toward creating your own backyard patch, so you can dish up deliciously fresh veggies that even the kids won’t refuse.
A note for beginners
The best way to get started with your organic gardening adventure is by starting small. You can easily build up the size of your garden as you go along and progress with your technique.
If you are new to growing food like this, the below information will help you decide which plants to choose first and give tips on getting started. However, to be adequately prepared, gather up these essentials to ensure you’re ready to dive in:
• A shovel or trowel
• Garden hose with a sprinkler attachment
• Soil test kit (not mandatory)
• Seeds or saplings and fertiliser.
Easy veggies to grow at home
1. Capsicum: These vibrant plants have many uses – including adding flavour to soups or stews, as well as making salsa. You will need space about 10 feet by 20 feet with full sun exposure—plant seeds directly into soil that has been primed and prepped. Water regularly until plants begin growing and once they reach maturity, harvest the capsicums when fully ripe. Remove stems from pods before eating them.
2. Tomatoes: This is another great plant to add to any backyard garden. It’s best planted during springtime but can also be grown through fall if protected against frost. Each tomato plant needs a space of around 12-18 inches wide and 18-24 inches tall. Prepare the ground first by digging up weeds and turning over the top layer of dirt, then the seedlings on their sides, so roots don’t dry out. Water daily.
3. Cucumbers: Extremely easy to grow, these favourites will need about 4-6 hours of direct sunlight per day. For best results, plant the seeds indoors in a container and let the seedlings grow until they have some leaves. From there, transplant them into your vegetable garden. Harvest the cucumbers when they reach two inches long. Water regularly during dry spells.
How to pick the right location
To set up your garden, as a rule of thumb, you’ll need room for at least one row or two rows of plants per person eating them. If you have more than that, consider growing different crops on separate areas of land.
Make sure there’s plenty of direct sunlight available and that trees aren’t growing overhead. For example, most plants need at least six hours of sunlight each day, so plant them where they will get full sun during most of the growing season.
Also consider local animals – like birds, possums and rodents. Are they likely to get into the area? Consider protective coverings, like plant nets.
Tip: Make sure you research your local area and the average climate you’re exposed to. Some plants do better than others in harsher conditions, so you’ll need to choose seeds that can effectively grow in your area.
When to plant
Vegetables are best planted in spring or autumn when the soil is warm enough but not too hot. If you’re choosing to plant in winter, opt for broccoli or cabbage instead.
You’ll also have more success with plants grown from seed than those started by transplanting young plants into larger containers. If using seedlings, only transplant them after their first leaves appear. Need more inspiration for DIY home projects? Check out our outdoor blinds to see how we can add flair and functionality to your property.