Because a kitchen garden doesn't have to be huge or require intensive tending, I'm convinced there's a way for just about everyone to have some form of a kitchen garden —growing a little of their own food for the experience and joy of adding small harvests to their everyday meals.

Dig over the soil, then cover the vegetable patch with clear plastic sheeting for a couple of weeks to dry out and warm up the soil (if you're starting off in spring, which is ideal). This will also help any dormant weeds emerge so that you can whip them out before you start planting. If you prefer a more informal look opt for a vegetable patch amongst cottage garden ideas, with a mix of crops, flowers and shrubs. You can grow edibles anywhere – you don’t need a dedicated plot. Let’s assume you’re a novice and what to start a kitchen garden to cut your grocer’s bill without losing access to delicious produce. You may have heard how good gardening is for mental health; we all need self-care. So, here are ten steps you can follow in starting a kitchen garden: Step One: Start a Container Kitchen Garden OutdoorsStair Estates is a diversified rural estate in southwest Scotland with a varied let property portfolio; in-hand farming, forestry, tourism and country sports enterprises. It includes a number of renowned horticultural landscapes. These include the historic Castle Kennedy Gardens and the gardens at Lochinch Castle which are open to the public as well as the wider estate. You can grow almost anything in a kitchen garden. The key to success when planning a kitchen garden, though, is to choose high yield crops that take up little space. For instance, growing tomatoes, while high maintenance and needing plenty of water and feeding, can be done vertically so don't take up too much space, and produce lots of fruit.

Size is less important than a supply that meets the cook’s requirements. The aim is to use your kitchen garden to supply some of your kitchen’s needs (if not all). Mint is invasive and can easily be planted from cuttings or division. Give Mint its container to minimize its aggressive competitive streak.The greatest gift of the garden is the restoration of the five senses. Hanna Rion Step Three: Consider What You Want to Grow in Your Kitchen Garden Gooseberries– Easy to grow, there are many gooseberry varieties. Autumn is an ideal time to plant bare-rooted bushes in a sunny sheltered spot. Prepare the soil by forking over and adding compost or rotted manure and fertiliser to the planting hole. Mulch and water well until they are established. Thin out in late May/early June,and use these first fruits for cooking. The second harvest, a few weeks later, will be sweeter. Net bushes or grow in a fruit cage. This kitchen garden includes courgettes, corn, onions, chard and beans, set within a series of rectangular beds with narrow access paths between