The kitchen garden or sometimes called a potager garden. This is a concept that began in Europe during the Medieval times The term potager is described as a cook that specializes in thick soups and broth. Hence, the idea is that vegetables, herbs, and flowers are planted together in a garden space which will sustain a single family. Importantly, to allow for easy access these gardens were built as close to the back door of a home as possible. Kitchen gardens offered a lifeline of nutritious fruits and vegetables. Additionally, they provided medicinal herbs for teas while also providing flowers for pollination and beauty.
“To Plant a Garden is to Believe in Tomorrow” Audrey Hepburn
The Kitchen Gardens Benefits
The kitchen garden can literally change your life. The kitchen garden can put us on a path towards increased nutrition all the while improving our mental health and happiness. In addition, the kitchen garden concept supports the environment in incredible ways. Planting a seed into the soil provides nutrition to our bodies. In addition, organic practices support soil health. Healthy soil supports an entire habitat of worms, bugs, and other critters. Furthermore, by planting vegetables, herbs, and flowers together they all support each other. The herbs deter pest from the vegetables, the flowers offer nectar to the pollinators, and the pollinators support the growth of the veggie plants. Clearly, it is an example of the circle of life for a healthy coexistence. The garden can truly nourish the body, mind, and spirit.
The Kitchen Garden Habit for Beginners
The kitchen garden is easier to bring into fruition than one would think. Basically, all that is needs is a plot of soil, some water, sunshine, and seeds. However, it is easy to fall for the limited belief that one must know all things about gardening before starting or have a lot of space to grow a vegetable garden. These two beliefs are just that… limiting beliefs.
In all reality, the easiest way to become a good gardener is to start gardening. The average person will learn substantially more from the first season of hands on experience than any amount of research. However, mistakes will probably be made and that is okay. In any event if we never sow a seed nothing will grow but if we give a seed a chance the harvest could be plenty. Plants naturally want to grow therefore offer them the chance and drop a few seeds in the soil.
Space can become another limiting belief. Although, I do understand that not everyone has a yard. My recommendation for limited or no yard availability is containers. Salad greens, herbs, and small varieties of vegetables can flourish in spall spaces. Furthermore, a small kiddie pool from a big box store can provide enough growing space for the average family of two.
Easy Ways to add a Kitchen Garden to your Life
- Start with herbs. Herbs need very little space and are forgiving plants. Pots make a great container for herbs like basil, dill, and cilantro and can easily grow on a window sill in bright sun during warm weather.
- Spinach is a perfect vegetable for the beginner gardener. A nutritious powerhouse, the leafy green is best grown in the cooler temps of early spring and fall. As with the herbs they grow nicely in a pot or small raised bed and are very forgiving for the novice gardener.
- Calendula! A favorite flower of mine is the calendula or sometimes called the pot marigold. Without a doubt these cheery yellow and orange flowers are one of the best varieties of flowers for a kitchen garden. Calendula can be planted in the spring from seeds and have a very long growing season. Oftentimes they bloom late into the fall as they can handle a mild frost. The flowers hold medicinal properties and are perfect for salves and skin creams and the pollinators love them!
Additional Tips for the First Kitchen Garden
- Start Small! A 4X4 or 4X8 small raised bed or inground garden is a great size for the beginner gardener. Keeping a garden small is easier to manage and less likely to cause feelings of overwhelm.
- Sunshine! Place the new garden space in direct sunlight if possible. Most plants require 6-8 hours of direct sunlight at a minimum for healthy growth.
- Location! If possible, place the garden in a space that is convenient to the front or backdoor of your home.
- Beauty! Make your garden your refuge! Tuck some flower seeds such as Calendula into the corners of your beds. Not only will they serve as a tool to deter pest they also nurture the soul. Furthermore, be sure to place a chair in your garden for quiet moments of reflection. My garden is nothing less than my sanctuary of health and happiness.
- More Info! I recommend Jessica Soward’s book titled “The First-Time Gardener.” I stumbled upon her Youtube channel a few years ago while learning about my first garden. Without a doubt she is an amazing resource of knowledge and talent.
Photos From My Kitchen Garden
