Herb and vegetable garden design
In a time when community gardening projects and organic food suppliers are flourishing, planting your own herb and vegetable garden is actually more than trendy—it's health-smart.
Supplementing your diet with fresh fruits and vegetables (and even seasoning them with some tasty herbs) is a must for maintaining health and reducing health risks, and by growing your own produce, you can rest assured your daily fruits and veggies are free of the chemicals and pesticides used by some mass produce farmers.
Conversely, flowering herbs can add a touch of visual elegance to any garden. But whether you're incorporating herbs for eye appeal in your flower garden or you're looking to freshen up your dinner table, herb and vegetable garden designs start with the same basic principles of any garden.
The garden plan
After determining whether your herb and/or vegetable garden is to be ornamental or practical, you must, as with any garden plan, plot out the garden bed.
Walk around your yard, measure beds and walking paths and plot them out to scale on a sheet of graph paper. Remember to include existing features of your yard on the plot: a deck, yard decor, fences, lighting, etc.
Beyond that, consider these additional tips:
- Allow for room. When planning your herb and vegetable garden, you'll need to be sure you allow ample room for your plants to grow to their full potential. Vining plants such as tomatoes and peppers tend to need more space (and stakes) to grow, whereas low-lying plants such as lettuce don't. Do a little research on the types of plants you'd like to grow at this stage of your planning.
- Don't worry about planting your vegetables in a row. While vegetable gardens historically have been represented with rows of vegetables gardeners walk between, many modern vegetable gardens have done away with the row structure. Walking on the soil can actually damage its fertility. Rather, plant your vegetables an adequate growing distance apart in small beds.
- Consider incorporating raised beds. By building garden beds up 8 to 12 inches, you can improve water flow through the soil and allow the soil to stay warmer in cooler seasons.
- Consider using containers. You can save space and money by concentrating some herbs in containers; many herbs and vegetables can actually thrive in pots, including tomatoes, eggplants, cucumbers, chard, lettuce, beans, carrots, peas, peppers and herbs.
Planting the garden
Once you've gotten a design drawn up and have chosen your top veggies, the real excitement begins: You're ready to plant.
- Prepare the soil. Dig up the bed, pulling out weeds and rocks as you go.
- Plant vegetables and herbs near their friends. Some vegetables grow better when paired with others while some inhibit the growth of others. While research can tell you more about this gardening caveat, a few combinations to avoid include potatoes, tomatoes and squash; carrots and dill; and broccoli and tomatoes. Make sure to grow these vegetables in separate areas of your garden.
- Plant small crops at a time. To enjoy the fruits of your labor throughout a season, instead of all at once, plant small amounts of seasonal produce throughout its season.
Maintaining the garden
Once you've gotten your garden growing, keep these additional tips in mind:
- Water consistently. Vegetables and herbs need a lot of water; try a soaker hose to saturate your garden's soil without damaging leaves.
- Rotate crops. Rotating crops preserves soil nutrients and helps prevent soil disease. When rotating, plant groups of perennial plants in different areas of the garden; for example, plant your legumes in a new garden spot. If you plan to grow quite a few varieties of vegetables, you might want to consider having separate beds for perennials (which require rotation) and non-perennials (which don't).