How To Start A Garden of Plenty

To ensure success in your small scale garden of plenty it is important to plan before you plunge in!

3 reasons why a well planned food garden will be more successful:

• It is more fun and less work.
   
• It is more productive than one that is not well-planned.
   
• It is more sustainable, because you will minimize on labour, water, fertilizer and pesticides while maximizing your yield.

That’s all well and good, but where does one start?

The SA Herb Academy developed a step by step process to Start a Garden of Plenty.

These steps are not only for new kitchen gardens. They are also useful if you want to revamp or make-over an established garden.

Remember the Three Golden Rules:

• Start small.
   
• Start near the kitchen.
   
• Start on the most fertile soil.

Step 1 – Observation

• Explore your garden and observe. Make notes and draw maps.
   
• Check which areas receive sun and shade, whether you get frost in winter, the kind of soil in your garden and what the drainage is like.
   
• Draw a freehand sketch scale map (plot plan) of your property. Once you know the character of your garden you can select the best site for your herb garden.

Step 2 – Visioning

• Select a theme, like culinary, medicinal, fragrance, or cosmetics. If possible narrow that down even further by choosing a theme within a theme.
   
• Decide whether you want to grow herbs for fun or profit, whether you prefer them in containers or in the garden (or both), and to grow them indoors or outdoors.
   
• Will your garden of plenty have an overall function such as education, sanctuary, demonstration site, simple living, or market gardening?
   
• Be realistic about what you can achieve in terms of your enthusiasm, space, time, energy and money. Also visualize how your herb garden will fit in with the rest of your garden.

Step 3 – Planning

• Find a sunny spot (morning or afternoon sun is adequate) that is reasonably level and sheltered from wind and frost.
   
• The soil should drain easily but if your soil is a bit heavy, just add lots of compost when preparing the soil and this should improve the texture and drainage.
   
• Choose a spot as close to the house as possible for quick and easy picking.
   
• If you don’t have an ideal site in the garden, plant your herbs in containers and you can move them to follow the sun.
   
• The style of your herb and vegetable garden should complement the rest of the garden and the look of the house. There are two styles; formal and informal. Take time to decide on the style.
   
• Herb spirals, keyhole beds and mandala gardens are all worth investigating as they combine the benefits of both formal and informal gardens. And they maximize space.
   
• Look in books and magazines for inspiration.
   
• Formal herb gardens:
  - Require straight lines and geometric shapes that are framed by low hedges and paths.
  - A fountain, shrub (usually topiary) or bench usually forms a focal point.
  - The layout should be arranged around a central axis. Ideally, one kind of herb is planted in each block, for bold colour and texture.
  - It is an ideal picking garden, because everything is so accessible.
   
• Informal herb gardens
  - The lines are more flowing, with curved beds and walkways.
  - Flowers and shrubs can be added for an exuberant look.
  - Needs less initial structural work and is usually easier and less costly to maintain.

Step 4 - Development

To help you avoid the mistake of starting with too many herbs and veggies try this process.

• Select herbs that will thrive in your garden and that fire your enthusiasm.
   
• Choose vegetables that are easy to grow and that are nutrient dense.
   
• Make a list of all the herbs that will fit in with your theme.
   
• Check with your local nursery. Are they available? Scratch out all those that are not available.
   
• Next make three columns. Must have. Nice to have. Not necessary. Try reducing your list to about 10 or 15 herbs – that’s a good number to start with.
   
• Divide your herbs between annual and perennial and sort them according to height. Check back with your design to make sure the heights conform to your concept.
   
• Do some research and make a list of veggies that are easy to grow and that are nutrient rich. Divide them into categories – root vegetables, leaf vegetables, etc. Again make 3 columns to help narrow down your list. My list of recommended varieties is a great starting point.
   
• Draw a detailed planting plan showing the exact position of each herb and the position of vegetable patches.
   
• Determine the steps of implementation.

Step 5 – Implementation

• Do any major earthmoving if required.
   
• Complete any hardscaping, the term landscape designers use for wood, brick, concrete and other constructed elements: paths, fences, benches, and the like.
   
• Amend and improve the soil.
   
• Purchase plants and seeds.
   
• Plant the herbs. Sow veggies.
   
• Mulch. Keep plants watered and help them get established.

Food Gardening for Beginners