If we are going to have an outdoor kitchen garden we need to choose an area that is close to our kitchen and free of tree roots. Most of the herbs, fruits and vegetables will require six to eight hours of sunshine each day so we need to find out where the sun is going to be during the spring and summer. Peppers, tomatoes, and other fruiting vegetables will need full sun while some of the herbs such as dill and basil could use some shade in the afternoon. Lettuces and other greens will do much better if you have trees or large plants to protect them from the afternoon sun.
The proper drainage is also any important factor to take into consideration for an in-ground garden; most herbs will thrive best if planted in raised garden beds due to the better drainage.
Container gardens will also work quite well for the gardeners that only have balconies. The container can also be used as raised beds just by elevating them on bricks or small stands that will allow for drainage. These containers can also be hung from balcony or deck railings not only providing good drainage but also giving the gardener easy access.
By grouping plants in small shaped beds approximately 2', 3' or even 4' square around a center focal point instead of in rows the texture, color, and structure of their foliage can be a fascinating part of the entire pattern. These planting beds can also be raised for easy maintenance and picking for the fact that we can walk completely around them. If these beds are to remain on the ground they should be far enough apart to be able to get a garden cart through them and our garden hose should reach all the beds. If they are raised beds on a balcony a watering can works just as well.
Now is the time to decide which vegetables we want to plant in the various
planting beds. In the small kitchen garden, we want to avoid planting large plants such as melon, corn, and maybe squash and zuccini. For some of the other staple plants it is best to use vertical structures of some kind so they grow upward and minimize their space. We want to plant the taller vegetables towards the back or in the center of the bed with the shorter plants towards the front or around the center taller plant.
Experienced gardeners will know which plants they can plant together known as companion planting. If you are not sure here are some of the good companion plants: beans, carrots, and squash; eggplant and beans; tomatoes, basil, and onions; lettuce and herbs; and spinach, chard, and onions. The vegetables that should not be planted together are: beans with onions and garlic; carrots with dill or fennel; tomatoes or squash with potatoes; or onions with beans and peas. Sometimes the reasons for not planting together are quite simple such as carrots, dill and fennel belong to the same plant family and will all compete for the same nutrients. The best vegetables
gardeners can use in containers are potatoes, cherry and bush tomatoes, peppers, summer squash, eggplant, pole beans, chard, lettuce and Asian greens, and do not forget the herbs. All of our kitchen plants should be well choosen whether we are growing outside or indoors.
