Pick a sunny spot, enrich the soil with compost, set plants at the right spacing, and water on a steady schedule for a thriving kitchen-garden.
Ready to grow salads, salsas, and pesto at home? This guide shows you how to set up a productive patch from planning to harvest. You’ll learn where to place beds, how to prep soil, what to plant first, and the simple weekly habits that keep herbs and veggies producing. No jargon. Just a clear plan that works in a backyard, side yard, or a few deep containers on a balcony.
Start With Site, Soil, And A Simple Plan
Most food crops crave direct sun for at least six hours a day. Track shadows across your space during morning, midday, and late afternoon to find the brightest spot. Good airflow helps leaves dry after rain and watering. Easy hose access saves time. Aim for beds no wider than 1.2 m (4 ft) so you can reach the center without stepping on the soil.
Healthy soil feels crumbly and drains well. Mix in well-finished compost across the top 15–20 cm (6–8 in). If you’re working over tough ground, build a raised bed 20–30 cm high and fill it with a blend of topsoil and compost. In pots, pick a peat-free, high-quality potting mix—garden soil compacts in containers.
Quick Start Planting Planner (Common Crops)
Use this broad, in-depth snapshot to pick reliable starters. Local dates vary with frost, so match choices to your region’s calendar.
| Crop | When To Plant | Typical Spacing |
|---|---|---|
| Basil | After last frost or indoors 4–6 weeks earlier | 30–45 cm (12–18 in) |
| Parsley | Early spring; slow to sprout | 20–25 cm (8–10 in) |
| Mint (in pot) | Spring or early summer | One plant per 25–30 cm pot |
| Thyme | Spring; loves heat and drainage | 25–30 cm (10–12 in) |
| Tomato (staked) | After last frost; transplant | 45–60 cm (18–24 in) |
| Peppers | After last frost; transplant | 35–45 cm (14–18 in) |
| Cucumber | After soil warms; direct sow or transplant | 45–60 cm (18–24 in) |
| Lettuce | Early spring & late summer | 20–30 cm (8–12 in) |
| Spinach | Early spring & autumn | 15–20 cm (6–8 in) |
| Radish | Early spring; frequent sowings | 5–10 cm (2–4 in) |
| Green Beans (bush) | After soil warms; direct sow | 10–15 cm (4–6 in) |
| Courgette/Zucchini | After last frost | 70–90 cm (28–36 in) |
| Carrots | Early spring; fine seed, shallow | Thin to 5–8 cm (2–3 in) |
| Spring Onion | Early spring; repeat sowings | 2–5 cm (1–2 in) |
| Coriander/Cilantro | Cool seasons; bolt-prone in heat | 20–25 cm (8–10 in) |
Planting A Herb And Veggie Garden, Step By Step
This section walks you from bare ground to your first harvest. Keep a small notebook. Jot sowing dates, varieties, and results. Those notes turn into better crops next time.
Step 1: Match Crops To Climate And Season
Perennial hardiness and frost timing shape what thrives. Check your region on the USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map if you’re in the U.S., then follow a local frost calendar for sowing and transplanting. Cool-season plants like lettuce, spinach, peas, and coriander prefer the shoulder months. Heat-lovers such as tomatoes, peppers, basil, and cucumbers need warm nights.
Step 2: Lay Out Beds And Paths
Keep paths at least 40–50 cm (16–20 in) so you can wheel a barrow and avoid stepping on soil. A simple pattern works well: two beds 1.2 m wide with a central path, or four smaller beds around a cross-path. Group tall growers on the north side so they don’t shade shorter rows.
Step 3: Prep Soil For Root Growth
Spread 3–5 cm (1–2 in) of finished compost and fork it into the top layer. Avoid burying thick layers of raw material—it can rob nitrogen while breaking down. Level the bed, then rake to a fine surface before sowing seed. In clay, sow seed a touch shallower. In sandy soil, go slightly deeper to keep moisture around the seed.
Step 4: Sow Or Transplant At The Right Depth
Seed depth usually equals two to three times the seed’s width. Tiny seeds like basil and thyme need only a dusting of soil. Larger seeds like beans sit about 2–3 cm deep. Transplants should sit at the same level they grew in their pots, with a snug, firmed-in collar of soil around the stem. Tomatoes are the exception—bury the lower stem to encourage extra roots.
Step 5: Add Mulch Where It Helps
Once seedlings are established, mulch open soil to steady moisture and reduce weeds. Use shredded leaves, straw, or fine wood chips. Keep a finger-width gap around stems. In pots, a thin layer of compost or fine bark helps reduce splash and keeps the surface from crusting.
Step 6: Water Deep, Not Just Often
Most beds do well with a steady soak two to three times per week in dry spells, instead of daily sprinkles. Aim for moisture that reaches 15–20 cm down. Drip lines or a lightweight hose with a low-flow wand make this easy. Morning watering keeps leaves drier through the day.
Step 7: Feed Lightly And Regularly
Compost at planting plus light top-ups cover many crops. Heavy feeders—tomatoes, peppers, cucumbers—benefit from a balanced liquid feed every 10–14 days once flowering starts. Leafy greens respond well to a mild nitrogen boost mid-season. Always err on the gentle side; overfeeding pushes weak growth.
Smart Crop Pairings And Rotation
Mixing families reduces disease buildup and spreads risk. Alternate a leaf crop after a fruiting crop, then follow with roots. A simple four-square rotation works well: bed one for leaves (lettuce, spinach), bed two for fruits (tomatoes, peppers), bed three for roots (carrots, beetroot), bed four for legumes (beans, peas). Move each group one bed along next season.
Plant fast growers between slow crops. Radishes and baby lettuce fit under trellised cucumbers. Spring onions tuck between peppers. Herbs like thyme and oregano edge paths, drawing pollinators and staying tidy.
Sunlight, Heat, And Shade Tactics
Most fruiting vegetables perform best with six or more hours of sun. Leafy greens tolerate partial shade, which keeps them from bolting in the peak of summer. In hot zones, give lettuce and coriander afternoon shade using taller neighbors or a simple fabric screen. In cooler regions, use dark mulch on the soil early in the season to warm it faster.
Herbs That Thrive With Veggies
Soft herbs—basil, parsley, coriander, dill—like steady moisture and regular picking. Woody herbs—rosemary, thyme, sage—need sharper drainage and leaner soil. Keep mint in a pot to prevent creeping runners from taking over. Snip little and often so plants stay bushy.
For deeper technique on kitchen herbs, the RHS herb growing guide outlines care by species, pruning, and harvest tips across the year.
Bed Care Through The Season
Weeds
Pull small weeds weekly after watering when the soil is loose. A sharp hand hoe skims seedlings off at the surface. Mulch suppresses most of the rest.
Pests
Check the underside of leaves while you water. Pick off caterpillars, squash small clusters of eggs, and rinse aphids with a strong stream. Net brassicas if caterpillars are constant in your area. Snails and slugs fall for beer traps or nighttime hand-picking after a soak.
Diseases
Space plants well to keep air moving. Water the soil, not the leaves. Prune lower tomato leaves that touch the ground. Move crop families each year to cut carryover.
Second-Half Cheatsheet: Water, Feeding, And Harvest Cues
Once plants fill in, habits matter more than gadgets. Use this quick table as you enter peak growth. It sits well on the fridge door during summer.
| Crop Group | Watering Target | Feed & Harvest Cues |
|---|---|---|
| Leafy Greens | Even moisture; never bone-dry | Pick outer leaves often; mild liquid feed every 2–3 weeks |
| Tomatoes & Peppers | Deep soak; steady rhythm to avoid split fruit | Start light feeding at first flowers; harvest when fruit gives slightly |
| Cucumbers & Courgettes | Moist root zone; mulched surface | Pick small and often to keep vines productive |
| Beans & Peas | Regular water at bloom and pod set | Skip heavy nitrogen; pick pods young for best texture |
| Roots (Carrot, Beet) | Even moisture; avoid cycles of drought/soak | Thin to final spacing; pull when shoulders size up |
| Woody Herbs | Let the top few cm dry between waterings | Trim after flowering to keep shape; no heavy feeding |
Small-Space Plan That Works
If you only have a balcony or patio, use three large containers (at least 40 cm wide and deep). Pot 1: cherry tomato with a stake and a ring of basil. Pot 2: salad bowl—loose-leaf lettuce in a circle, spring onions in the center. Pot 3: herb trio—thyme, parsley, and a potted mint set on its own saucer to catch runners. Add a narrow trellis behind the tomato for height.
Weekly Rhythm For Success
Every Saturday
- Check soil moisture 5–8 cm down; water if it feels dry.
- Pull young weeds and top up mulch where soil shows.
- Prune tomato suckers on indeterminate types; tie stems to stakes.
- Pick ready produce and snip herb tips to keep plants compact.
Every Two Weeks
- Give heavy feeders a light liquid feed.
- Direct-sow a short row of quick crops (radish, baby lettuce) to keep harvests rolling.
- Walk the beds and spot early pest signs before they spread.
Harvest Timing And Handling
Pick in the cool of the morning. Move harvests into the shade fast. Herbs taste best just before flowering. Leafy greens are sweetest when young. Beans and courgettes produce more when you keep cutting. Tomatoes gain flavor if you leave them to color on the vine; if a cold spell is coming, harvest at first blush and ripen on the counter.
Common Mistakes To Dodge
- Planting too early. Wait until nights stay warm for heat-lovers; a cold snap stalls growth.
- Overcrowding. Tight spacing invites disease and small harvests.
- Thirsty pots. Containers dry faster than beds; check daily during heat.
- Heavy feeding in one go. Small, regular doses beat one strong hit.
- Dry, then deluge watering. Fluctuations split tomatoes and toughen roots.
Timing Your Season
Plan around frost dates. Start cool-season sowings as soon as soil can be worked in spring. Follow with warm-season transplants after the last frost. In late summer, sow a second wave of greens for autumn salads. In mild zones, keep the soil covered with winter spinach and hardy herbs so beds never sit bare.
Simple Gear Checklist
- Hand trowel, hand fork, and a sharp hoe
- Watering wand or drip line
- Stakes, twine, soft ties, and a small trellis
- Compost, quality potting mix for containers
- Mulch: straw, shredded leaves, or fine wood chips
- A gardener’s notebook and pencil
Put It All Together
Choose the sunniest spot you have. Build reachable beds with rich, crumbly soil. Set a mix of herbs for flavor and quick greens for speed, then add a few star producers like tomatoes or beans. Keep watering steady, harvest little and often, and rotate crops next year. That rhythm turns a patch of ground—or a trio of pots—into fresh meals week after week.