The location of your plot, soil type, rainfall and how warm it is all affect what will flourish there. As a rule, Mediterranean-type vine plants (tomatoes, aubergines, peppers) need free-draining soil and plenty of sun, and may do best in a greenhouse – or at the very least in a sheltered, sunny position. Root vegetables don’t need quite so much coddling.
When space is short, alternate fast- and slow-growing crops that will mature at different times. For example, plant summer lettuces between autumn cabbages – the lettuces will have been harvested by the time the cabbages need the space. If you do try this, take care that tall crops don’t shade low-growing ones.
It’s cheapest to buy a packet of seeds, but this can result in a glut of seedlings (although you can swap them with fellow green-fingered neighbours). Start the seeds off on a sunny windowsill then plant outside when the chance of frost has passed (the packet will give you details), or sow directly outside once temperatures are over 7°C. If you choose the latter, you’ll need to thin the seedlings regularly to prevent overcrowding. If you only need a couple of plants (or just can’t be doing with the hassle of seedlings), you may do better to head to the garden centre and buy only what you need.
Your kitchen garden will need regular watering, so drench plants every evening during dry spells to ensure moisture gets to the roots before it evaporates. Slow-drip irrigation hose systems really cut down the work in large plots. Some produce, such as tomatoes, will benefit from regular feeding with a proprietary liquid feed but if you properly prepared the soil at the beginning of the season, the vegetables shouldn’t need too much extra feeding.
Decide whether you want to garden organically. Growing food untainted by chemicals is a big draw for most kitchen gardeners, so look for organic seeds and disease-resistant varieties.
