Emptying the bags is easy, and you can store them flat. They are also a favorite garden hack if you’re low on storage space. “Unlike terra-cotta pots, they’re more forgiving if you forget to water your vegetable garden.” Grow bags typically come with handles, should you need to move your plantings toward sunlight. Grow bags air-prune the plant’s roots, which means strong roots and healthier plants, Vallin Kostovick says. Tomatoes, eggplants, and lettuce are just a few of the vegetables that can grow easily in pots. Perfect for balconies or backyards with little soil. Container gardenįor limited outdoor space, try a container garden. Two points for sustainability if you make a small vegetable garden like this one that recycles old water bottles to plant smaller leafy greens. “Wooden crates and whiskey barrels are a great alternative as well.” She mentions you could even grow your vegetable crops in an old wheelbarrow or sink. “I personally love using galvanized tubs,” Vallin Kostovick says. When you’re thinking about your garden design, don’t forget about alternative planting vessels. Though there are plenty of combinations that could work, like non-competing radishes and carrots, consider picking your produce based on what will thrive together. Companion planting gardenĬompanion planting is the idea that you grow garden plants next to each other that benefit one another in some way. Vallin Kostovick explains these plants can “add instant whimsy to anything from ice cubes to salads to baked goods.” Bonus: Flowering plants and herbs attract pollinators needed for a bountiful vegetable garden. Edible flower gardenĮdible flowers like calendula, borage, violas, and nasturtium can be the perfect way to combine aesthetics with utility.

For a tasty sauce, grow a combination of bush tomatoes, basil, onions, and oregano. “Plant a sauce garden to take your pasta game to the next level,” Vallin Kostovick says.

You’ll be churning out jars of homegrown salsa in no time. Salsa fans can plant hot peppers, bush tomatoes, cilantro, and onions. Mint is another easy-to-grow herb, but it’s best to keep it in a separate container, like a window-sill box, since it can spread really easily. A culinary herb gardenīasil, oregano, thyme, sage, parsley, dill, and rosemary are all great choices for beginners, Vallin Kostovick says. Plant things like lettuce, peas, carrots, radish, cucumbers, and bush cherry tomato. To get you started on some potential options, consider these veggie garden ideas: 1. Vallin Kostovick suggests growing a garden with a specific theme, and it’s one of our favorite gardening tips. Planting a garden with any of these vegetable plants can be a simple and stress-free way to start growing your own food. With this layout, consider companion planting, which is the idea that you grow garden plants next to each other that benefit the other in some way.Īccording to Vallin Kostovick, some other beginner-friendly produce include beans, lettuce, peas, carrots, radish, herbs, summer squash, zucchini, and beets. As you get more comfortable with vegetable garden ideas, you can build more beds and expand the garden layout and types of vegetables each bed holds. When selecting your vegetable garden location, consider the landscape design the project could eventually become. Caring for a single-variety garden works great for a novice since you don’t have to worry about different sun and watering requirements. This should give the plants plenty of room to grow and allows you to add tomato cages to help the plants climb. A small single-variety gardenĪ small raised garden bed, about four-by-four feet, is the ideal size for four tomato plants. “The chemicals seep into the soil and water that the plants drink,” Angelov warns. If you’re planning to build your own beds, avoid pressure-treated woods, which are woods that have had water and preservatives forced into the lumber using high-pressure systems. A small space in your backyard-about four-by-four feet or four-by-eight feet-is a perfect location for a raised bed and a great way to start growing all of your favorite veggies. This way, your garden will be more manageable as a first-timer and give you the opportunity to learn as you go. “For any new gardener, my best advice is to start small no matter what kind of garden you plant,” Vallin Kostovick says. Now that you know the basics, gather inspiration with these backyard vegetable garden ideas.

Vegetable garden layout