Growing Herbs and Vegetables in a Small Garden

Do you have a small garden and want to grow your own vegetables in addition to perennials and flowers? Of course this is possible. And you don't have to make a special bed for this, if you don't like this. Vegetables and herbs also fit well between the other plants. In fact, many types of vegetables and herbs are very decorative.

They often have colourful foliage and bloom beautifully. In addition, they, especially herbs, attract many insects. What could be more fun than making a part of your garden edible?

The location of the garden

It is important to know whether the garden has a sunny, semi-shaded location or is completely shaded. Although growing most types of vegetables and herbs requires a lot of sunlight, there are also varieties that do well in (semi-) shaded places. Keep this in mind when choosing your vegetable and herb seeds. Also, pay close attention to the size of the plant. By alternating in size, more depth is created, but also more shadow.

The size of the garden

Of course, the bigger the garden, the more possibilities. But even in a relatively small garden you can grow many types of vegetables, herbs and flowers.

It is also possible to make use of a square foot garden. Here for a box of 1.20 x 1.20 meters, which is divided into 16 compartments, is often used. Of course, other dimensions are also possible, taking into account the size of the compartments. These should be about 30 x 30 cm, to give the crop enough space. In each section, you grow a different.

It is also possible to put the vegetables and herb plants between the other plants. Many species are decorative. Consider, for example, Swiss chard, which is available in different colors. Or palm cabbage, with a special shape. You can also harvest these vegetables several times.

To get more space, you could work in height. You can do this by using, for example, cabinets, hanging baskets, pallets as a wall planter , bins or hanging bags. If you also want to grow vegetables that need more heat, you might want to consider a small greenhouse. There are small wall and balcony greenhouses on the market. If you are very enthusiastic about this, you can of course also consider getting an allotment. Maybe there is an association in your area.

Pre-sowing of seeds

To be able to harvest in the summer, it is wise to pre-sow some varieties indoors.

These are varieties that need a lot of heat and therefore take a longer time to grow in our climate. For example gherkin, pepper, eggplant, sweet pepper and tomatoes.   

But other varieties can also be pre-sown, so that they can be harvested earlier in the season.

Whether this is necessary, how and when is often indicated in the description on the seed package. Pre-sow in small pots, for example these seed trays, after which you place them in a warm, light spot. For example, the windowsill. If you have a small greenhouse, you could also put them in there, depending on the outside temperature.

You can use vermiculite and/or seed and cutting soil as a nutrient medium. vermiculite, together with the organic seed and cutting soil, is the ideal sowing soil for your seeds! The great thing about vermiculite is that it absorbs water easily and therefore also retains nutrients well. Due to the fine structure, you can easily grow and transplant your seedlings without damaging the roots.

You can also make your own potting soil mixture; mix 1 part of vermiculite with 3 parts potting soil. This keeps your sowing soil lighter and airier, and the vermiculite also keeps the nutrients and water accessible to your plants for longer.

Last but not least, we  have special spongepot seed tray in our assortment, including bacto, which makes germinating seeds even easier!  When the plants are big enough, they can be repotted into larger pots or planted out in the garden.

The pots and containers

There are different types of containers and pots on the market, each with advantages and disadvantages. Plastic containers are light, retain water well, but heat up quickly and are not very decorative.

Terracotta pots look beautiful, are heavier and dry out faster.

Wicker pots are decorative and light, but they also dry out quickly.

To prevent drying out, you could cover the inside with plastic. Remember to make a hole at the bottom, so that the excess water can escape.

Hanging baskets are also suitable for growing vegetables and herbs. In addition, there are many tools on the market to enable vertical gardening. Think, for example, of wall panels. There are also many tips on how to make this yourself.

For square foot gardening, there are several containers for sale. These differ, for example, in size, material, with or without climbing aid and number of compartments. The compartments are suitable for growing most types of vegetables and herbs and make it possible to grow and harvest a lot in a relatively small area.

The soil

When growing vegetables and herbs in pots and containers, the type of potting soil is of great importance. After all, the plant has to do it with what's in that soil.

For example, use organic seed and cutting soil, so that the seeds can germinate well and the plants have a good start. For square foot gardening there is also a special soil for sale. If you have the space to grow vegetables and herbs in open ground, take a good look at the type of soil you have. You may need to improve it first in order to get a good harvest. For more information, see how-to-grow-vegetables, growing-herbs and Soil types and how to improve them.

Nutrition

When growing in pots and containers, fertilize should be done occasionally. How much depends on the type of vegetable or herb. Some species need more nutrition than others. Always check this carefully. Nutrients can also be added in advance, for example mycorrhizae.  Even in the open ground, the plants sometimes need nutrition. To give them a good start, you could provide the soil with extra nutrition before planting out the seedlings. This can be done, for example, with mycorrhizae-fungi-mixed-grass,  fungi-mixed-kitchen-garden or fungi-mix-fast-germinating-fungi

The type of vegetables and herbs

Almost all kitchen herbs can be grown in containers and many types of vegetables are also suitable for this. For example, lettuce, spinach, cauliflower, carrots (the pot must be deep enough), radish, pumpkins (pay attention to the size of the plant), pepper, beans, strawberries, beetroot, eggplant and tomatoes.

If you have space in the garden or for a square foot garden, the choice is even bigger. Take a look at square-foot-gardening. Here you will find varieties that are particularly suitable for growing in smaller gardens.

When choosing, also consider the colour of the leaf and choose different colours. And of course it is possible to grow flowers on the balcony. If you choose edible flowers, such as violets, marigolds, and zinnias, you can harvest even more from your garden. Nice to cheer up salads or to make a herb butter, for example.

Did you become enthusiastic by all of this and do you want to grow your own vegetables, herbs and flowers? And do you need seeds?

Dutchgardenseeds.com has a wide range of high-quality seeds, with many organic varieties as well. Take a look at our website, with lots of information about growing your own vegetables, herbs and flowers.

Buying seeds in our webshop is definitely a good choice. We are always there for you. If you have any questions about, for example, your order, you can always contact us. The nice thing about growing vegetables from vegetable seeds is that the plants are often stronger and also grow without pesticides. So, it's a fun activity and a healthy one at the same time!