6 Insider Tips for Growing an Incredible, Edible Garden

Do you ever daydream about being the kind of person who goes out to the garden to pick fresh ingredients for dinner? You might imagine yourself wearing an all-linen outfit, glass of the perfect oaky chardonnay in your hand, walking amongst your vegetable and herb plants for culinary inspiration. If that sounds like a fantasy you’ve had, what’s stopping you from making it a reality? Edible gardens are all the rage these days. But the fact is, growing your own food has been “all the rage” for most of human history. It’s only in the last century that people have relied entirely on food from grocery stores. In recent years though, people have been yearning for more natural food that is grown close to home. And nothing can be closer to home than your own garden. Here are a few tips to get started…

1. Plan First

Before you dive headlong into an edible garden project, spend some time planning. Where will you plant? How much sun do those areas get throughout the day? How much time do you have for maintenance? How much food do you want your garden to yield? Once you answer these questions, you’ll be in a better position to make the right choices.

2. Think Outside the Yard

Good news for apartment & condo dwellers: you don’t need a giant lawn or garden to grow your own food. In fact, porches and patios can be ideal since they often get a lot of sun. As long as you have the space for planter boxes or pots, you can grow what you eat.

3. Soil Matters

You may not be super picky about the soil you use to grow flowers, but then again, you’re not eating your flowers. When it comes to growing veggies and herbs for your family’s consumption, it’s worth the time and money to buy high-quality, organic that will help your plants thrive.

4. Take the Easy Route

If you’re new to gardening, there’s no shame at all in opting for easy-to-grow plants for your edible garden. Some good beginner plants include: kale, tomatoes, zucchini, basil, mint and chives. For a full list of Packard Farm’s edible garden plants, scroll down. Your own personal taste should play into your choices as well. For example, there’s not much point in growing chives if you don’t like to eat them. Let your taste buds be your guide.

5. Invite Pollinators

One of the best things you can do for your edible garden is to make it attractive to pollinators like bees, butterflies and birds. Check out our blog on gardening for pollinators for more tips.

6. Label and Monitor

Be sure to label your plants when you plant them so that there’s no mystery about what’s what when it all starts growing. Granted, you may be able to tell by sight or smell, but why leave it up to chance? It’s also a good idea to check in on your garden every couple of days to make sure everything is on track. You’ll know when to water when the top half inch of soil is dry to the touch. If you notice any problems with how things are growing, feel free to drop in for a visit and we’ll help you determine what’s wrong and how to fix it. Growing an edible garden is incredibly satisfying for beginning and advanced gardeners alike. There’s just something special about creating a meal for your family that contains fresh food that you lovingly grew yourself. If you’re looking for guidance on how to get started, let the gardening pros at Packard Farm give you a hand.

Edible Plants at Packard Farm

Veggies:

Tomatoes

Corn

Pumpkin

Zucchini

Summer squash

4 types of cucumber

7 types of tomatoes

5 types of peppers

Broccoli

Parsley

Brussel sprouts

Swiss chard

Collard greens

Onions

Beets

Herbs:

Rosemary

Basil

Oregano

Thyme

Mint

Chocolate flavored mint

Sage

Lemongrass