Reflections on My Own Kitchen Garden Design
A personal reflection on the mistakes I made when first starting my kitchen garden, what I’ve learned since, and how thoughtful planning can set you up for success.
1/13/20252 min read
Learning from Our Mistakes
Since then, our garden has undergone a major transformation. We've learned a lot and made key changes:
Improving soil health by adding organic amendments to support strong plant growth.
Mulching pathways to keep weeds at bay and reduce maintenance.
Planting seasonally so crops thrive in the right conditions.
Using trellises to maximize our small space and improve airflow.
Tending regularly because consistent care makes all the difference in a productive garden.
My only complaint now? Our garden is about 100 feet from the water spigot—a problem that’s still sitting on my honey-do list!
If I Could Start Over…
If I could go back in time with the knowledge I have now, I’d take a more thoughtful approach:
Carefully choose the best location based on sunlight, proximity to the house, and access to water.
Create a planting plan for each season to ensure year-round harvests and a thriving garden.
Need Help Planning Your Garden?
If you're thinking about adding a raised bed vegetable garden but feel overwhelmed by all the factors to consider, a kitchen garden consultation is perfect for you! I'll walk you through the process so you can start growing successfully—without the trial and error.
When my husband and I became homeowners in April 2021, the first thing on our to-do list was the garden. Spring had arrived, and we couldn’t wait to enjoy homegrown veggies that summer. How hard could it be?
With excitement (and little planning), we impulsively chose a sunny spot in our backyard—somewhere out of the way—threw together DIY reclaimed pallet raised beds, grabbed some questionable soil, and planted all the seed packets that had tempted us at the local box store.
Then life got busy. We were knee-deep in home renovations while still living in our rental, juggling full-time jobs, and even training for a summer half marathon. By the time we officially moved in at the end of July, our garden was an overgrown mess. Grass had taken over, vegetables struggled, pests moved in, and our harvest was minimal. Can you spot the lonesome baby bell pepper? For all the effort we thought we had put in, it was a disappointing result.
