Photographer: Annette O'Brien
You can’t beat an Aussie backyard gathering, especially when mealtime is flavoured-up by the season’s produce, fresh from your own garden. Save on trips to the supermarket and get set to serve up fab dishes from your kitchen all year round using this combo of homegrown essentials – all of which will thrive in an open, sunny spot.
1. Grow your own lettuce
Plant a mix of fancy leaf lettuce varieties, rocket and mizuna. If you don’t have a dedicated vegie patch, try planting them together in a wide-mouth bowl or container. Just set it atop your outdoor table, then harvest leaves on demand. Also look out for ready-planted ‘salad bowls’ at your local Bunnings garden centre, which typically include a mix of popular lettuce and herb varieties.
2. Plant a heavenly herb garden
Boost the flavour of your summery salads with all kinds of fresh herbs that you can plant in your veggie patch, or in small containers on your balcony or courtyard. Choose basil, chives and dill for a classic trio that will keep on giving all season long. Plus, you might like to grow oregano, thyme, rosemary and parsley to accompany your barbecue cook-up, too!
3. Homegrown tomatoes: all the juicy varieties
Look for compact, sun-loving tomatoes that are almost ready to burst into fruit, perfect for light and tasty recipes. For cherry tomatoes such as Sweet Bite and Truss Sweet that will thrive in pots or garden beds, drive a few sturdy stakes into the soil and gently tie the main stems as they grow. And if you prefer a slightly larger fruit, Grosse Lisse is a classic Australian favourite, prized for its reliability and generous harvests.
How to build an edible garden outdoors
There’s a quiet joy in carving out a sunlit corner of the garden and transforming it into a productive patch. Start by choosing a spot with at least six hours of daily sunshine and enrich the soil with generous amounts of compost, and plan your planting around the seasons. Whether you prefer a raised bed or plan to plant directly into the earth, finish with a layer of mulch to lock in moisture and keep weeds at bay. With consistent watering and a little patience, your vegetable garden will soon reward you with fresh, homegrown abundance.
Materials to build an edible garden:
- Garden spade or shovel
- Compost or organic soil improver
- Vegetable/herb seedlings or seeds
- Mulch (such as sugarcane or straw)
- Watering can or hose
- Timber or steel edging (for raised beds)
- Gardening gloves
Shop the best products for an edible garden
Green Fingers Mobile Raised Garden Bed $168.95 at Big W
Burgon & Ball Colour Collection Gloves – Olive Stripe$50.99 at Amazon
Robert Gordon Watering Jug in White
$24.98 (usually $49.95) at Myer
Martha Stewart’s Gardening Handbook: The Essential Guide to Designing, Planting, and Growing
$50.31 at Amazon
Gaya Galvanised Steel Raised Garden Bed 240cm in green
$119.99 at Temple & Webster
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