How to grow your own food – 8 tips to get you started this spring

When you eat food you grew yourself, you are not only adding uber fresh flavour to your meals but also helping nature thrive. And you don’t have to have a lot of space to get the benefits of growing your own food. Even a little herb garden on an apartment balcony can be a biodiverse food hub that attracts insects and birds. Plus, you’re doing the planet a favor by cutting down on packaging waste and skipping the long journey food usually takes to get to the store. Admittedly, it might feel a bit daunting at first to grow your own food, but with a few simple steps, it becomes much easier. Before you know it, you’ll be enjoying the sweet taste of vine-ripened tomatoes you grew yourself. Let’s dig in!

1. Get started growing your own food

Before you start, ask yourself, what is the purpose of your food garden? Do you want to grow salads to enjoy fresh, or preserve food for winter? Root vegetables such as carrots and beets freeze more easily than kale or spinach. Next, be realistic about how much time you’re able to put into growing food in your garden. If it’s just a few hours a week, an easy-to-grow herb garden on a sunny windowsill is ideal. Choosing the right vegetables for the space will help you get the most bang for your buck. If you only have a patio or balcony to grow your own food, seek out varieties of dwarf cherry tomatoes, for example, specific to small-space gardening – they produce 10 times the amount of fruit in a container on a patio, as compared to larger varieties, typically grown in a garden bed.

2. Take it slow

If you’re new to this, a good place to start is with easy-to-grow salad greens: kale, bok choy, or chard in containers on a patio. Once you’ve a successful harvest or two under your belt, move on to tomatoes and cucumbers. If growing in a garden bed, pick four vegetables and plant three or four plants of each. By starting slowly and methodically you build confidence in your skills and growing food no longer feels daunting.

3. Location, location, location

In real estate, a property’s location determines its value. The same is true when you grow your own food. Most vegetables require 6-8 hours of sunlight a day. Pick a sunny and sheltered spot for your garden away from the wind. Strong breezes will dry out the soil quickly. If planting directly into a backyard garden bed, pick a flat area close to a water source.

4. Unlock your garden’s potential 

Every gardener I know will claim that the secret to growing basketball-sized lettuce is the right soil.

Easy-to-dig workable soil is ideal for growing food. Adding organic matter such as compost, decaying leaves and plant-based kitchen scraps into it every couple of months eliminates soil enhancements and fertilizers. As the organic matter decomposes it provides nutrients plants need, such as nitrogen, essential for healthy growth. If you grow your own food in containers, bagged soil full of organic products, such as bark mulch and decomposed plant material, is the best choice.

5. Keep planting manageable 

Not all vegetables are planted at the same time. Peas and broccoli prefer cool temperatures and in most climates are planted mid-spring. Tomatoes adore hot sunny days and are planted later. Make it easy on yourself by selecting vegetables that can be planted at the same time. If you’re just starting to grow your own food, seed trays and grow lights can be an added cost. If the seeds don’t germinate it can also be disappointing. Garden centers stock one-to-four-inch seedlings for planting at the appropriate times throughout the year. They don’t cost a lot and all you have to do is pick your favourites. 

6. Master watering – the easy way

Pick up a clump of soil and squish it in the palm of your hand. If it crumbles, it’s time to water. If it holds together, it has moisture in it.

The best time to water plants is first thing in the morning or just before sunset. The cooler air lets the water seep into the ground without evaporating. Water around the base of the plant and not the leaves. This can scorch the plant and cause disease.

7. Upcycle to save money

Old watering cans, spades, hoes and trowels can often be found at thrift stores or garage sales. A good scrub and they’re good as new. Old dresser drawers, wooden boxes, large pails, or even small wine barrels can be used as planters, as long as they have solid sides to hold in soil, drainage holes in the bottom and aren’t painted on the inside or chemically treated.

8. You’re not alone

Even experienced gardeners have disappointments. If you encounter challenges, seek advice from a local garden center or trusted online site such as the UK’s Royal Horticultural Society or Canada’s Garden Ontario. Remember, growing your own food is about caring for planet Earth. In appreciation, a bountiful harvest is given back to the gardener.