How to plant your own vegetable plot

This story was originally titled "Grow Something Good" in the July 2009 issue. Subscribe to Canadian Living today and never miss an issue!

A great discovery
When Rheanna Kish, a food specialist in The Canadian Living Test Kitchen, and her partner moved into their Clarksburg house in Ontario's apple country last year, they inherited an existing three-by six-metre vegetable plot from the former owner. It came complete with a cedar arbour, a row of asparagus lined up across the back, a corner filled with dill and perennial herbs, and a few rhubarb plants. Around the edges, hollyhocks had self-seeded. Plum and pear trees, too. So Rheanna cultivated the plot, fell in love with gardening – and can hardly wait to get started again this year.

If you're thinking about planting your first-ever vegetable plot this summer, you're in good company. The trend toward growing your own is gaining momentum – last summer North American seed companies saw a huge jump in vegetable-seed sales, some as much as 40 per cent. Many gardeners do it to be more economical (organic vegetables for less), some to be kind to the environment, some to ensure food safety for their families and some for the shockingly good taste.

All these reasons make sense to Rheanna, who is actually expanding her garden this year. "Everything looks so beautiful, then you get to pick it and eat it fresh," she says.

"You can just grab a tomato or sun-warmed raspberry. It's at its peak, so you don’t need to do anything special to make it taste good. It's also relaxing to be outside with your hands in the dirt –you feel a connection to the earth." And, apart from corn and potatoes, she won't have to buy any vegetables, herbs or salad fixings all summer long. Are you sold yet? Here are a few tips for starting a veggie garden of your own.

Choosing a spot
• Start small, with an area about two or three metres square, so that you don’t get overwhelmed.
• Look for a level, sheltered site that’s sunny for six to eight hours a day, and close enough to a faucet or rain barrel that watering it won’t be a problem.

Page 1 of 3 - Read page two to find out which plants best suit your garden space