Here’s an overview of the choices and progress in our first 21 weeks…
Our first decision | Do we want to look out onto our kitchen garden?
Following advice from Kath Irvine’s The Edible Backyard, she suggests placing your veggie garden in a location that is:
THE GOOD - It’s just 10 metres from the kitchen counter, so it’s easy to nip out and collect something fresh
THE BAD - Being able to view the garden all the time makes us super aware of everything. One brown leaf? Straight to Google!
THE UGLY - It’s hard not to feel anxious about how the garden looks when it’s always in view
Hot topic | Views about raised beds vs. in-ground beds was highly contested amongst local garden enthusiasts
Before we started, I was obsessed with the idea of raised beds. All those tidy Instagram-perfect rows had me dreaming of neatly boxed veggies. But when I started reading about the pros and cons of raised beds in The Edible Backyard and began chatting with my friend (and super experienced edible gardener) Sarah, I began to question whether raised beds were the best solution for us.
Here’s why:
IN-GROUND VEGGIE BEDS:
So, we went with in-ground beds and mulched around them to keep things simple and cool.
THE GOOD - In-ground beds are easy and budget-friendly - just grab a spade and start digging!
THE BAD - Unless you spend extra - you’re stuck with the soil you’ve got, which may not be ideal.
THE UGLY - Edges and boundaries! Grass creeping up edges can make it look messy.
Timelapse video | Me digging out our first veggie bed
Timelapse video | Me digging out our first veggie bed
<aside> <img src="/icons/hammer_green.svg" alt="/icons/hammer_green.svg" width="40px" /> Currently, we don’t have a shed or a garage. Without space for precise wood cutting tools, building our own frames would’ve been possible, but time consuming.
</aside>
I’m no woodworker.
I just wanted to take the 120 seedlings I’d hand-raised in our lounge and put them in the ground. I convinced Paul that buying ready-made garden bed was our best solution.
We bought three kit-sets, then reconfigured them so we ended up with 7 in-ground beds (full transparency - we’ve still got to dig out our final bed!!!)
THE GOOD - Easy to assemble - just slot the pieces together
THE BAD - Because we dug out our beds we needed to set our frames into the ground. Getting all the frames level was fiddly and took ages
THE UGLY - Currently, the frame edges need constant weeding to keep them looking tidy
Fuelled by an imminent delivery of compost (to kick-off our veggie beds) I began digging in...
Seven hours of digging later, I’d dug out 2 x 1.35 sqm in-ground beds. TOP TIP: If it hasn’t rained for a while, water the ground for 30 mins before you dig. Unlike me, that’ll save you an hour or two!
With help from my hubby, by the end of the week, we finished six beds - 18 hours of digging, hoeing, and wheelbarrowing later. Truly, our paddock grass was exhausting to dig out!
Trying to lawn-mow around each bed was taking AGES, then Paul made each one tidy using a lawn trimmer. We decided to mulch around each bed - so we could keep the weeds/grass at bay. See how that’s working for us here →
Floods and heatwaves have made this spring and summer chaotic. Mulch has been amazing for retaining moisture during heat, but during floods? It holds water too well - oops!
“If I were to start over, I’d dig out much bigger veggie beds - we haven’t really needed separate areas”
Location is everything. Keeping the garden close to the kitchen means easier to tend and harvest.
In-ground beds suit our summers. Cooler soil means happier plants in hot, dry weather.
3.Pre-made frames are a time-saver. They saved us hours of set-up time and got us planting faster.
4.Mulch is non-negotiable. It keeps the weeds at bay and the soil moist. It’s a game-changer.
By Sal at Sally Grows -
7th January 2025
<aside> <img src="/icons/mountains_green.svg" alt="/icons/mountains_green.svg" width="40px" /> Follow our adventures on Insta or Fb
</aside>
FYI: I have no affiliate links, promotions or deals. I just share things we’ve found useful.