Growing your own salad greens and herbs is very satisfying, and you don’t need a lot of space. You can grow a few greens in large pots or troughs, or tuck them into the flowerbed. In no time at all you’ll be enjoying your first harvest. In our segment, Don showed how to bring a small kitchen garden back to life in just 5 minutes!
Quick and easy makeover
The soil level in the planter box had dropped, so the first step was to freshen it up with some well-rotted cow manure and potting mix. Next Don planted some parsley (Petroselinum crispum), perpetual lettuce (Lactuca spp.) and oregano (Origanum vulgare).
Finally, Don planted some blue pansies (Viola cv) and orange dwarf marigolds (Tagetes cv) to add some colour to the kitchen garden. As well as producing attractive yellow and orange flowers, marigolds are often used as companion plants because their roots repel soil borne pests, such as nematodes.
Further information
For tips on setting up your first kitchen garden, see the article ‘Salad Days Ahead’ in the September edition of the Burke’s Backyard Magazine. The magazine is available at newsagents and supermarkets for $5.20.