In this unsettling time of the COVID-19 pandemic and climate change, being able to pick fresh, tasty vegetables and herbs right from your own garden might bring well-needed comfort and self-sufficiency.

Twenty-­five years ago, armed with copious handwritten notes on organic farming and a couple of farmers from my rural community, we started a kitchen garden that unwittingly grew into a small certified organic farm. Organic food is healthy, tastes better and is kind to the environment. For me, it was a simple choice, but you certainly don’t have to be completely organic. That close connection to food changed my way of life and inspired the cookbook, My Goodness! Greens. Garden and kitchen are so intertwined, the book wouldn’t have been complete without a chapter on growing a small organic kitchen garden.

The first fun thing to do is plan your garden. Decide how much space you want to devote to it. It doesn’t matter whether you have a large yard or a small plot and you will be amazed how much you can grow even it in just a few containers and pots.

Make a rough drawing of your design. Allow enough path space for working and to reach all areas easily. It would be perfect if you have a well-­drained spot, near to a water source that gets morning sun and about six to eight hours or sunshine each day. Make a list of the vegetables you would like to grow, which plants make happy companions, there’s more about companion planting in my cookbook.

I find it easy to lay out the garden using sticks and string. You can either form planting beds right on your plot or make raised or box beds. For box beds, bamboo is a good choice. It is plentiful, local and renewable. You can also use untreated lumber, bricks or any other suitable chemical free material that you have on hand. If you plan on building the boxes right on top of a grass area or earth as I have in the photos shown, make them bottomless. Loosen the soil by forking it over as you build the boxes. If you need to collect additional soil from other parts of your yard to fill the boxes, cover the area you have removed with a thick layer of mulch to ‘grow back the soil’ over time. If you need to order in soil, try to source clean and chemical-free soil and be mindful not to remove soil from riverbeds or watershed and protected areas. If you are using containers, assemble these for planting. This is where we can bring our own style into the garden. Galvanised buckets, barrels, clay and decorative pots make pretty additions to the garden or can form an entire container garden.

Plan to plant a few flowers to attract the pollinators and beneficial insects. Make good use of walls and fences and vertical spaces for climbing vegetables like cucumbers, climbing tomatoes, peas, and spinach. Try to source organic, untreated or heirloom seeds. Allow for a small covered area with a few shelves for nursery pallets for setting seeds. It is a good idea to fence the area if you have adventurous animals.

Add a birdbath or water feature if you can, this will be valuable for encouraging beneficial birds and insects that will assist with pest management.

Organic gardening can be labour-intensive but gather the kids and all willing family members to help and keep in mind all the amazing flavours you will soon be reaping. Using these methods will keep the soil fertile and protect our health and environment for generations to come. But be warned, it is addictive and quickly becomes a way of life!

This is the first in a four-­part series of tips from my book on growing your very own organic garden. Next, we will talk about the key ingredient for successful organic gardening: Composting! Turning all that natural material in your garden and kitchen into a rich amendment for your soil.

Donna Noble — Author of My Goodness Greens

Photographer – Robyn Noble

Photos copyright: My Goodness! Greens

My Goodness! Greens cookbook is available at www.donnamnoble.com and in stores at Craft Cottage Village Plaza, Liguanea Drug & Garden, General Food Supermarkets Kingston & Ocho Rios, Butcher Block Manor Park, and Lavange Ltd.