How to grow your own fruit and veg

Homegrown hacks

Growing, nurturing, harvesting and preparing your own produce in your own backyard is inherently fulfilling as a gardening hobby – and homegrown food also helps to ease grocery bills. While a large-scale vegetable patch may not be practical in your home’s garden or outdoor space, there are big gains to be had from small plots, pots, planters and containers. Just be smart about what you choose to grow in your edible garden. This planting guide will help you get your outdoor patch up to scratch so you can start growing your own fruit and vegetables.

Grow smart

Deciding what food to grow at home is your first step – and the good news is there are lots of easy-to-grow vegies and herbs to choose from, says Yates horticulturist Angie Thomas.

Consider how much growing space you have in your yard and what you like to eat, and interplant the space between slower-growing crops, like cauliflower, with faster-growing greens such as kale, silverbeet, baby spinach and mesclun lettuce.

In a small garden space, Angie suggests compact varieties of tomatoes and space-saving root vegies like beetroot, radishes and baby carrots. “Climbing beans and cucumbers are also ideal, as they can be grown up a trellis or tripod,” she says. 

“Add a burst of flavour and fragrance with herbs like basil, chives, parsley and coriander that don’t require a lot of growing space and can be picked over several months,” she adds.

Prep the vegie patch soil

In an area that gets at least six hours of full sun a day, you can grow food. If you’re starting a new vegetable patch in existing garden beds, remove the weeds, add compost and sheep pellets and start planting whichever homegrown veg varieties you want to grow.

However, if you have a heavy clay soil or your available growing space is concrete or paved, raised garden beds are a great option. Timber raised beds* may cost a bit to construct and fill, so try opting for more affordable steel or composite models. Fill with quality bagged or bulk garden soil, says Angie, as this will have the best structure for growing plants, including good aeration and water- and nutrient-holding capacity. “Before planting, blend some compost or pelletised chicken manure into the soil,” she says. “This adds valuable organic matter and provides the new plants with slow-release nutrients as they establish.

*Do not use treated pine for raised garden beds.

How to grow vegetables in pots

Most vegies can be grown in pots but make sure you choose the right-sized container. Angie advises using medium to large pots with good drainage holes and a premium standard potting mix. “Potted plants also need a regular supply of moisture and nutrients, so keep the potting mix moist and feed every one to two weeks with a liquid fertiliser,” she says. “Vegies and herbs that are perfect for pots include leafy greens like lettuce, rocket and silverbeet, compact varieties of tomatoes, capsicums and chillies, dwarf beans, spring onions and basil, mint, coriander and parsley.”

Growing food from seed

When you compare the cost of a packet containing 100 or more seeds to the price of a six-pack of seedlings, it’s clear that growing from seed is more cost-effective.

“Key conditions for seeds to grow include soil temperature and moisture,” says Bianca Boman from Mr Fothergill’s. “Spring varieties like tomatoes, capsicums and chillies require warmer soil temperatures to germinate. If you are starting them early, you might want to place your growing container on a heat pad to regulate the soil temperature. Growing in a mini greenhouse can help keep the moisture consistent.”

Once germinated, place seedlings in bright indirect light all day. “But never put seedlings in direct sunlight, especially if in a greenhouse, as you may roast them!” Bianca warns. Beans, peas, sweet corn, silverbeet and coriander are among the easiest to germinate if you’re new to gardening. “For a beginner – and for kids – bush beans, cherry tomatoes and parsley don’t require much care and suffer little disease or pest attack,” says Bianca.

Consider building a vertical garden

If the only growing area available at your property is a sunny patio or balcony, take advantage of vertical space. Cucumbers, beans, sugar snap peas and berry vines can all be trained along strings, trellises or growing frames.

You can also grow salad greens, herbs and strawberries in vertical planters and wall gardens with self-watering systems. Some are designed to be attached to a wall or you could try freestanding models in frames.

How to grow fruit trees

Even just one fruit tree in your backyard at home will help lower your grocery bill. And you don’t need as much space as you might think to grow fruit. “Many fruit trees can grow in raised beds or pots,” says Angie. “Look for dwarf varieties that don’t grow too big.

Fruit trees need at least six hours of sun a day and well-draining soil, she advises. “Fruit trees will be more productive if fertilised regularly. Use a citrus and fruit fertiliser, which contains the right blend of nutrients to promote healthy leaf growth, as well as lots of flowers and fruit.” Remember to check plant tags for pollinating information – for example, an apple tree may need a pollinating partner.

Plant fruit and veg and reap the rewards

Visit the garden section in store and get your edible garden started!

Some products are not available at all Bunnings stores, but may be ordered.