Ten years ago, we bought our little property. We are a stones throw away from the heart of New York City, where we work, but far enough away that we have a bit of yard to call our own. My goal was to maximize whatever space we were able to afford in order to grow whatever I could – even in our apartment, I always had herb pots on the windowsill! The dream was to always have a productive urban kitchen garden.

Every season brought new opportunities to experiment. I learned what grew well (tomatoes!) and what didn’t (darn squash borers). I planted fruit trees in the hopes of making my own jams, which – I have a feeling – this year will be the year! I landscaped, evened out, composted, filled up, and wired so many things to make my own little urban homestead.

And now, I can take a breath.

I’ve learned that everything takes it time. I’ve learned you can’t fight nature. I’ve learned that fertilizer and copper spray are critical for my fruit-bearing plants. I’ve learned about square foot gardening and that rotating crops do help a bit. I’ve learned that wildflowers are the easiest thing to grow and always surprise you with their spontaneous blooms.

In so many of my spring and summer videos, you see snapshots of my garden. Here is the full layout, with all fruit and vegetable plants identified. (Though I have been a bit obsessed with flower-scaping the property recently – but alas, that’s for another time. 🙃 )

The Back Patio

This is the area that we enter when we walk right out of the kitchen. In most urban kitchen gardens, everything is in containers or vertical planters. Container and vertical gardening is super helpful in this space because I can move things around depending on our needs, such as if we have company over or we are elbow deep in a project.

My favorite containers:

25 Gallon Grow Bags
JERIA 10 Gallon Grow Bags
JERIA 5 Gallon Grow Bags
Mr. Stacky 5 Tier Strawberry Planter
5 Tier Planter Tower
Vertical Garden Planter
Wood Planter with Trellis

The South-Facing Yard

One of the reasons I said “Yes!” to this property at first sight for was this perfect, south-facing area. It’s secluded to the side of the house, leaving our entire back yard free for running around and playing. We have furnished it with raised beds, and over the years I’ve added an apricot tree as well as chammomile and lemon balm patches. I’ve experimented with trellises, and I have found that connecting both plots of beds with trellises make the best use of space (plus it creates this beautiful archway when in full bloom!)

My favorite trellises:

Wood Planter with Trellis
Obelisk Trellis
Cucumber Trellis
Extra Large Garden Arch Trellis
Buildable Tomato Cages
Flat Panel Trellis
Plant Support Clips
Garden Support Stakes

The Corner Yard

We live on a double corner lot, and this area above connects the south-facing yard to the back patio. We have a stone pathway that was just begging for some trees to be put in. And so the first trees I planted were my Italian Plum Tree and Cherry Tree. These trees have given me both stress and joy as I learn how to nurture them correctly. Opposite the trees are my prolific berry bushes that have compensated for my fruit-tree grief, giving me bushels of berries every summer and fall. The grape vines are new, and I’m happy to say we achieved our first grape harvest this year!

My favorite fruit tree accessories:

Jobe’s Organic Fertilizer
BURPEE Berry Tone Organic Fertilizer
GreenWell Water Saver Ring

The Herb Bed

A few years ago, my husband delighted me by building this separate raised herb bed. It has since been my recommended first step for anyone looking to start their own urban kitchen garden. Since I typically grow perennial herbs, having a dedicated space solved so many problems. It is located in a partly shaded area which allows the herbs to grow without risk of sun fatigue or scorching. Plus, it’s right next to the back patio – only a skip away from the kitchen!

My favorite raised beds for gardening:

SONIFLY Galvanized Raised Beds
Wooden Raised Garden Beds
Grow Tunnels for Winterizing
Fine Mesh Garden Netting (different sizes)

Do you have an urban kitchen garden? or plans for one? Share below!

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