When determining where to put your new garden bed there are a few points you need to consider in order to get the absolute best production possible.
Underground pipes, power, etc – Number one thing to consider when planning a location for your new garden bed, is What is Already Buried Under the Ground? In Australia we have “Dial Before You Dig”, which is a free service designed to prevent damage to underground infrastructure. This can be accessed at www.1100.com.au. You can submit an enquiry for your particular area, and you will recieve an email response.
Shade– Vegetable gardens need to receive as much sun as possible, ideally 6-8 hours a day. Take note of any buildings, large trees, etc in the area – will they shade your garden area? Watch the area over the course of a day – what does the shade do?
Flat Ground – Ideally your garden should be build on flat, level ground. Too much of a slope will mean water will run off, and not soak in evenly. Also young seeds and seedlings could wash away during a storm. If you do not have any flat areas, is it possible to work around this by creating a “stepped” garden bed, using timber or stones to build up one end of your bed.
Wind – if you are on the top of a hill, or have large exposed paddocks around your garden area, strong winds may be an issue for you. Look towards low hedges or fences that may be able to offer some protection.
Drainage – Having good drainage in your garden is paramount. Nothing likes wet feet, ie waterlogged roots! Again, there is a way around this, and that is to build raised beds. You can buy raised beds, in a kit form that just need to be put together, or you can make them yourself using new or recycled timber and/or iron.
Access to Water – At different times throughout the year, you are going to need to water your vegies, so your garden will need to be within hose length of a garden tap. Also think about how easy it may be to install an automatic watering system, as this may be something you may want to look at down the track.
Room for Growth – If you are anything like me, growing your own vegies becomes addicting. Before you know it, your current area is too small and you need to enlarge it. If you are in a small backyard, this may not be possible – but its worth keeping in mind all the same
Vehicle Access – It can be very handy to be able to get a vehicle fairly close to your garden. You may need to add compost or mulch to the garden, at different times, to improve the soil, and being able to dump a trailer nearby is a big advantage. If you can’t pull up right beside your garden, how far would you have to push a wheelbarrow?
Mowing – Will you need to mow around your garden bed? If so, can you easily fit a mower between it and other objects, ie house, trees, etc. It can be very annoying if you only have a narrow gap, and grass can grow up in tall tufts right next to your garden.
Well I hope this has given you some points to think about when planning where to put your vegie garden. If I’ve forgotten anything, let me know in the comments below 👇
One response
Thanks Dom that was very helpful. Sarah and are keen to make another vegetable garden and some great pointers there.