Congratulations on taking the step towards growing your own food at home. It is very rewarding, and you can get started in either a garden bed or containers.

The key is to prepare the growing area well before planting, then choose easy vegetables that suit the space you have.

Start with a manageable space

If you are new to vegetable gardening, begin with a small, raised bed, one corner of the garden, a few large pots, or a couple of planter boxes. This gives you room to learn as you go without taking on too much at once.

Planting small amounts every few weeks also helps provide a steadier supply, rather than having everything ready to harvest at the same time.

Growing vegetables in the ground

• Choose a full-sun position that is sheltered from strong prevailing winds. Most veggies need at least 4–6 hours of sun daily.
• Good drainage is important too, especially through the wetter winter months, as most vegetables will struggle if their roots sit in cold, waterlogged soil.
• Dig plenty of Daltons Garden Time Compost through the soil before planting. This helps improve soil structure, drainage, moisture holding and general growing conditions, whether your soil is clay, sandy, volcanic, or somewhere in between.
• If the area tends to hold water, raise the vege patch slightly above the surrounding soil level so excess water can drain away.

Growing vegetables in containers

If you do not have a lot of garden space, containers are a great option.

• Choose large pots, tubs or planter boxes with drainage holes, and place them somewhere sunny and sheltered.
• Use Garden Time Vegetable Mix rather than garden soil, as garden soil can become heavy and poorly drained in pots. A proper vegetable mix gives roots a better balance of drainage, air and moisture.
• Check watering regularly, as containers can dry out faster than garden beds.

What to plant in autumn

At this time of year, good beginner vegetables for garden beds include broccoli, cabbage, cauliflower, kale, silverbeet and spinach. These are reliable cool-season crops for autumn and winter growing in New Zealand.

For containers, start with compact leafy crops such as pak choi, lettuce, spinach, silverbeet and kale. These are easier to manage in pots and planter boxes than larger brassicas when you are just getting started.