When it comes to gardening, many people think in terms of rows and rows of vegetables. But that’s not the only way to garden. If you want your garden to be more than just a space for growing your own food, then creating an outdoor kitchen is the perfect solution for you. Gardening can be expensive, but it doesn’t have to cost a lot either. Creating an outdoor garden kitchen is one inexpensive way to start cultivating your own sustainable vegetable patches at home without breaking the bank. From building materials and tools to seeds and soil amendments, all you need is a little bit of creativity and some time and effort to get started. Here are our top tips on how you can build an outdoor kitchen in no time:
Choose the Perfect Location for Your Garden Kitchen
Choosing the perfect location for your outdoor kitchen can help create an ideal growing environment for your vegetables. However when choosing where to locate the kitchen, be careful not to choose a place that’s prone to flooding or too sunny. You want to select a location that has adequate sunlight throughout the day and a consistent temperature throughout the year. This will help ensure that your vegetables are growing optimally.
Along with the ideal location, you’ll also want to take into account the access you have to water, electricity, and gas. While you can grow many vegetables without either access, it will make growing more specialized crops like fruit and nut trees a lot easier.
Build the Base for Your Outdoor Kitchen
While a DIY outdoor kitchen can be built using a variety of different materials, the base is typically made of concrete or brick.
While there are many different types of concrete to choose from, a good start is to look for a concrete with low alkalinity. You can also add an iron additive to help neutralize the concrete’s alkalinity and increase iron levels.
In addition to concrete, you can use a variety of different materials for your outdoor kitchen base such as pea gravel, sandstone, or bricks. It’s important to select a base material that’s able to support the weight of your kitchen without crumbling or sinking.
If you have a large backyard, you can also consider using a greenhouse as the base of your outdoor kitchen. A greenhouse is a great option if you have a large, level backyard.
Add Privacy and Storage with a Deck
If you want the most out of your outdoor kitchen, then you’ll want to include a privacy deck. A privacy deck can help you maintain a sense of privacy while also providing a place for you to host parties and social gatherings.
A privacy deck can be as simple as a few wooden garden chairs or a more elaborate structure featuring pergolas and gazebos.
As well as providing privacy from your neighbors, a privacy deck can also help you to maintain an organized view of your outdoor kitchen. You can use various pieces of outdoor furniture like planters, umbrellas, or a table to help you to keep track of what’s going on in the outside of your kitchen.
Add Structural Support with Trellis and Beds
While a concrete or brick base will help to support your outdoor kitchen, it won’t offer any structural integrity. To prevent the base from falling apart, you’ll need to add structural support by using trellis and beds.
A trellis is a wooden framework that’s used to grow crops like tomatoes and cucumbers. Since it’s in close proximity to the kitchen, tomatoes can be grown on the same trellis that supports the outdoor kitchen.
On the other hand, herbs like mint, basil, and parsley can be grown underneath the outdoor kitchen. The herbs can be grown in pots that are placed on the ground below the outdoor kitchen.
Grow Your Vegetables Indoors During Winter
Winter is the perfect time to start growing your own vegetables, but winter also has its drawbacks. During winter, the temperatures are very low and are often too cold for plants to grow. That’s why it’s important to choose a spot for your outdoor kitchen that gets enough sunlight throughout the year.
If you live in a climate where the temperatures are too low for your vegetables to grow outside, you can still create a sustainable indoor vegetable garden. With the right indoor vegetable gardening supplies, you can grow most types of vegetables year round.
When growing vegetables, it’s important to choose a vegetable variety that’s well adapted to the conditions you have at home. Additionally, you need to choose a vegetable variety that has a long enough growing season to allow it to produce fruits and vegetables throughout the year.
Wrapping up
The best way to start cultivating your own sustainable garden is to start small. You can start with an outdoor kitchen and some seeds in your backyard or on your windowsill. Once you get the ball rolling, you’ll be surprised how quickly your outdoor kitchen can produce tasty vegetables and herbs for you and your family.
When designing your outdoor kitchen, consider what you’d like to grow and how you’d like to use your space. Whether you’d like to grow veggies for your family or create a space for friends to gather, you can make an outdoor kitchen that fits your needs.
