Garden at home: what to plant, how to grow and care for vegetables

Cultivating a vegetable garden at home is synonymous with health; after all, in addition to being an extra incentive to include vegetables in your daily diet, with home cultivation you guarantee vegetables completely free of pesticides. The home garden as a benefit of healthy eating can be an even more valuable appeal to children.

“For those who have children at home, their enchantment when seeing the development of a plant can make the consumption of these plants much more pleasurable”, points out Renata Rodrigues Bonazzi, creator of the Horta Zen project.

In addition, taking care of the garden can be a good activity to be developed with the family, providing more time with the children, helping to teach responsibility lessons and providing contact with nature.

Extrapolating the health benefits, having a vegetable garden at home also brings benefits to your pocket: by growing vegetables, you avoid spending on shopping at supermarkets and fairs. It is also an asset in decoration – whether the garden is inside the house or in the backyard, it is a way to add a touch of green and make the environment more fresh and welcoming.

In the midst of all the advantages, it is still worth pointing out that the cultivation of a home garden is not complicated: dedicating time to care with irrigation and fertilizing, observing the health of the plants and paying attention to the needs of each species, it is possible to obtain food from quality that can make all the difference in your family’s diet.

where to plant

Lack of a yard is no reason not to have a garden! Houses with little space or apartments can also have a corner for planting a vegetable garden – just choose a location that receives a few hours of direct sunlight.

“If the apartment has a lot of sunlight, like sun all day, you can have a full vegetable garden, with herbs, vegetables, legumes, etc. But if there are few hours of light, it is possible to plant some herbs and spices on balconies, balconies or windows”, says Ana Paula Souza, architect and creator of Hortinha.

When choosing the best way to plant your vegetable garden, think about the space available, consider the species you want to grow and evaluate which model best fits the decor and style of your home. Some ways to grow plants are:

Direct in the earth: ideal for those who have a backyard with space, in this traditional model the seeds or seedlings are planted directly in the earth.
Vases: Vases are practical alternatives for those who live at home or in an apartment, with several options of sizes, materials, shapes and colors.
Recycled packaging: PET bottles, soda or food cans, milk cartons, glass jars. It’s a cheap, quick and sustainable way out.
Planters: Offering a good space, planters are great for a compact vegetable garden in small spaces.
Wooden crates: Spacious and inexpensive, wooden crates and pallets can be good choices.
Vertical vegetable garden: ideal for those who live in an apartment, this model consists of assembling the vegetable garden using spaces close to walls. The vertical vegetable garden can be planted in pots, recycled packaging, wooden structures and shoe racks.

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It is worth noting that those who choose vases, pots, boxes, bottles and other containers, whether in vertical or horizontal gardens, should not forget to provide holes in the bottom to avoid excess water in the soil.

In the gallery below you can check out some ideas on how to set up your homemade vegetable garden for inspiration!

Remember to install the vegetable garden in the environment of the house with more natural light, low humidity and that does not receive very strong winds, which can harm some plants. Another point to consider when starting a vegetable garden in small spaces is the type of plants: light and space requirements can vary greatly between species.

what to plant

The variety of greens, vegetables, herbs and spices that you can grow at home is huge! To arrive at the ideal choices for you, it is necessary to take into account the available space, your preferences and the care that each species requires.

Check out tips on how to grow some of the main species of plants to make your home garden.

1. Mint

How to plant: mint can be planted by seedlings or seeds, depending on the species. It is advisable to plant in a place without the action of strong winds, as these can harm the growth of the plant.

When to plant: although the plant is resistant to changes in weather, the ideal is to plant it during spring or autumn, when temperatures are milder.

Care and when to harvest: it is necessary to keep the soil fertilized and irrigated, in addition to controlling the growth of weeds. Harvesting can be done at any time, either by the stem or just a few leaves. When harvesting by the stem, cut it above the first pair of leaves.

2. parsley

How to plant: the seeds can be planted in containers with a depth of at least 30 cm, to favor the development of the roots. To speed up germination, a tip is to soak the seeds in water for a day before planting them.

When to plant: Parsley can be planted at any time of the year, preferably on days when it is not too hot or cold.

Care and when to harvest: always keep the soil well watered and plan frequent fertilization. The harvest can be done, on average, two to three months after planting. The leaves must be harvested whole.

3. Chives

How to plant: It can be planted in seeds or seedlings. If the seeds are not planted directly in the definitive place, the transplant can be carried out after 30 to 40 days.

When to plant: throughout the year, giving preference to times of mild climate.

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Care and when to harvest: irrigated and fertilized soil, with plenty of nutrients. Harvesting can be done from two and a half to four months after planting. Harvest the whole leaves, removing them at the base and never in half.

4. Rosemary

How to plant: Rosemary can be planted by seeds or seedlings. In the case of seedlings, the transplant to a definitive place should only be done when the branch reaches between 15 and 20 cm.

When to plant: Young plants should not be exposed to very low temperatures, so prefer to plant in warmer times, such as spring or summer.

Care and when to harvest: drought resistant, watering should be more frequent in the young plant and can be more spaced in the developed plant. Harvesting can be done from the third month after planting, without removing more than half of the branches at once so as not to jeopardize growth.

5. Basil

How to plant: it can be planted in seeds already in the definitive places or to be transplanted with about 10 to 15 cm. Seedlings can be made from branches of adult plants; in this case, the length must be on average 15 cm and the branch must be immersed in water until the roots are formed.

When to plant: Basil does not tolerate low temperatures. The ideal is to plant it in hot seasons, with temperatures above 18º C.

Care and when to harvest: the leaves can be harvested after two or three months of planting. Irrigation should be constant, keeping the soil always with average moisture.

6. Lettuce

How to plant: Lettuce can be planted in seeds directly in the final location or transplanted later – in this case, the ideal is to make the change when the plant already has four to six leaves, with the soil well irrigated.

When to plant: mild weather seasons, such as spring and autumn, are the most suitable for planting. High temperatures can impede seed development.

Care and when to harvest: The best way to harvest is by cutting the plant at the base, leaving about 2.5 cm of stem above the ground so that the leaves can sprout again. The plant can be harvested between 55 and 130 days after planting.

7. Cabbage

How to plant: in seeds or seedlings. The greater the space available, the greater the development of the plant. If you choose to plant in pots, the recommendation is that it is at least 25 cm in diameter.

When to plant: Kale can be planted all year round, but it is best suited to mild or cold weather. In summer, the trend is for growth to be reduced.

Care and when to harvest: the soil must be kept well fertilized and irrigated. Cutting the tip of the main stem is a measure that encourages the growth of side shoots. Harvesting can be done between 10 and 16 weeks after planting, leaving some of the youngest leaves on the stem so as not to impede development.

8. Broccoli

How to plant: broccoli does well in small spaces, and can be planted in seeds or seedlings already in the final location.

When to plant: It can be grown throughout the year, but it grows best in a mild climate.

Care and when to harvest: this is a demanding plant in nutrients, it is necessary to keep the soil rich in organic matter with frequent fertilization. Harvesting can be done between 60 and 110 days after planting, depending on the species.

9. Spinach

How to plant: spinach adapts well to small spaces and can be planted directly in the final location, in seeds.

When to plant: It grows best in a mild climate. For very hot regions, the best time for planting is during autumn.

Care and when to harvest: frequent irrigation is the main care for the plant, which is simple to treat. Harvesting can be done 40 to 100 days after planting. If you are going to pick just a few leaves, always remove the outermost ones. If you’re harvesting the entire plant, cut at the base leaving about an inch of stem above the ground for regrowth.

10. Watercress

How to plant: watercress does not require much space and can be planted in seeds, in its final location.

When to plant: autumn or spring, when the weather is milder.

Care and when to harvest: it is very sensitive to drought, so always keep the soil moist. Leaves can begin to be harvested between 60 and 80 days after planting.

11. Cabbage

How to plant: cabbage is planted in seeds in the definitive place or transplanted with about 10 cm in height. The larger the space available, the larger the heads produced.

When to plant: It can be planted all year round, as there are varieties that develop better in summer or winter.

Care and when to harvest: it must be irrigated frequently and requires direct light. The harvest can be done when the buds are well formed and firm, which happens two to four months after planting.

12. Cherry tomato

How to plant: planted in seeds. If you choose to transplant, do so when the plants reach approximately 10 cm in height.

When to plant: The best time to plant cherry tomatoes is in early spring.

Care and when to harvest: the harvest can be done between 60 and 70 days after planting, when the fruits are ripe. If the weight of the fruit starts to bend the stem, use a stake to support the plant.