Martha Stewart's Kitchen-To-Garden Setup Is A Game-Changer For Fresh Cooking

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Martha Stewart is a huge advocate for cooking with fresh vegetables and herbs from a garden. In fact, each of the kitchens at her various properties has access to a garden. Imagine being able to go out to your own carefully curated garden and harvest fresh plants as you need them. Not only will your meals be healthier, but they will also be much more flavorful. Unfortunately, many just don't have space in their kitchen to start an indoor herb garden. If that's the case for you, Stewart has a tip that might make it easier than you think to start one outdoors.

One of the first things to consider before planting a vegetable or herb garden outdoors is where it will be located. If your garden is far from your kitchen or hard to access, you might be discouraged from going outside to get the ingredients you need. Fortunately, Stewart has an amazing solution. In an interview with Frederic Magazine, Stewart said, "I like doorways to the outside so that you can bring things in from the garden to use while cooking."

This is one of Stewart's all-time best kitchen design tips, meant to give you a clear line of sight or direct access to the garden from the kitchen. After all, having easy and quick access to your vegetable or herb garden can make it even more convenient to tend and care for. Plus, you'll be able to grab the ingredients you need much faster as you prep for cooking.

If you have a patch of dirt or a garden bed right outside your kitchen door, do some research to figure out which veggies and herbs can be planted together in an in-ground bed. One great gardening tip for beginners is to assess your soil quality and consider supplementing the existing dirt with quality garden soil. If you only have paved outdoor areas, you can still grow vegetables and herbs. There are many vegetables that thrive in pots and raised containers, like tomatoes, peppers, lettuce, potatoes, carrots, zucchini, beans, and peas. Just figure out which ones appeal to you and choose the right size and type of growing container.

For instance, fabric grow bags offer excellent air circulation and drainage for tall-growing plants like tomatoes as well as root vegetables like potatoes. Plus, they are great in small spaces and easy to move around, so you can put them in the sun or shade as needed throughout the day. This five pack of VIVOSUN Five-Gallon Grow Bags goes for just $15.99 on Amazon, and they have great reviews. Customers say they are durable and really support the health of their plants.

If you don't have a kitchen door and it isn't in your budget to install one, you might consider putting a raised herb bed directly under your kitchen window. This will make it easy to reach through the window for the fresh herbs you need as you cook. This LEETOLLA Raised Garden Bed with Wheels is just over $60 on Amazon, and reviewers say it's easy to put together and has enough room for a range of different sized plants.