Creating a Potager:
A Kitchen Garden Hideaway
Lois Royer
College of
Agriculture and
Natural Resources
What is a Potager?
• French term for a kitchen
garden
• A place for beauty,
relaxation, and edibles
• (Don’t worry about the
pronunciation)
Basic Vegetable Gardening
Site
Soil
1. Type of garden
2. Size and costs
3. Location
4. Testing
5. Preparing
6. Improving
Seeds
Sustain
7. Best crops
8. How to plant
9. Using transplants
10. Feed and water
11. Weeds
12. Harvest!
Creating your potager
• Dream what you want
• Assess what you have
• Then think realistically
Start Small and Flexible
• Close to house is best
• Must have sun for
veggies
• Water available
• All gardens need care
costing time or money
(often both)
Make a written plan
• Start with graph of
existing plot
• Take photographs and
measurements
• If desired begin a journal
or notebook
• Make a 3-5 year plan
• Learn more every year
Pattern
• Geometric patterns are
great when viewed from
above
• Endless possibilities
• Use center stake and rope
to make circles
• Check for square when
making rectangles, corner
to corner measurement
should match
Theme and Mood
• Formal hardscape can still
create a relaxed garden
• Rigid themes can be
confining or fun
• Consider the
surroundings, especially
your house
• Remember it is your
garden, do what you like
Cottage style is forgiving but not
maintenance free
Try a modular approach
• Start with the center
area or one section
• Build a few beds each
year
• Don’t add beds unless
you easily maintained
your current areas
Enclosure for Protection and
Privacy
• Keep out Crittersespecially deer
• Design feature
• Blend with feel of your
location
• Create a world apart
PATHWAYS
• Room for cart
• Grass or mulch
• Add stone or brick in
the future
• Keep sharp edges
Building your Beds
• Consider your reach
• Watch corners and round
areas
• Think where you will
stand and have stones
ready
• Raised beds have pros and
cons
• Sheet composting makes
easy bed prep
COLOR & TEXTURE
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Flowers add color and interest all season
Principals used in flower gardens work well
Vegetables have a wide range of textures
Don’t forget the variety of HERBS to use
Create Focal Point
& Go Vertical
• A focal point draws attention to the garden
• Use plants or structures
• Vertical supports will greatly increase use of
square footage
PLAN FOR CHANGES
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Vegetables are mostly annuals
Some are harvested before end of season
Some take all season to grow and mature
Prep for these ongoing changes
Expect to need to fill holes, maybe with flowers,
containers, or mulch
Refine your practices in the future
as you gain experience
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Crop rotation
Succession planting
Larger garden
Start seeds indoors
Try new plant varieties
Extend the season
Plant for winter visual interest
Find inspiration
Appreciate Simplicity
Make the garden your own
My garden so far
Resources
• Grow It! Eat It!
http://www.extension.umd.edu/growit
– We have all types of practical food gardening tips and
information. Check out our popular blog!
• Home and Garden Information Center
http://www.extension.umd.edu/hgic
– Here you will find factsheets, photos, and videos. You
can also subscribe to the free monthly e-newsletter.
– We answer gardening questions 24/7…just click
“Ask Maryland’s Garden Experts”
• Maryland Master Gardener Program
http://www.extension.umd.edu/mg
– Consider becoming a trained MG volunteer!
This program was brought to you by the
Maryland Master Gardener Program
Howard County
University of Maryland Extension