Kitchen Garden Because many edible plants can be grown in small spaces, it makes sense to plant a small kitchen garden right outside the kitchen window. In an area as small as 10' x 10' you can cultivate a substantial variety of herbs and vegetables--dill, zucchini, basil and lettuce, to name a few. In addition, these plants are easy to harvest. Three main guidelines for planting a kitchen garden are listed below: Mix large amounts of compost into the soil when planting.   Fertilize plants every two weeks.   Harvest all plants with care. When gathering lettuce, select leaves from different plants each time, pulling from the bottom of the plant. This maintains the plants' healthy appearance and helps ensure that they will yield more later. Chives should be cut from the base to help keep the plants looking smooth.