Short on space to start a vegetable garden? Even a pocket-size space in your backyard can help you grow vegetables. Home gardening is on the rise with more people looking to enjoy fresh vegetables.
What space do you need to start a small garden? You can turn the slightest of spaces into a beautiful small garden. This can be a balcony, a compact backyard, or a small garden.
You can easily turn any small space in your home into a flourishing garden haven. While very little can be grown in a small space, gardeners need to think outside the box. Think of vegetables that require minimal space to grow.
For example, you can grow tomatoes in a pot in a sunny spot outdoors. Tomatoes grow vertically and require little floor space.
Looking for small garden ideas? Keep reading below as I share some igneous ideas for a small garden.
Consider balcony pots and planters
The first and most important space to start is the balcony. You can choose a variety of dwarf vegetables. For example, there are several dwarf tomato varieties such as Tiny Tim Tomato that can grow well on the balcony. Get some balcony pots and planters.
You can grow them on pots and use wires to get enough support. In addition, choose a balcony where there is enough sunlight exposure.
Think vertically
If you’re living in urban areas, then think vertically. We all know space in urban areas can be tight. You need to take advantage of the vertical space in your urban area.
Consider growing your vegetables vertically as opposed to growing them horizontally. For example, choose Courgette Black Forest which grows vertically naturally. It can easily scramble over the fence or trellis.
Another great idea is to create a living wall. This is an ingenious idea that creates a stunning display and helps hide ugly walls. On the living wall, create as many pockets as possible to fit your plants.
Leafy vegetables like chards and salads work pretty well for living walls. They also feature shallow root systems which are ideal for pots and planters. Other great choices to plant are strawberries and edible flowers that create stunning displays.
Generally, you need to become creative around your plants. Try and grow some vegetables over the arch.
Invest in hanging baskets
Another great idea for small vegetable gardens is using hanging baskets. With hanging baskets, you can make use of multiple vertical spaces. Hanging baskets can be hung on ceilings, fences, and walls.
By hanging on vertical spaces, the baskets help save on space. The baskets also add sophistication and style to empty spots.
Growing tomatoes in hanging baskets or containers can help save on space. This is a great way to use underused space on the walls. It also makes for easy picking of tomatoes.
You can also grow a variety of climbing flowers. A variety like the Toscana strawberry is widely known for its attractive deep pink flowers.
Use raised beds
Raised gardens are a great way to grow vegetables in small gardens. Is your outdoor space paved or pebbled? You can create raised beds on the paved surface as opposed to below the ground.
The best thing about raised beds is that you can create them even on tight corners. Raised beds are pretty versatile and can support almost anything.
Growth on raised beds can start early since the soils get warmer in spring than on other days. Salad leaves are a great choice for raised beds. They regrow pretty fast after the first harvest.
Plant companion plants
Since you’re tight on space, it makes sense to add a companion plant. Consider plants that are mutually beneficial. Companion planting helps the crops maximize growth by benefiting each other.
Companion plants are a great way to save on space. You get to have two plants within a small space. It’s also a great way to save on space. Planting more than one crop together can also reduce pests.
Shade-tolerant plants also get to benefit from taller plants grown together. Consider combining early-growing plants like spinach, beans, and radishes with slower crops like broccoli, peppers, and courgette.
Consider a multifunctional greenhouse
You can create small multifunctional greenhouses where you can grow all your seedlings. A greenhouse is a great way to start seeds without worrying about the weather.
Greenhouses give you the freedom to plant your seeds at any time. You can create heated greenhouses when there is a delayed frost effect.
Make sure you create a plan for a small greenhouse in your backyard space. A greenhouse can help you start tomato, pepper, and cucumber seeds before transplanting them outside.
It’s also a great way to plant temperature-sensitive plants since you can easily control the temperature.
