Wednesday, June 10, 2009

Gardening in Small Spaces


Growing your own veggies and herbs is a time honored (often money-saving) tradition. And anyone can do it, even if you have a small yard—or no yard at all. The key is to maximize the potential of the space available:


  • Don’t have a patch of soil available? Install a raised-bed garden (6-36 inches deep). Or plant in large containers or pots.

  • Choose wisely. If all you have is a window sill, consider planting lettuce or herbs with compact root systems that don’t require a lot of space. If you have room for an outdoor bed or large pots, consider tomatoes and other larger plants.

  • Looking for variety? Plant multiple crops in the same space. Tomatoes and peppers make good neighbors and ripen around the same time.

  • Plant ahead. Save space by planting veggies in the same row that will ripen at different times. Lettuce and radishes are a good pair: lettuce will come up early; the radishes, later.

Don’t forget to protect your garden from critters and pets. Use a protective net or plant herbs (like spearmint and chives) that repel pests.


Sources: Simplegiftsfarm.com, Urbangardeninghelp.com

No comments: