Utilizing Your Space

If you're like me, then you dont have a very large backyard. This does not mean you can't grow your own veggies! Learning how to utilize the space you have is key. Whether you have a tiny yard, or just a patio or porch, you can still have your own vegetable/herb garden.

If you have enough space, putting a raised garden bed together is a great idea. To learn about all the benefits of a garden bed, refer to the article in my earlier post, "Why Raised Garden Beds?" . It doesn't have to be big; 4x4' can give you a sufficient amount of space to grow quite a few vegetables and/or herbs. A garden bed can be placed on pretty much any surface. If you have a lawn, simply pull up some of the grass (to prevent it from growing through the soil), place it on a patch of dirt, or even on the concrete on your patio. Don't let the lack of lawn stop you!

Look around your yard, are they any open areas that you could use? Again, it doesn't have to be large. In the picture to the left, I show how I turned an empty spot in the yard (between a couple of plants that were already there) into a little garden. It's about 1.5x2' and I was able to get about 3 rows of baby carrots, and 2 rows of shallots. Be sure to prepare the soil for your veggies, and dig it deep enough. Taking a second glance at that "already full" backyard can reveal some perfect garden spots!

If you're addicted to gardening like I have become, then anything can be turned into a pot or container for veggies. I look at a bowl, and I think to myself..."Hmmm I wonder what I could grow in there." Something like old cinder blocks can turn into great veggie containers! You could even use them to build a raised garden bed, then sow some seeds in the

 tops of them. In my yard, we have tons of these that I decided to use for my planting. Plant 2-3 spinach in each, or maybe a couple of beets! This is a great and creative way to utilize the small space that you have.

Maybe you have some old pots laying around the yard or house. Use them to plant small vegetables or your herbs. I found an old fern that had stopped growing; instead of leaving it in there for no purpose I took it out and replanted about 4 spinach plants in it instead! I didn't have to go out and buy a new pot.

Container gardening is very popular among gardeners with little space. With the right size caintainer you can grow anything from Parsley in the kitchen, to peppers and tomatoes on the patio!