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Gardening with small space


Small-Space Gardening: 5 Tips for Growing More in Less Space

Grow more in less space with interplanting, succession planting, and other techniques. Robin has five simple gardening tips for ensuring a bountiful harvest, even if you only have a small space to work with! 

5 Tips for Small-Space Gardening

1. Use Raised Beds

Forget about growing plants single file in long, parallel rows. You can grow up to 10 times the amount of produce in the same space by using raised beds and square-foot gardening.

In a raised garden bed, you keep outside weeds from your garden soil, prevent water runoff and soil compaction, and worry less about slugs, snails, and other garden pests. Also, garden boxes allow you to concentrate your energy in a small area, meaning you can work, water, weed, and fertilize as economically as possible. You can make the most of the entire growing season by using season-extending devices such as cold frames, cloches, row covers, and plastic tunnels, too.

Here’s how to build your own raised garden bed.

2. Keep Seedlings Coming

Succession planting keeps the garden in continual production. Whenever one crop is harvested, have seedlings ready to transplant in its place. For the best results, use quick-maturing vegetables such as radishes or salad greens to fit several crops into one season and spread out the harvest. See 5 fast-growing veggies to try.

3. Interplant (Intercrop) 

“Interplanting” or “intercropping” is the practice of planting small crops in between bigger ones; the small, fast-growing crops will be ready before the big ones need the extra space. If you have a small area, this lets you use your space more efficiently and for longer.  

To “interplant,” plants should be placed close enough so that their leaves will touch when they’re mature, shading the ground between them. This will keep weeds down and conserve moisture, reducing the need to mulch and weed.

As the plants begin to crowd out their neighbors, harvest the early-maturing ones, leaving room for the others to develop. For example, plant lettuce around longer-season vegetables such as broccoli, peppers, or tomatoes.

Check out our video to learn more about interplanting.

4. Plant Companions, Not Competitors

Some intercropping partners thrive if their roots occupy a different depth of soil. Pairing shallow-rooted vegetables, such as bush beans, with deeply rooted beets makes good use of space without creating root competition. Similarly, planting heavy feeders such as cabbage or cucumbers with light-feeding carrots or beans reduces the competition for soil nutrients. The best intercropping partners are companion plants that have different demands and complement each other, such as the Three Sisters: corn, beans, and squash. Refer to our vegetable companion planting chart for more recommended pairings.

5. Grow Up, Not Out

Lay out your garden plot with the fence, trellis, or wall at the north side. By planting the tallest plants there, you will avoid shading the smaller ones. Vining plants, if left to sprawl, take up valuable space in a small garden, so help them grow up.

Some heavier plants, such as cantaloupes, watermelons, and winter squashes, may need help in climbing, so tie their vines to the structure to get them going in the right direction. Support the fruit with slings to keep them from tearing off the vine too soon.

Read more about the art of vertical gardening and fit more in less space!

Plot Out Your Garden

Good soil, adequate sunshine, and sufficient drainage are the key requirements for a successful vegetable garden, but planning your garden’s layout shouldn’t be a last-minute thought. Every garden—and every gardener—is different, so create a garden tailored to your space and needs.

For example, a 100-square-foot garden (10x10 feet) can easily yield a wide variety of veggies. Bisecting it with two narrow paths forms four beds that are easy to reach into and tend. (One square = one square foot.)

To plan out your own garden, use The Old Farmer’s Almanac Garden Planner. You can try it free for 7 days—ample time to design your best garden yet!

Gardening in small spaces | UMN Extension

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Gardening in small spaces requires you to maximize the space you have and keep potential problems under control. Here we review the top things to consider when gardening small.

Choose your plants wisely

Compact pepper plants and determinate tomatoes were chosen for this space because they grow well in containers.

When growing in a small space, it’s hard to fight the temptation to plant too many things. Plants that are too close together end up competing for nutrients and light and a dense plant canopy can lead to more disease pressure. So, fewer plants that are properly spaced will actually give you a better yield than squeezing many plants in the same space.

With that in mind, avoid planting things like pumpkins and winter squash in a small garden - these crops take up a lot of space and are easy to find at farmers markets later in the summer. Stick to smaller plants to grow a wider variety of things.

For small containers like window boxes, herbs, annual flowers and leaf lettuce are great choices. These plants grow quickly, and you can usually get many harvests throughout the summer. An extra bonus to growing herbs is that you can dry them and enjoy them throughout the year.

When looking for plants that will grow well in containers, look for terms like "compact," "tidy plant habit" or "short stature" on plant or seed pack descriptions.

For some common vegetables, you’ll need to decide between determinate and indeterminate varieties.

Consider containers

Herbs don’t take up much space and do well in containers.

Containers are a great way to add plants to a small space, especially to sidewalk or balcony areas. They are also a good choice for renters whose landlords will not allow for a garden in the ground.

Check out our article about container gardening from last season for more information and tips.

Succession planting for fresh veggies all summer long

Succession planting is a key concept for small-space growers. If your goal is to have fresh produce all season long, space out your plantings by a couple of weeks rather than planting all at once.

Succession planting works especially well for short-season vegetables like lettuce, radishes, and peas. If you’re starting seeds now, consider planting a few lettuce seeds this week, a few more two weeks from now, and a few more after that to provide a steady stream of lettuce throughout the spring. Find out more about succession planting.

Find ways to rotate

In annual gardens, crop rotation provides numerous benefits. Primarily, rotating between plant families helps to reduce disease pressure. Also, different plants use different proportions of nutrients and have varying root structures, so rotating the spots where you grow your vegetables can benefit the soil.

A few ways to rotate in a small space include building raised beds to delineate spaces, growing in pots, and coordinating with your neighbors. For example, one neighbor could grow tomatoes this year and another could grow cucumbers. Next year you can switch up who grows what, and everyone shares their harvests so you all get a bit of everything.

If you have multiple raised beds, keep your major plant families together in the same bed so that you can rotate them all to a new bed the following year. You can still interplant flowers and herbs into the beds, but try to keep the major families together. Examples of major vegetable families include:

If possible, maintain a 3-4 year rotation. If you plant tomatoes in a bed this year, try to avoid planting other solanaceous plants in that bed for about 3 years. This can be hard to do in a small garden, so just do your best. 

Raised beds are a great way to create distinct areas in a garden, which helps with crop rotation.

Author: Natalie Hoidal, Extension educator in horticulture and food system agriculture

Related topics: Yard and Garden News Featured news

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Small garden decorating ideas for the best

Imagine you are looking at your garden. Yes, you know it's small, but that means it's cute, that you have a place dedicated to nature that could have a lot of potential. But is it well cared for? Otherwise, or if you feel you are not using this space properly, we can help you with small garden decoration.

And we're going to come up with some ideas to make your small garden look huge and, above all, to be just as well-designed as a professional garden. You will be the envy of all the surroundings. nine0003

Index

How to make a beautiful and cheap garden

When you think about decorating small gardens, many ideas can come to mind, but you should keep in mind that having a little space means less more. In other words, it's better to use the right elements to give the decoration a dash, because if you overcharge it too much, in the end, the only thing you'll get with is that it looks awkward. nine0006

Besides, decorating small gardens doesn't have to be expensive. You just need to consider some ideas that you can use to bring them to your space, depending on the personality you want to give it, your style, etc.

Small garden decorating ideas

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Since we know that each person is different and that each of us may like something or another, here are some ideas for decorating small gardens that you can copy for your garden. nine0003

Take advantage of the edges

Small gardens are often considered not big enough to do anything with. But actually it is not. In this case, we suggest that you leave all the free space, for example, with a layer of grass. But put some kind of decoration in the corners. For example, a corner planter, a corner with flowers, etc.

In this way, with you break the continuity, but at the same time give it a different shade. Of course, it is better not to decorate all the corners, as you will create the effect of closed and recharged. nine0003

Use walls to create vertical gardens

These are time consuming and will become a trend in the coming years so you can take advantage of this and if you have a small garden you can continue decorating one or two walls. We do not recommend inserting more than that because it will be too much to recharge.

As for the type of decoration, place grass upright, dotted with some plants. However, you can also choose rows of hanging pots or even a surface full of colored plants (or a single color.

Creating a flower bed

A flower bed is a limited space in the garden where you can plant different types and sizes. It is played with the combination of plants that gives character to your garden. Of course, we recommend doing this only on the wall. Choose one of the largest and place a small garden in it.

To give it a more beautiful look, you can decorate garden stones, which, in addition to protecting the substrate and plant roots, will give you a much more elegant look. nine0003

Use wood

Usually, when we think of plants, two things come to mind: pots or soil. However, what if these pots were actually boundaries on the ground? What if you also made them not from wood, but from wood?

While you need choose wood that has been treated with (to withstand moisture, water and inclement weather), the load-bearing capacity it gives to small gardens is unique as it brings warmth and naturalness to the space. nine0003

You can use them to decorate part of the garden, for example from the middle of a wall to a corner.

Source: Youtube Home design decoration

Use the spaces

Yes, those places that are after all are useless because nothing can be done with them. These are ideal places to give them life with plants. Of course, when thinking about decorating small gardens in these places, keep in mind what it's like: how much sun does it shine? A little? Any?; Are there currents?; Is the temperature cold or warm? nine0003

Based on all these questions, the choice of plants will be one way or another. That way you make sure the ones you put in will survive.

Minimalist gardens

Perhaps this is the premise we always recommend. And it is important that when designing small gardens, keep in mind that space should not be overly decorated, but should make it elegant, cozy and have its own accents. But nothing more.

Choose a place to highlight

In this case, we suggest you do minimalist garden decor One moment less. This space is supposed to attract attention when you step out into the garden. And this can be achieved with a plant, a fountain, or an element that stands out from the rest.

For example, imagine that you have planted short species that have almost no stem. And suddenly one with a log appears. The safest thing is to stand out.

Bet on a zen garden

Zen gardens are characterized by sand, and not so much plants (although some can be placed). This might be the solution for Place an oasis of peace in your small garden, while you dedicate yourself to moving sand and creating ways to unwind after a hard day's work.

Source: Idealista

Fountains and garden stones

If you do not want to have many plants or your place is not ideal for them, you can create another garden, more oriental, with garden stones and a fountain as a central point. Inside the fountain, if it is large, aquatic plants can be added to give it a special finishing touch. nine0003

Floor to wall

Imagine that you have set aside space in your garden to plant plants on land . However, these plants also work well with the flower pots you've built along the wall. Thus, it seems as if all the vegetation is flowing.

Another option is to place climbing plants ideal for the walls you want to cover.

As you can see, there are a lot of ideas for decorating small gardens, could you give us any other suggestions? nine0003

Vegetable Gardening In A Small Space 💡 Gardening | Ru.homeinteriorz.com

  • Small vegetable plot
  • Questions of accommodation
  • How much space takes this space
  • The lower side of the small vegetable garden
  • Growing fruits and vegetables in containers
  • window sills

9 for growing fresh vegetables, herbs and fruits. You don't even need a garden. Breeders know that after taste, home gardeners want a high yield in a small space, so they develop more varieties that can grow in a small footprint or even live in containers all year round. nine0003

Small vegetable plot

Vegetable gardening used to be a bad attitude of ornamental flower beds.

Perennial boundaries reigned, and large, muddy vegetable gardens were hidden in the backyard, usually in the person's home. Vegetable gardens were about food production, not beauty.

Now that vegetables have taken a more prominent place on the table, they are gaining more and more respect in gardening. And with increased interest from home gardeners, there has been a surge in the development of new varieties: colorful vegetable novelties, heirloom varieties, ethnic varieties and compact growers. nine0003

You don't need a large garden area. You need good soil, lots of sunlight, a source of water, and probably a fence. If you think the deer love your Hostas, the entire forest community will enjoy your garden. If you plant it, they will come.

If you have a little sun in your yard or even patio, you can grow vegetables. Here's how to get started.

Accommodation Questions

Sun: Vegetables need a good 6 or more hours of sun each day. Without the sun, the fruits will not ripen, and the plants will be strained. Even if you are called the sun, there are a few vegetables that can survive in light shade, lettuce and other greens, broccoli and spicy crops. nine0003

Water: Vegetables also require regular watering.

Without regular water, vegetables will not fill up, and some, like tomatoes, will burst open if they suddenly run into water after being afraid for a while.

You can't always rely on rain. If you have the funds, a drip irrigation system is a definite plus for a vegetable garden. The new component systems are really quite easy to install and cost a lot less than many people think. And you'll save money on water because it goes straight to the plant's roots. Less is lost to evaporation. nine0003

If you don't want to opt for drip irrigation, try and position your garden next to a water outlet. You will have more water if you don't have to pull out the hose.

Soil: This final review is important. Vegetables need soil rich in organic matter. Soil is important for the growth of all plants, but even more so with vegetables, because even the taste depends on the quality of the soil. This is part of why wine made from the same grape variety can vary from region to region and why some areas grow hotter peppers than others. nine0003

If you can provide these three basics: sun, water, and excellent soil, you can have a vegetable garden.

How much space does that space take up?

Of course, a small vegetable garden space may not be enough for natural farming, but it will be enough to grow great tasting tomatoes, some lovely heirloom bas-reliefs, or an endless supply of cutting greens.

If you have limited space, think about what vegetables you can buy in your area already and what vegetables you really love and/or miss. nine0003

Compact options: If you must have a giant tomato steak or a row of sweet corn, the space for growing other vegetables in your small garden will be limited. But even then, you can choose varieties that breed to grow in small spaces. Any word with patio, pixie, tiny, baby, or dwarf in their name is a good bet. Just because a plant is bred as small does not mean that the fruit will be small or the yield will be smaller. nine0003

Most seeds and seedlings will tell you the mature size of the plants you choose. Knowing this, you can run things through and see how you can fit into your space. Chances are, though, you'll do what most gardeners do and squeeze as many seedlings as you can fit in your garden and then chat with the crowd later.

This is one way to get a lot of income from a small space, but not the best.

If you really don't have enough space, move vegetables with flowers. There's no rule that says you can't mix the two. It can be a little tricky to harvest, but many vegetables are quite decorative on their own. nine0003

Growth: If you like a variety of vegetables in your garden, I would recommend compact varieties as well as vines that can be trained on stands. Bean fields take up less space than bushes. Vinyl cucumbers and squash, while as invasive as they can be, actually take up less space than their bushy cousins.

Companion planting: Companion planting is often advertised in the interest of pest reduction, but it also serves to save space. Shade plants receiving shade will benefit from planting next to taller crops. Basil likes a respite from the hot sun and pairs well with tomatoes. Lettuce will produce all summer if shaded by almost any taller plant. Early harvested vegetables such as spinach, radishes and peas can be planted with slower growing crops such as broccoli or peppers that won't take up space until spring crops are gone. nine0003

Planting a companion is an art and can be one of the most interesting challenges of gardening. Why limit his garden. Mix vegetables and flowers.

Inheritance Planting: Inheritance Planting is a great technique for any vegetable garden large or small, but all the more valuable when space is limited. Planting sequence means rapidly growing crops every 2-3 weeks during the growing season. It is especially popular in crops like beans, squash, and lettuce, which tend to deplete themselves so much. After successive planting, you'll have enough food for your family's appetite, and you'll have all summer instead of all at once. nine0003

Underside of a small vegetable garden

Rotating the crop is a great tool to keep pests and diseases away from the vegetable garden. Rotating your vegetables so they grow in different areas of the garden each year is a great way to cut down on disease and pests that overwinter in the soil.

This is really not possible in small gardens. You just need to be vigilant about not letting things get out of control. If a large-scale problem arises, such as squat beetles or septoria leaf spot on tomatoes, seriously consider not growing the crop for a year. It will be a sacrifice, but one year without it is better than several years of disappointing harvest. nine0003

Growing fruits and vegetables in containers

Almost any fruit, vegetable or herb can be grown in a container if the container is large enough. As with ornamental gardening, this is a great way to control the soil, sun, and growing conditions of your edible plants. It's also a great way to squeeze edible gardening into the smallest spaces by placing them on your patio, front steps, or driveway. Here are some tips for specific containerized vegetables. nine0003


Window sills
Growing edibles indoors on a windowsill is an easy and low space for plants that are often harvested, such as herbs and lettuce.

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