| Many folks who wish to grow vegetables are discouraged because they think that they will need a large garden. Not so, and we will show you how to use small space gardening techniques. A variety of vegetables can be grown in as little as 100 square feet. A garden taking up 100 square feet of area could be 10’ X 10’, 20’ X 5’, such as along a fence, or any shape which fits your available site. If there is limited open ground available for small space gardening, you can incorporate containers alongside or remote from your small space gardening area. Make sure that the site you select receives full sun for at least six hours each day during the growing season for best results. |
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Site Preparation
If the area you select for small space gardening is lawn area, remove the sod completely, or you can kill the grass by covering with black plastic the season before. The next step is to rototill or turn over the soil by hand to at least six inches. Do not turn over wet soil, as it will clump and remain hard the entire season. Next, remove all large stones and debris. If your small space gardening site has poor clay or clay-like soil, incorporate several four-cubic foot bags of sphagnum peat moss spread over the area before turning the soil. Builders or play sand can also be used. Spread a complete fertilizer evenly over the garden following the directions on the bag. This should be done prior to leveling of the soil. Test the soil for pH using a test kit and add lime as required. See our page on soil testing. For sustainable gardening methods, see our section on organic gardening.
Arranging Your Garden
Plan your small space gardening site on paper first. To save room, plant only what you like and what you will actually use. Seed packets and plant tags will usually give you an idea as to what the plants will yield.
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Planting Tips
Us the following techniques for your small space gardening:
• Use poles and trellises or your fence to support plants, such as tomatoes, cucumbers and pole beans. Use torn rag strips or ribbon to support plants instead of cord or twine, which will cut into the stems.
• Interplant fast and slow growing crops by sowing seed alternately at the same time. The fast growing plants can be harvested first, leaving room for the slower growing plant to mature.
• Succession planting is another technique used in small space gardening. Plant tender plants, such as beans, beets, and tomatoes, in the same area after cool weather crops, such as spinach, broccoli, and lettuce, have been harvested.
• Use bush varieties of cantaloupe, squash, and watermelon to minimize vines.
• Scatter seed in wide rows, 12 to 18 inches wide, for smaller plants, such as lettuce, carrots, and radishes. For larger plants, divide areas of the garden into squares 1’ X 1’ or 2’ X 2’ to conserve space for larger bush sized plants.
Growing Tips
Here are several small space gardening tips for maximum crop production.
• Eliminate weeds as much as possible. Using a mulch of aged grass clippings or straw about four inches thick, once the soil has warmed up, will cut down on weed growth and will also conserve moisture in the soil.
• Apply approximately one inch of water per week. Check under mulch for soil dryness. Water weekly during dry weather.
• Make sure the soil pH is optimal for each crop to ensure proper nutrient uptake.
