Small-Space Gardening Made Easy

If you don’t have a sprawling backyard, fear not: Container gardening is a great way to give your green thumb a workout, even if you’ve only got a windowsill to work with. And if you channel your creativity, almost anything can be used as a planter—your buds will happily make themselves at home in an empty lunch box, colander, or even a bird bath, so long as they get the right amount of sunlight and water each day.

Raised garden beds are another unique way to segment your various crops. You can go for a traditional style, only open on the top, or a bottomless French bed, rooting your plants into the natural soil. Building your own raised garden bed is simple: All you need are walls, connectors, and some spikes—almost no tools required. Add edging to the finished product to accent with extra style!

It’s important to make every inch of your outdoor gardening space count. Don’t forget to rake away debris, prune excess sprouts, and offer daily drinks to your little buddies! A mobile hose reel helps conserve space while keeping fresh water close at hand—no parched plants on your watch!

One great way to maximize the utility of your small-space garden is to pair compatible plants together. Sometimes these combinations are obvious, like multiple colors of peppers in one pot—other times, the options might surprise you (for example, cabbage consumes a lot of nutrients but can be paired with less-needy veggies like carrots.) You can even plant some varieties of herbs right alongside your main course!

Succession planting is another handy space-saving technique. Short-season vegetables like radishes will be harvest ready in just a few weeks, so you can plant another fast-track vegetable like lettuce in the same container.

Freshly harvested ingredients make a home-cooked meal taste even better! Watermelon, cucumbers, and even zucchini or cabbage all have “mini” or “baby” varieties. Be sure to consider each plant’s full-grown size when selecting its growing location; leafy vegetables like salad greens need wide pots, while potatoes need depth to burrow their roots. Most fruits and veggies thrive in any rich, balanced soil, so make sure you’re not planting any prima donnas (blueberries love acidic compost!)

For herbs, consider starting with easy-to-grow varieties like chives, basil, thyme, or oregano—your taste buds will thank you later! You can even dry them for year-round seasoning that won’t expire!

You don’t need acres of land to grow the garden of your dreams—just a dash of creativity and dedication. With these handy how-to tips, it won’t be long before you’re harvesting your own delicious fruits, veggies, and seasonings at home!