Here are some effective strategies to help you get the most out of your garden: Grow in shaded areas Choose the right crops that are able to tolerate shade or ample sunlight. Vegetables like lettuce, spinach, bok choy, carrots and peas do well in cooler, shaded environments. These methods helped us utilize every corner of our garden and it’s a great way to increase your harvest.
As more people live in cities, it might seem like gardening is hard to do. But even in busy neighborhoods and suburbs, you can grow veggies in small yards or open spaces! Look around your town, there might be places like schools or parks where community gardens can pop up. Sometimes, gardens are even made in plastic milk crates or milk bottles filled with soil, which can be easily moved anywhere!
More and more people are getting excited about urban gardening, and community gardens are super popular, with lots of people waiting to join. Definitely great for learning, too, because experienced gardeners love to help beginners. When we first started out, we joined a community garden. We were able to meet other kind gardeners that were eager to share their gardening secrets with us. Those techniques we learned have stayed with us till this day.
Here are some tips on growing more food in a small space.
If you’re working with limited space but want to maximize your food production, here are some tips to help you grow more in your urban garden or small space:
1. Use vertical gardening
Maximize your space by growing plants vertically. Use trellises, hanging baskets, or even recycled pallet planters to grow climbing plants like tomatoes, cucumbers, and beans. This method saves horizontal space and frees up ground space.
2. Interplanting and companion planting
Grow different plants close together for benefits like pest control. For example, plant basil with tomatoes to enhance flavour and deter pests.
3. Succession planting
Planting new crops in the same space as soon as the previous ones are harvested to ensure continuous productivity throughout the season.
4. Use raised beds and containers raised beds
Improve drainage and soil quality, while raised beds allow for gardening in areas with unsuitable soil, like patios.
5. Optimize layout with block planting
Instead of traditional rows, use block planting to reduce bare soil and maximize space, leading to higher yields.
6. Grow in shaded areas
Choose the right crops that are able to tolerate shade or ample sunlight. Vegetables like lettuce, spinach, bok choy, carrots and peas do well in cooler, shaded environments.
Bonus tip: harvest regularly
Frequent harvesting encourages plants to produce more. For example, picking herbs or leafy greens often prevents them from bolting and keeps them producing longer.
It’s amazing that you can transform even the smallest urban garden into a productive food-growing space. Happy gardening!
We’ll keep sharing ways on how to make gardening a fun and important part of your life! So get ready to explore all the possibilities in gardening with us!
