Two Old Gardeners and a Blog

When we think of a vegetable garden, we usually imagine a large space, but it’s not essential to have a big area to grow a good crop of vegetables. In fact, not many people have that kind of space, and still grow plants that flourish in a small place. If you have plenty of sunshine, you can make a roaring success of vegetable gardening in small spaces.

People develop gardens in various small areas - it could be a tiny bit of land outside a house, or pots in planters kept indoors or outdoors. How well you treat your plants and how skilful you are at gardening are issues that are far more important than the amount of space you have. Even a little garden can compete with a large one, if the gardener’s expertise is applied well to growing the plants.

Take the time to plan out your garden to maximize the amount of space that you have. You’ll want to research the plants you intend to grow within your garden. Find out what plants can be planted near each other, which ones need the most sunlight and any care instructions needed to grow a particular type of plant.

Once you have a plan, it will help you place the plants in your garden, whether you are using planters or a small area of your backyard. You’ll also need to research when you should plant each plant as well. There are some plants that need planted earlier than others.

You’ll need to buy the seeds or plants that you are going to plant as well. Be sure that you have planters that are big enough if you are going to go with a pot garden. Some plants will need a bit more space for growing, so be sure that they are not too crowded.

Quality potting soil is also important. Providing your plants with the right nutrients will help them to grow wonderfully to provide you with a great garden. Take a trip to a gardening center in your area to figure out which soil is going to work the best for your needs.

Small gardens are not immune to ravages by insects. You can deal with this problem, though.

The first thing you can do is entice creatures that prey on insects into your garden. Frogs, birds, ladybugs and lizards will come to your garden if there is a pond or other body of water, as well plants that they will find attractive. You can also use other methods instead of chemical repellents - try insecticidal soap, spicy peppers or garlic to keep insects away.

Some types of soil for fertilizing have special ingredients that can help you keep the bugs at bay, so take the time to check this out. If you have to use a pesticide, make sure you don’t use much. They can be harmful to kids and animals, so make sure you use as little as possible.

Every garden, no matter if it’s big or small, needs to be nurtured. Stay on top of the weeds, aerate the soil once in awhile and water as often as needed. No garden will thrive without the proper care and nurturing from the gardener, so don’t neglect them.

To sum up, vegetable gardening in small spaces is a distinct possibility and you can produce beautiful plants just as a big garden can. Optimize the area that you have and look after your plants so that they do well. Knowledgeable care and attention will do wonders for your garden.

Sarah Duke is publisher of The Vegetable Patch, where you’ll find lots of great information for starting a vegetable garden.