More Nibbling around the Edges or “How to grow plants in small spaces“

You don’t need a big garden to grow your own food

I no longer have a big garden. What I do have is a slightly awkward, oddly shaped space that spends a fair bit of the day in shadow as the sun moves around the house. Like many people with a small garden, I’m learning what works best. 

I love growing my own plants, not just veg but herbs and flowers too. I am still figuring out what grows best in my heavy clay soil and its position in the garden. While I use pots and containers, they can be high maintenance and lose their appeal once the display fades.   

 Making the most of the space I have

Fortunately I don’t need a huge amount of space to grow a reasonable crop. By growing things I like to eat, I can supplement the basics bought from the supermarket. As that means sacrificing the sunniest spot in the garden to achieve the best, most flavoursome results it needs to look attractive too. So here is my plan for my edible patch.

My edible patch plan

In a space roughly one metre square, at the back, I’ll plant climbing French or runner beans with pretty flowers and pods of various colours depending on the variety. These will need some sort of support, mine will grow up a trellis supported along the fence. Next the crinkly leaves of green kale give foliage texture alongside the more colourful varieties of rainbow chard. Then along the front, easy pickings of sorrel, rocket and lettuce such as salad bowl to harvest a few leaves at a time and left to grow on.

Harvesting herbs in small spaces

Herbs are essential for me such as sage, chives, parsley, rosemary, thyme and basil. I grow some in pots but squeeze others in amongst the shrubs if I can find a gap.  Herbs are low maintenance, productive and perfect for small gardens, balconies or patios.

Flowers that do more than look pretty

Many annual flowers attract pollinators and being short lived make good companions for crop plants. Calendula or pot marigold known as poor man’s saffron adds colour to cooking not just in the garden. Nasturtium are edible in salads and make good plant companions, poached egg (Limnanthes douglasii ) isn't edible but it's excellent at attracting pollinating insects.

My Most Important TIP: GROW WHAT YOU LIKE.

Sounds obvious but there’s no point using your precious space on something you don’t enjoy because it’s ‘recommended’ or easy to grow.

Love fresh herbs? Do you prefer coriander to parsley or maybe oregano? Mix and match to your preferences. Obsessed with salads? Leafy greens are your pick. If you don’t like beans then grow peas. Fancy homegrown cucumbers for summer drinks? Hang those baskets high.

For stunning looks globe artichokes are a more unusual vegetable. Fennel fronds make lovely foliage, green or bronze.  Sunflowers can provide height too, or the branching varieties reaching 60cm can provide cut flowers as well as crunchy seeds

Somethings do not grow well together and others thrive close up, more on that to follow (Companion Planting)

Grow Up! Making the Most of Small Spaces

Limited space, every inch counts so why not make it productive and look good? Instead of spreading out, grow up, stack, hang and cluster. Walls, railings, and even ceilings can be used to support plants. Trail a cucumber along a railing or banister, turn a table into a salad station or fill a windowsill full of herbs.

I have realised that growing your own food no longer requires a large backyard or allotment. With a bit of creativity and planning, even the smallest spaces, balconies, windowsills, patios, or indoor tabletops can become productive mini gardens. Techniques like trays of salad leaves, hanging basket crops such as cucumbers or strawberries, and dwarf veg container gardening make it possible to grow fresh, healthy produce almost anywhere. These methods are not only practical but also rewarding.

Keeping them happy and alive

Small space gardening is manageable but it does need a bit of attention

My TIP: check daily

Choosing compact or dwarf varieties is another essential strategy, as these are bred specifically to thrive in confined environments. Select varieties for their situation, if suited to full sun versus shade or partial sun

Watering; containers and pots dry out quickly. Keep moist but don’t drown them; roots like moisture not swimming lessons. Stand on saucers or trays for added humidity.

Sunlight; most vegetables are sun lovers and need several hours of direct sunlight. Leafy greens such as lettuce, kale, spinach, chard, rocket, mustard greens or herbs mint, parsley, chives and coriander will tolerate shady areas.

Pest control; a quick inspection whilst you water will spot any problems early.

Final thoughts

Growing in small spaces isn’t about squeezing plants into tight corners. I don’t need a big garden. I don’t need perfect conditions. I just need a few seeds and a pot or two.

Snipping herbs from my windowsill or watching a strawberry ripen just outside the door brings me joy. Will you join me?