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Do you live in an apartment or other home that doesn’t have space for a garden? There are still options for gardening in small spaces!
It’s the end of April and here in South Carolina. The winter has long been over and we are well into the growing season. It is prime gardening time here in the South! That means there is plenty of fresh fruits and vegetables that are starting to grow. They are both healthy for the body…and delicious too!
Having the ability to grow more of my own food has become really important to me in the last couple of years. It is important to have the knowledge and understanding of how to grow food. But it’s also important to have some hands-on experience growing herbs and veggies as well. But when you live in a small dwelling, gardening doesn’t seem like it’s really an option.
If I had my way, I would have some great acreage with a place to plant, as well as a couple of hoop houses. Unfortunately, that is not my living situation…..right now. I live in a little patio home that I purchased more than a decade ago, for just my Chihuahua Sadie and me. One problem with my lovely little home is that it has a teeny, tiny backyard. So needless to say, planting in the ground in our backyard is absolutely impossible. There just isn’t a whole lot of space!
Container gardening
My solution to this dilemma is to use pots to plant plenty of herbs like basil, oregano, rosemary, chives, and lavender and vegetables like zucchini, yellow squash, green peppers, and heirloom tomatoes. I use everything from five-gallon buckets to smaller planters. I can put these all on different levels and even have a small shelving unit on our patio so that I can incorporate more potted plants! Nothing like doing a little vertical gardening.
Right now that is working well for me…although I would love to be able to plant more than what I have. Unfortunately, I must make do with the space that I have!
Do keep in mind the amount of sunlight you get in your space. Some plants do better in full sun while some require partial sun. Choose those plants that will thrive well in your small space!
If you are going to be planting herbs, flowers, fruits, and vegetables and you have pets, such as dogs or cats be aware that some common plants are poisonous to pets, even though they are harmless to us! I know for a fact that chives are dangerous for dogs and there are many other plants that can cause sickness and even death in our beloved fur babies!
This does not mean that you can’t grow those plants. Just make sure if you do grow those plants that you keep them higher up and out of reach of any dogs or cats that enjoy nibbling on herbs!
So you CAN grow at least some of your own food…no matter how small a space you have. Herbs are the easiest and take the least amount of space. Vegetables and fruits require more space, but with a little creative vertical gardening, you can enjoy some home grown produce as well!
