Small Space Gardening

Why would you need to grow in a small space? Apartment livingPhysically close crops without walking to a gardenMoving and want to take crops with youAll About ContainersAnything can be a growing container so long as it provides drainageVertical planter towers offer multiple pots to grow food in one vertical spaceSome folks use fabric shoe organizers that hang on the backside of doors to grow food in pocketsHanging baskets offer a great option growing; think upside down tomato baskets, strawberries, etc.Plastic pots retain moisture betterBlack and other dark-colored pots get hot and heat the soil quickTerra Cotta is attractive and eco-friendly but dries out fasterPro Tip: ​​Double Potting! Place a smaller pot inside a larger one in the summer time. Water the space between the pots so the inner pot can wick moisture as needed. To avoid terra cotta pot dry out, simply place a smaller plastic pot inside a larger terra cotta pot. Same look, more moisture retention.Pro Tip: Adding one inch of gravel in the bottom of the pots helps with drainage.Growing in PotsConsider Sun: Most crops require 6-8+ hours of sunlight per day, crops like lettuces will grow with 4-6 hoursWater: Keeping soil moist but not soggy is essentialWater must be able to drain out! Plants hate soggy feet!Soil: Vegetables need rich, nutrient-dense soil. Source vegetable potting mix (not seed starting, not raised bed mix) for growing vegetables in containers. Fertilizing: Container crops can deplete the nutritional content of their soil quickly. A 2-4 week fertilizing program is recommended. Research which nutrients and fertilizers those crops require… lemons do not need the same food as tomatoes, blueberries need acid, etc.Container Appropriate CropsLook at compact varieties (18-24” for bushing varieties)Corn: Tom Thumb has small cobs, grows to around 36” tallTomato: Early Girl, Red Rocket, Tiny TimPeppers: Almapaprika, Habaneros, some Chili varietiesGreen mixes such as mesclun, tatsoi, oak leaf lettuceStrawberries grow well in gutters and flower boxesEspaliered fruit treesMeyer lemonsOther Ways to Grow in a Small SpaceCompanion Planting can save spacePlant shade loving crops like lettuce under tomatoes in potsRadishes can grow in pots with cucumbersHerbs grow well with many crop varieties like brassicasTrellisingGrow up, not out: Keeping tomatoes trained to a trellis in a pot leaves space for more crops around the base of the tomato plant.Succession Planting: Replacing crops that grow from seed to harvest quickly like lettuce allows for reuse of the space for a new harvest or new crop all together.Typically succession planting is a 2-3 week rotationWindow Sill Gardens: Great for growing herbs, microgreens, vegetable scrap gardensPotato Towers: Grow potatoes “lasagna-style” within towers to maximize space and increase harvestsWhich crops for which containers?Recommendations from The Farmers’ AlmanacBeans, snapContainer: 5-gallon window boxVarieties: Bush ‘Blue Lake’, Bush ‘Romano’, ‘Tender Crop’Broccoli<