Don’t be discouraged if you don’t have space for a large garden. There are a wide variety of herbs and vegetables that can grow in containers and in small spaces. If you have a windowsill that faces south, that is an excellent place to put a few plants.
Or if there is deck space or even some room on the front stoop, use these to your advantage. Being in an urban location with limited space doesn’t mean you have to miss out of fresh, home-grown vegetables!
Containers and Window-boxes
The easiest way to grow herbs and vegetables in a small space is to plant them in containers. There are several benefits to this even over traditional garden spaces. The first is that they can easily be moved. A plant can start on the deck and then when it gets cold, it can be moved indoors to a sunny windowsill. Additionally, containers don’t take up a lot of room, and you can get ones that will fit in the space you have. Window-boxes are wonderful for planting more than one of something if you have space.
What to Grow?
Herbs do wonderfully in containers. Basil, oregano, thyme, and parsley are all great choices. Most herbs prefer a good amount of sun throughout the day so they will need a sunny spot. Herbs can be planted one type per container or several together in a window-box.
If you have enough vertical space, like on a deck, tomatoes are a great choice. They can grow quite tall, depending on the variety, so it’s important to give them that space. Plant one tomato per container and enjoy fresh tomatoes all summer long.
There are dwarf varieties available too if vertical space is a big issue. Tomatoes need sun so make sure they are in a location where they get sun most of the day.
A great cool-weather, shade-loving vegetable, is lettuce. It does great in a half-sun, half-shade location and grows quickly for a rewarding harvest.
If there is a specific type of vegetable you would like to grow, look it up. It may do just fine growing in a container. Small spaces may mean that you can only grow a limited amount, but it doesn’t mean you have to forgo growing anything at all.
