It’s a misconception that you have to have a large space to grow vegetables in. There are many ways you can grow vegetable seeds and vegetable plants with a smaller space, allowing you to produce fresh produce just as delicious. There are many ways you can go about this, with many methods that help you maximise space to get even limited spaces growing healthily and full of life. So, take a look at our guide below for our 10 best tips on how to start a small vegetable garden.
How to Start a Small Vegetable Garden
Whether you’ve got a small garden, balcony or patio you’re looking to grow some flavoursome produce in, there’s no reason as to why you can’t grow your own vegetables just because you’re limited on space. There are plenty of methods of growing and types of containers that lend themselves to smaller spaces. So, follow our recommendations below on how to start a small vegetable garden, and you’ll have a growing space full of life in no time.
Choosing Suitable Vegetables
Though some vegetable plants will take up large amounts of space and are better suited to bigger environments as a result, there are many varieties of vegetables that are suited to growing in smaller spaces. Lettuce seeds, courgette seeds, aubergine seeds and many more vegetables are able to be grown in small spaces and produce just as good of a crop as they can in larger areas.
Cut-and-come-again plants are ideal for this, with many vegetable and herb seeds falling into this category. These are varieties that can have their leaves harvested, but will grow again for multiple harvests. This includes varieties such as spinach seeds, kale seeds, basil seeds and many more, which also have the added benefit of being compact for smaller spaces.
Growing Vertically
Growing vertically-growing vegetable plants is very handy when your growing space is limited in size. This involves choosing tall-growing plants, such as pea seeds, bean seeds and cucumber seeds that climb upwards. These can be trained on a trellis, with stems being tied to it to help encourage and support them as they grow.
Growing Dwarf Plants
Dwarf plants are the ideal solution if you’re looking for small vegetable garden ideas to make the most of a smaller space. These are plants that are much smaller than standard varieties, making them suited for spaces where plant growth may be limited.
You can find many dwarf vegetable plants on our website, such as dwarf bean plants, that grow in a compact manner to suit your growing space’s size. Examples of dwarf plant seeds you can find in our range include our Tomato Veranda Red seeds and Pea Meteor seeds that are great for pots and containers.
Companion Planting
Companion planting is a method of growing plants adjacent to each other that are mutually beneficial. Planting these alongside each other can provide many benefits, such as repelling pests, attracting pollinators and preventing diseases. This method of growing also helps to save space, as suitable plants can be grown in the same plot. For more details on how to do this, take a look at our blog on companion planting.
Balcony Planters
Balcony planters are a fantastic way to save on space and, of course, are ideal if growing on a balcony. You can find these containers in several different varieties. For example, there are ones that hang from your balcony, helping you to conserve space. Alternatively, they can come in the form of tiered platforms.
One of the best choices available in our range is the Vigoroot™ Balcony Garden. This convenient growing system maximises space with its vertically tiered troughs while also providing plenty of space for you to access your plants and for them to grow. Additionally, the Vigoroot™ air-pruning fabric promotes the growth of stronger, deeper roots to help plants better absorb nutrients and produce higher yields resultantly.
Window Boxes
In a similar way to balcony planters, window boxes are ideal if you’re looking to maximise space to grow within your home. These can either hang from your window sill or can sit on them if they’re the right size. Window boxes are a brilliant decorative feature, helping your home to look full of life and make the most of the space you have available.
Hanging Baskets
Hanging baskets are perfect for smaller areas, as they take up minimal space. Hanging basket planters are most ideal for cascading varieties of vegetable plants, which tend to appear in tomato seed varieties, such as Tomato Tumbling Tom Red seeds, and carrot seed varieties, such as Carrot (Baby Chantenay) Cascade F1 seeds.
Raised Beds
Raised beds can transform ungrowable spots into areas full of life. These self-contained planters can provide you with a vegetable plot that fits your space, no matter what size, as you can find them in many different dimensions. So, these can help you to expand your growing space exactly as you need it to. Simply fill these with high-quality garden compost, and you’ll have a space filled with fresh vegetables in no time.
Pots
Planters and plastic grow pots are ideal for growing patio vegetable seeds, and suited for a range of smaller areas as self-contained growing spaces. There are many vegetable plants that you can easily grow in pots, providing you with a range of choices. For example, pepper seeds, tomato seeds, lettuce seeds and carrot seeds are all fantastic for growing in pots, requiring very little space to grow.
Ladders
Helping you to make the most of forgotten garden equipment, a wooden ladder can be a great way to maximise space and set up a quaint platform for your vegetable plants. By vertically adding potted plants to each rung, you can grow smaller plants (container herbs are ideal here) and add a lovely aesthetic touch to your space too. You can also further add plants to grow to this by adding some hanging baskets using hooks. If your ladder needs more support, be sure to lean it against a wall or fence.
Shop Quality Vegetable Seeds at D.T. Brown
To get started on putting together your small vegetable garden, we have a diverse selection of vegetable seeds that will have your space growing with delicious produce, no matter the size. We pride ourselves on the quality of our seeds, having over a century of experience in providing seeds that consistently deliver high yields and robust plants. If you’re after more expert tips, there’s plenty more where our small vegetable garden ideas came from. You can find many more useful guides on our gardening blog to get your growing space at its best.
If you’d like to find out more about our range of vegetable garden seeds and plants, fruit seeds, and flower seeds, don’t hesitate to get in touch and we’ll happily answer any questions you may have.
