14 Out-There Places to Grow Edibles
How does your garden grow? In some pretty crazy places, judging by what Houzzers have shown us is going on in their backyards
Annie Thornton
6 September 2014
Houzz Editorial Staff
We asked for them and you gave them to us. From a tractor tyre to a toilet cistern, you’ve shown us unusual places where, with the right soil, some water and maybe a drain, edibles will grow.
Lack of landscaping doesn’t seem to stand in the way of your edible gardening efforts. Check out these 14 alternative places where Houzzers are growing crops and see if you get inspired to finally make use of those old blue jeans.
1. In a toilet
Not to let any good vessel go to waste, Houzzer drewsigner shared photos of a friend’s old toilet that now has carrots growing in its cistern.
1. In a toilet
Not to let any good vessel go to waste, Houzzer drewsigner shared photos of a friend’s old toilet that now has carrots growing in its cistern.
2. In a vintage ice chest
Though it’s winter now, user dordesign’s herb garden takes full advantage of a vintage Esky in summer. If only all raised beds came with their own bottle opener.
Though it’s winter now, user dordesign’s herb garden takes full advantage of a vintage Esky in summer. If only all raised beds came with their own bottle opener.
3. In a concrete sink
Houzz user Shari showed us how she grows basil and other edibles in four vintage concrete sinks scattered around the yard. “They are great planters,” she says, because they already have a hole for drainage.
Houzz user Shari showed us how she grows basil and other edibles in four vintage concrete sinks scattered around the yard. “They are great planters,” she says, because they already have a hole for drainage.
4. On a lattice fence panel
Limited outdoor space hasn’t curbed Houzz user giacometta’s edible gardening efforts. With a discarded wood lattice panel mounted to the wall, a narrow brick courtyard has become a convenient side-yard herb garden.
Limited outdoor space hasn’t curbed Houzz user giacometta’s edible gardening efforts. With a discarded wood lattice panel mounted to the wall, a narrow brick courtyard has become a convenient side-yard herb garden.
5. In a kiddie pool
I’m sure we’ve all seen our fair share of these ubiquitous plastic pools over the years, but with tomatoes growing out of them? User brunettebohemian has created her own mini-greenhouse outside of her Tuscon, Arizona, home – complete with misting system and plastic tent. The crop has even survived a couple of freezes, “thanks to a clip-on shop light with a 75-watt bulb and plastic bottles filled with hot water,” she says.
I’m sure we’ve all seen our fair share of these ubiquitous plastic pools over the years, but with tomatoes growing out of them? User brunettebohemian has created her own mini-greenhouse outside of her Tuscon, Arizona, home – complete with misting system and plastic tent. The crop has even survived a couple of freezes, “thanks to a clip-on shop light with a 75-watt bulb and plastic bottles filled with hot water,” she says.
6. In the middle of the street
User mimadre and her neighbours converted the dead end of their Bogotá, Colombia, road into a community-tended garden. Now that’s taking farming to the streets.
User mimadre and her neighbours converted the dead end of their Bogotá, Colombia, road into a community-tended garden. Now that’s taking farming to the streets.
7. Off a wall
Another way of growing vertically? Metal rain gutters. User zsuzsikonyha showed us how even a wall can be good for growing food. Parsley and other herbs thrive on this terrace in the warmer months.
Another way of growing vertically? Metal rain gutters. User zsuzsikonyha showed us how even a wall can be good for growing food. Parsley and other herbs thrive on this terrace in the warmer months.
8. In a pair of jeans
Instead of throwing out that old pair of Levis, plant some tomatoes and strawberries in them, like user addunbar has done.
Instead of throwing out that old pair of Levis, plant some tomatoes and strawberries in them, like user addunbar has done.
9. In an old tyre
Houzzer sylviadncn’s husband and his uncle own a used-tyre shop so, naturally, she did what any gardener would do – she turned some surplus stock into raised beds. “These old tractor tyres filled with horse manure raised a bumper crop of tomatoes this year,” she says.
NOTE: Tyres are popular raised-bed containers for ornamentals and edibles, but some gardeners warn against planting edibles, particularly root edibles, in tyres due to chemical leaching caused by the tyre’s degradation over time. It’s important to research any container’s material before planting edibles in it.
Houzzer sylviadncn’s husband and his uncle own a used-tyre shop so, naturally, she did what any gardener would do – she turned some surplus stock into raised beds. “These old tractor tyres filled with horse manure raised a bumper crop of tomatoes this year,” she says.
NOTE: Tyres are popular raised-bed containers for ornamentals and edibles, but some gardeners warn against planting edibles, particularly root edibles, in tyres due to chemical leaching caused by the tyre’s degradation over time. It’s important to research any container’s material before planting edibles in it.
10. Hidden among ornamentals
Planting edibles where you wouldn’t expect to find them can be just as engaging as planting them in an unusual container – maybe a little subtler than a toilet, though.
User lilion planted cucumbers and spinach along with trailing pink flowers on her home’s front landing.
Planting edibles where you wouldn’t expect to find them can be just as engaging as planting them in an unusual container – maybe a little subtler than a toilet, though.
User lilion planted cucumbers and spinach along with trailing pink flowers on her home’s front landing.
11. In rain gutters
Houzz user cathymesser already showed us how she grows leaf lettuce and micro-greens in rain gutters off the deck; here we see how she’s implemented this gutter-growing method elsewhere.
Houzz user cathymesser already showed us how she grows leaf lettuce and micro-greens in rain gutters off the deck; here we see how she’s implemented this gutter-growing method elsewhere.
“We have a very long one along a fence rail by the raised beds and a couple along the rabbit hutch, both for them and for us,” cathymesser says.
Growing edibles above the ground keeps unwanted garden critters away. Here the family rabbit freely munches on its own trough of mesclun.
12. On a compost heap
User tsudhonimh plants trailing edibles in compost bins. “I do no-turn slow composting, and the full bins sit for a year or so until I need the compost,” writes tsudhonimh, who grows beans, squash, tomatoes and lettuce in a mound of dirt on top of the filled compost bins.
User tsudhonimh plants trailing edibles in compost bins. “I do no-turn slow composting, and the full bins sit for a year or so until I need the compost,” writes tsudhonimh, who grows beans, squash, tomatoes and lettuce in a mound of dirt on top of the filled compost bins.
13. In a plastic bottle
Marisa Acevedo is attempting lettuce and spinach in her kitchen window this year. We all know that trial and error is a big part of gardening, but she sounds optimistic.
Marisa Acevedo is attempting lettuce and spinach in her kitchen window this year. We all know that trial and error is a big part of gardening, but she sounds optimistic.
14. Underneath a sink
Skooterji may be growing edibles in one of the most unusual and inhospitable places I’ve seen yet, saying, “I grow Belgium endives under my bathroom sink all winter.”
More: 10 Easy Edibles to Put Into Pots
TELL US
What other crazy containers are you growing your vegies in? Share your high-res photos in the comments section.
MORE
8 Ways to Use Pot Plants to Your Advantage
10 Ways to Plant Outside the Box
How to Grow Edibles on Your Balcony
Skooterji may be growing edibles in one of the most unusual and inhospitable places I’ve seen yet, saying, “I grow Belgium endives under my bathroom sink all winter.”
More: 10 Easy Edibles to Put Into Pots
TELL US
What other crazy containers are you growing your vegies in? Share your high-res photos in the comments section.
MORE
8 Ways to Use Pot Plants to Your Advantage
10 Ways to Plant Outside the Box
How to Grow Edibles on Your Balcony
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I've used cattle stock tanks (75 gallon) for rolling planters. I thought they looked like giant flower window boxes. My husband helped me turn them into SIP's for watering the roots. Been using them for 3 years now.