How Do I... Grow Food in Small Spaces?
Barely enough room to move, let alone garden? Think again – our expert reveals how to grow food in the tiniest of spots
In this practical series, we ask experts to answer your burning home and garden questions. Here, Angie Thomas, horticulture consultant to Yates, shares her tips for growing fruit and vegetables in a compact home that’s short on outdoor space.
Which Edible Plants Grow Best in Small Spaces?
Loose-leaf lettuces, baby spinach and leafy Asian greens
Try growing these in pots, troughs, window boxes or a vertical garden.
Growing tips: These love full sun or part shade. Keep the potting mix consistently moist and feed weekly with a nitrogen-rich plant food to keep your greens lush and leafy. Pick leaves regularly to encourage more growth.
Strawberries
Plant in pots, troughs, hanging baskets or dedicated strawberry planter pots.
Growing tips: Position outdoors in full sun (aim for at least six hours of sunshine a day). Keep the potting mix consistently moist and feed weekly with a plant food that is specially designed for berries. Pick regularly when ripe to encourage further flowering and more strawberries.
Loose-leaf lettuces, baby spinach and leafy Asian greens
Try growing these in pots, troughs, window boxes or a vertical garden.
Growing tips: These love full sun or part shade. Keep the potting mix consistently moist and feed weekly with a nitrogen-rich plant food to keep your greens lush and leafy. Pick leaves regularly to encourage more growth.
Strawberries
Plant in pots, troughs, hanging baskets or dedicated strawberry planter pots.
Growing tips: Position outdoors in full sun (aim for at least six hours of sunshine a day). Keep the potting mix consistently moist and feed weekly with a plant food that is specially designed for berries. Pick regularly when ripe to encourage further flowering and more strawberries.
Citrus
Lemons and mandarins will grow brilliantly in a sunny spot on a small balcony.
Growing tips: Grow in well-drained pots that are at least 40 centimetres in diameter. Fill with good-quality potting mix. Citrus are sun lovers, so give them at least six hours of sunshine per day. They’re also very hungry plants; feed with a citrus liquid plant food every one to two weeks while they are growing new leaves, flowering or developing fruit. Keep potting mix consistently moist.
Compact varieties of silverbeet
Healthy, easy to grow, and delicious in salads and stews.
Growing tips: Grow in full sun or part shade. Keep soil consistently moist and feed weekly with a fast-acting plant food to promote lush leaf growth. Pick leaves regularly to encourage more growth.
Lemons and mandarins will grow brilliantly in a sunny spot on a small balcony.
Growing tips: Grow in well-drained pots that are at least 40 centimetres in diameter. Fill with good-quality potting mix. Citrus are sun lovers, so give them at least six hours of sunshine per day. They’re also very hungry plants; feed with a citrus liquid plant food every one to two weeks while they are growing new leaves, flowering or developing fruit. Keep potting mix consistently moist.
Compact varieties of silverbeet
Healthy, easy to grow, and delicious in salads and stews.
Growing tips: Grow in full sun or part shade. Keep soil consistently moist and feed weekly with a fast-acting plant food to promote lush leaf growth. Pick leaves regularly to encourage more growth.
Compact varieties of tomatoes
Grow in a sunny spot with good airflow on a balcony or in a courtyard.
Growing tips: These will need at least six hours of sunshine a day in a sunny, airy spot outdoors. Keep the potting mix consistently moist (moisture stress can lead to tomatoes suffering from a condition called blossom end rot). Feed weekly with tomato liquid plant food. Pick tomatoes regularly when ripe.
Tip: For compact spaces, seek out smaller, determinate varieties of tomatoes instead of indeterminate varieties that can require staking.
Grow in a sunny spot with good airflow on a balcony or in a courtyard.
Growing tips: These will need at least six hours of sunshine a day in a sunny, airy spot outdoors. Keep the potting mix consistently moist (moisture stress can lead to tomatoes suffering from a condition called blossom end rot). Feed weekly with tomato liquid plant food. Pick tomatoes regularly when ripe.
Tip: For compact spaces, seek out smaller, determinate varieties of tomatoes instead of indeterminate varieties that can require staking.
Hardy herbs such as rosemary, oregano, chives, sage and thyme
Grow in a pot on the kitchen windowsill in a trough recessed in the benchtop (incredibly handy when you’re cooking!), or in a vertical garden indoors or out.
Growing tips: These herbs grow best in an airy spot in full sun. They will tolerate a slightly drier environment (they don’t like wet feet) and will appreciate a monthly feed with a liquid plant food between spring and mid-autumn. Pick leaves regularly to encourage fresh growth and to keep the plants more compact.
Tip: You can grow potatoes in a large pot or potato bag, so these can also be an option if you’re short on space.
Grow in a pot on the kitchen windowsill in a trough recessed in the benchtop (incredibly handy when you’re cooking!), or in a vertical garden indoors or out.
Growing tips: These herbs grow best in an airy spot in full sun. They will tolerate a slightly drier environment (they don’t like wet feet) and will appreciate a monthly feed with a liquid plant food between spring and mid-autumn. Pick leaves regularly to encourage fresh growth and to keep the plants more compact.
Tip: You can grow potatoes in a large pot or potato bag, so these can also be an option if you’re short on space.
What doesn’t grow well in small spaces?
Space-loving plants such as sweet corn, pumpkin, watermelons and rockmelons.
Space-loving plants such as sweet corn, pumpkin, watermelons and rockmelons.
How much sun and shade do my plants need?
It depends on what you’re growing. As a general rule of thumb, anything that produces fruit – whether it’s a fruit tree or a fruiting vegetable – will need plenty of sun. Leafy vegetables will tolerate a more shaded spot.
Good airflow (not strong wind) is also beneficial as it can help reduce the incidence of diseases. Be aware that wind can play havoc with tall potted plants, blowing them over and blowing vines off their supports. In windy locations, opt for low-growing and tough plants – think Mediterranean herbs such as rosemary and oregano.
It depends on what you’re growing. As a general rule of thumb, anything that produces fruit – whether it’s a fruit tree or a fruiting vegetable – will need plenty of sun. Leafy vegetables will tolerate a more shaded spot.
Good airflow (not strong wind) is also beneficial as it can help reduce the incidence of diseases. Be aware that wind can play havoc with tall potted plants, blowing them over and blowing vines off their supports. In windy locations, opt for low-growing and tough plants – think Mediterranean herbs such as rosemary and oregano.
What are some great spots to grow my compact fruit and veg?
- A sunny windowsill: Perfect for growing little pots of microgreens (edible seedlings of vegetables and herbs). They are fast growing, take up very little room and are super healthy!
- Vertical garden systems: These make use of your unused wall space. Ideal for growing leafy salad greens and herbs, such as basil.
- Pots with a tripod or trellis: Great for climbing vegetables including snow peas, beans and cucumbers.
- Hanging baskets: These take up virtually no room at all and can be used to grow a variety of different fruit, vegetables and herbs, such as strawberries and trailing herbs including oregano, thyme and mint.
- Pots and troughs: Ideal for growing rooting vegetables, including carrots and radishes.
What’s good to know?
Potted plants dry out much faster than plants grown in the ground and will therefore need more regular watering. In the heat of summer, this could be twice a day (although for most pots that are not in direct sunshine, watering once a day will generally do).
Check your plants’ moisture levels regularly by gently digging around in the top few centimetres of the potting mix with your finger. You’ll be able to feel whether the potting mix is moist (in which case, leave watering for another day or so) or whether it feels dry and needs a drink.
Potted plants dry out much faster than plants grown in the ground and will therefore need more regular watering. In the heat of summer, this could be twice a day (although for most pots that are not in direct sunshine, watering once a day will generally do).
Check your plants’ moisture levels regularly by gently digging around in the top few centimetres of the potting mix with your finger. You’ll be able to feel whether the potting mix is moist (in which case, leave watering for another day or so) or whether it feels dry and needs a drink.
Tell us
Do you grow fruit and veg in a small space? Share your tips for success in the Comments section below. And don’t forget to like, share or bookmark this story. Join the conversation.
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Find a gardener near you
Do you grow fruit and veg in a small space? Share your tips for success in the Comments section below. And don’t forget to like, share or bookmark this story. Join the conversation.
More
Find a gardener near you
There is a plethora of fruit, vegetables and herbs you can grow successfully in pots, opening up all sorts of possibilities for small-space gardeners.