Not everyone has access to large acreage where they can grow huge crops every season. For families that would like to grow all the fresh vegetables they can eat, freeze and can, finding space to grow the plants is first on the list when laying out the vegetable garden. There are many ways to plant a garden. This has never been more apparent than right now, evidenced by the rise in the number of gardening how-to books being purchased and backordered seed lists at many seed companies.
Some very simple space saving measures along with tips on how to make them successful can be found listed below.
Vegetable Gardening Space Savers
- Intercropping
- Vertical Gardening
- Container Gardening
- Succession Planting
Intercropping
The process of intercropping will save several feet of valuable garden space per row. Planting shallow-rooted, short season vegetables close to the long season, larger vegetables saves space and allows the companion plants to work together for a healthy harvest.
Some small root crops such as radishes may be planted with larger vegetables like bush beans. Radishes are a short season crop and will produce before the beans begin to set their pods. Plant cucumbers, squash, peas and beans around corn plants to save space.
Leaf lettuce will grow nicely in the dappled shade of bean, pea and corn plants. Leaf lettuces, radishes, carrots (when pulled young) and bunching onions will all grow well when placed around the base of the larger growing tomato plants.
Vertical Gardening
Vertical gardening takes advantage of unused space by training plants upward on supports. There are many ways to utilize vertical gardening techniques.
- Arbors
- Trellises
- Wire Cages
- Tripods/Obelisks
- Twine
Purchase or DIY Vertical Structures
Arbors and trellises can be purchased fully assembled and set where plants are to be grown. Gardeners can build their own arbor or trellis by attaching lattice sheets to 4” by 4” posts.
Wire cages can be found at hardware and home centers. The can also be made by wrapping chicken wire around wooden stakes. This permits the gardener to create a cage of any height needed.
Tripods and obelisks are available at garden centers in a myriad of designs, materials and heights. A one season tripod can be made from small/medium gathered tree branches tied together with twine at the top.
Twine can be attached to the side of garden sheds, carports, barns, garages and other structures with screws or small tacks. Plants can then be trained to grow upward through the twine.
Succession Planting
By using this technique, the gardener has new plants taking hold just as the old ones are finishing up. This extends the harvest while making more room in the garden patch to set out new plants.
Containers and More
- Use panty hose tied to trellis to support heavy vegetables such as larger squash.
- Instead of growing ornamentals, grow food plants on the fixtures already attached to the side of the house or shed.
- Grow vegetables in hanging pots and other containers on the porch, patio and along walkways.
- Make your own temporary, one-season fixtures for quick fixes.
- Try the Three Sisters Garden method.
- Make certain to check the moisture, sun and fertilizer requirements of each vegetable and plant according to their needs.
For more information about succession planting, see “Final Planting Dates for Succession Planting.” More space saving tips can be found in these two articles; “Twelve Vegetables for Spring Containers”and “How to Grow Asian Greens in Containers."
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