5 Tips to Small Space Gardening

jen haugen gardening dietitian

Size doesn’t matter in the case of a garden.  The joy you find in it matters more.  How big is my garden? I never know the response I’m going to receive when I share it’s about 225 square feet. Now that may seem like a large number, in reality, it isn’t. I have two sections in my garden right now – one that is 8-feet by 16-feet, and another that is 8-feet by 12-feet. Yet, small space gardening can yield some big time results! Last year, we netted 87 zucchini, 13 onions, 10 cucumbers, 45 fresh potatoes, and 14 pounds green beans. We also had a bit of lettuce, a few peppers and tomatoes.  It’s small, but mighty!

jen haugen gardening dietitian

I love small space gardening! It’s efficient, it’s not overwhelming to take care of, it produces what a family needs, and it can fit in small spaces!  Here are five tips to consider when thinking of your small space garden:

  • Location: Plant your garden close to your house if you can, you will spend more time in it!
  • Size: Before you map out the size, map out the space on the lawn and map out your time. The more space the garden takes, the more time the garden will take too.
  • Water: Plant your garden close to water access in case you need to water with a hose or watering can during the hot summer months.
  • Sunlight: Vegetable gardens typically require six to eight hours of direct sunlight each day.
  • Crop Rotation: Every year you will want to mix up where you planted your vegetables, being careful not to repeat crops each year in the same location due to disease and pests.

Every garden needs a plan. Grab some paper and draw a rough design for your garden.  I find inspiration in books, on Pinterest, and in magazines.  Everyone is dreaming of their garden right now! 

For more gardening advice, check out my new book, The Mom’s Guide to a Nourishing Garden.  I break down the how-to of starting and planning your garden, including how to plant and tend to 35 different fruits and vegetables, along with 30 recipes!  Found on Amazon.

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