9 Creative Ways to Garden in Small Spaces

Don’t let a small space keep you from growing a garden. There are so many creative ways to grow everything from fresh cherry tomatoes and fragrant basil to heirloom potatoes and crunchy cucumbers, even if you don’t have as many outdoor resources as you’d like. Here are a few ideas to help you start thinking about how you can take advantage of the space you have.

1. Hydroponics

Hydroponic gardening come with a steep learning curve, but many gardeners swear by this growing method once they get the hang of it (pun intended). Rather than growing plants in soil, you suspend the roots in a hydroponic nutrient solution – or just in the air. There are several advantages to this method, but the greatest are higher efficiencies and impressive harvests. The set-up is on the costly side, but you can grow almost any crop this way, from tomatoes and lettuce to strawberries and cucumbers.

2. Grow Bags

Have you ever met a french fry you didn’t like? If you’re itching to harvest your own potatoes so you can make homegrown fries, you don’t need an entire in-ground garden plot to make your dreams come true. Purchase some grow bags and pick up a few potato starts and you’re well on your way to growing your first potato harvest right on your porch or balcony.

See more: How to Grow, Harvest and Store Potatoes

3. Hanging Baskets

Do you have a front porch or balcony that gets a decent amount of sun? Hanging baskets could be your ticket to growing flowers, strawberries, cherry tomatoes (do a little digging on sweetheart tomatoes that can grow out and down) and even salad greens. Hanging baskets are affordable, simple to set up and easy to maintain. You can even hook up an automatic waterer for a low maintenance and out-of-the-box garden.

4. Trellises

Cucumbers, peas, beans and many types of flowers can all grow successfully on trellises. And a trellis doesn’t require much ground space at all. You could theoretically plant each of these in a container, attach or insert a trellis and have an impressive harvest of all three at the end of the growing season. There are even some varieties of cherry tomatoes and squash that can grow vertically too.

5. Vertical Planters

If you only have a small balcony but desperately want to grow some of your own food, consider growing up! Vertical plants come in all shapes and sizes, from grow towers to DIY palettes attached to the siding of a house or apartment. You can even find hanging planters with a multitude of felt pockets to help retain moisture for herbs, small flowers and short-rooted vegetables. So next time you get the itch to start planting but are discouraged by your lack of a traditional garden, order a vertical planter and get growing.

6. Window Boxes

Even apartment dwellers who don’t have the balcony space to start a container garden can often find space for a window box or two. Easy to find, buy and install, these make an excellent home for herbs like basil, thyme and parsley. You can even grow zinnias or a few dwarf varieties of flowers for your own cut-and-come-again blossoms throughout the season.

See more: 8 Best Herbs to Grow in Your Windowsill

7. Microgreen Kits

Microgreens are rapidly growing in popularity – and for good reason. They are packed with nutrients, make delicious additions to pastas, rice bowls and sandwiches, and are unbelievably easy to grow. You don’t even have to wait very long to see your first few sprouts. If you’re new to these tasty greens, consider starting with a kit. Once you get the hang of it, you can easily continue growing your own microgreens with ease even if you have zero outdoor space whatsoever.

See more: How to Grow Your Own Microgreens

8. Five-Gallon Buckets

We’ve all seen the 5-gallon buckets at local hardware stores, but did you know just how much you can grow in them? From potatoes and peppers to tomatoes and broccoli, you can actually end up with a mind-boggling amount of produce – all from just a couple 5-gallon buckets. Even if you don’t have much sunshine, you could use these to grow salad greens throughout the season.

See more: How to Grow Herbs Indoors

9. Mushroom Growing Kits

Want something a little more outside the box – or something that can seriously impact your wallet for the better? Mushroom growing kits are all the rage and are easily scaled up or down depending on how serious you want to get. Even those without soil, natural light and much space can cultivate and harvest their own mushrooms. Most kits include a pre-seeded box or log that only requires a little moisture and patience. And because there are so many varieties, you’re guaranteed to up your cooking game.

See more: From Mines to Mushrooms: Hernshaw Farms’ Mushroom Mission