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Homesteading isn’t just for people with acres of land – even the smallest garden, backyard, or even balcony can be used to grow a surprising amount of food! Yes, that’s right – Small Space can result in Big Harvest. So, if your gardening dreams are expanding beyond the space you have available, check out these great hacks for growing more food with less space.
1. Vertical gardening
Clever use of vertical gardening can more than double the available growing space in any type of garden. Wall-mounted planters and hanging baskets can be used to create additional growing areas above ground level, and plants such as cucumbers, zucchini, peas, and pole beans can all be persuaded to grow up trellises or poles whilst taking up just a small area of your garden beds.
2. Intercropping
Intercropping is one of my favorite space-saving gardening hacks. Sow a row of fast-growing crops like radishes or lettuce between slower-growing plants like broccoli or tomatoes, allowing you to squeeze two delicious crops into one growing space.
3. Succession planting
Clever use of succession planting allows more food to be grown in a small space by getting three or four harvests from a single space as the year progresses. For example, start with hardy lettuce in the spring, followed by bush beans in the summer and kale in the fall. If you are new to seasonal growing, use a planting calendar to help you plan ahead.
4. Grow cut-and-come-again crops
Some crops can be harvested time and time again, producing food for your kitchen over a period of several weeks or even months. My favorites are leafy greens such as spinach, Swiss chard, or kale – simply pick the larger outer leaves as needed, leaving the center to keep producing new leaves for later harvests.
5. Choose space-saving plant varieties
Compact and dwarf varieties of vegetable crops will produce large yields whilst taking up far less space than their full-size counterparts. My favorites are bush varieties of zucchini and summer squash, which are well suited to growing in containers. You could also consider planting dwarf cultivars of fruit trees and bushes to provide tasty treats all summer long.
6. Utilize walls, fences, and boundary lines
Maximize space in your garden by making the most of vertical space along fences, walls, and boundary lines. These are ideal locations for planters, hanging baskets, and trellises for climbing plants. Espalier fruit trees, which are trained to grow flat against a wall or fence, are also a good option.
7. Build raised beds
Got an area of your garden or yard where plants fail to thrive? A raised bed filled with organic compost creates an instant growing space where space can be used to maximum benefit. I like to combine small-space hacks like vertical gardening, succession planting, and intercropping in my raised beds to make the most of this premium growing area.
19 Best Vegetables to Grow in a Raised Garden Bed
8. Window boxes
Window boxes are mounted on the outside wall of a house below the windows and are the ideal location to grow herbs and salad greens. This space-saving solution is ideal for apartment-dwellers, providing a steady supply of nutritious and flavorsome ingredients within easy reach of your kitchen.
9. Square foot gardening
If you struggle to make the most of the space in your garden beds, give square foot gardening a try. This involves dividing beds into 12-inch square sections and planting a specific crop in each – for example, one square can hold 16 radishes, 4 lettuce heads, or 1 tomato plant. Applying this organized method reduces wasted space and allows for denser planting than traditional rows.
10. Companion planting
Certain plants benefit each other when grown together, boosting yields and helping to keep pests at bay. For example, basil and tomatoes are excellent companions, and also happen to taste great together! I also often pop marigolds and nasturtiums into small gaps to attract beneficial pollinators and repel unwanted insects.
Vegetable Companion Planting Chart (Free Printable)
11. Try hydroponic gardening
Hydroponic systems are rumored to be the next big thing in vegetable production, and a small-scale setup can yield excellent results in tight outdoor spaces. Start with low-maintenance crops like lettuces, herbs, and strawberries – you could be pleasantly surprised by how easy this method is!
12. Tiered planters
Tiered planters create vertical layers for growing, giving each crop more room to spread sideways and access growth-boosting sunlight. This is a great DIY project that creates an attractive and productive feature in your garden or yard.
13. Soil amendments
Growing plants together in a small space creates intensive competition for nutrients, so give your crops the best chance possible by amending the soil with compost, well-rotted manure, or organic fertilizers.
14. Grow all year round
Extending your growing seasons means you can harvest crops from your small garden all year round. Use propagators, cold frames, horticultural fleece and row covers to protect tender young plants from frost and encourage mature plants to crop for longer. We’ve had such good success with this method that sometimes we’re still picking ripe chilies in late December!
15. Container gardening
Containers can be used to create instant growing spaces whenever and wherever you want them. I’ve seen some particularly inspiring container gardens on balconies and decking areas, with a myriad of different vegetable crops ripening in a small space. This method also gives the flexibility to move plants to a sheltered area to protect them from harsh weather conditions.
26 Fruits and Vegetables You Can Grow in Buckets
16. Grow microgreens
Nutrient-dense microgreens like sunflower, radish, or broccoli in can be grown in trays indoors or a sheltered outdoor spot. They’re ready to harvest in as little as 10 days, making them a quick and space-efficient food source.
17. Choose crops wisely
If space is at a premium, stick to crops that grow quickly and produce a high yield without taking up too much space. When I had a small garden I tended to stick to fast-growing peas, beans, tomatoes, zucchini, and cucumbers in the summer, and an array of leafy greens and hardy salad leaves through the winter.
20 Best Plants for Container Gardening
Container gardening can be as fulfilling as large-scale farming in growing and harvesting food. Whether planting in your backyard, on a balcony, patio, or urban homestead, here are some of the best plants for growing in containers.
20 Best Plants for Container Gardening
Build Your Dream Garden with These 16 Easy DIY Raised Beds
While pre-made raised beds can be expensive, building your own is a cost-effective alternative. With some basic materials and a bit of effort, you can construct your own raised beds at a fraction of the cost. Here are 16 DIY Raised garden bed projects to help you get started.
Build Your Dream Garden with These 16 Easy DIY Raised Beds
Kate Chalmers
Kate is a passionate gardener who has a keen interest in all things related to homesteading and sustainability. She resides in Portugal with her husband and menagerie of animals and has over 15 years of experience in the UK veterinary industry. In 2020, Kate and her husband took on a dilapidated Portuguese house and abandoned olive grove, turning it into an abundant food forest and home for nature.
Life on the homestead is never the same from one day to the next, and Kate has mastered many skills that she is keen to pass on to anyone with an interest in becoming more self-sufficient. Kate believes that living a sustainable lifestyle is the key to happiness and fulfillment and that everyone can make simple changes that connect us back to nature and reduce our impact on the planet.
