Gardening In Small Spaces In Orange County
Orange County has its share of sunshine, but sometime not enough space for a big garden. Many gardeners—or would be gardeners—in Orange County live in townhomes, condominiums, and apartments, and may not have the outdoor space needed for traditional gardening. In addition, small yards, especially in urban settings or new housing developments, have a number of challenges. They tend to be compacted from construction or from years of foot traffic.
However, a backyard is not a requirement for starting a home garden. Gardeners can grow their own great food in limited spaces. With a little creativity, even a small deck, patio, or balcony can be converted into bountiful garden.
Small space gardeners do not have the luxury of wasting time and space when it comes to planting and harvesting large amounts of vegetables from a limited area. Planning is the first and most important step for any successful garden. Here are a few items to consider in planning a small space garden:
Determine what type of garden you would like to have–flowers, vegetables, fruit, or a combination of these.
- Pay close attention to the timing of planting and harvesting, selection of varieties, trellising, and other space-saving practices.
- Look for any ground space that can be planted. If you have a yard, however small, this might be a planting space you already have that can be converted to a small space garden. (Above ground options will be discussed later.)
- Research the plants on your wish list to ensure their mature size is appropriate for the space you have. Many plants have been adapted to grow in small places. The number one rule in choosing vegetables is to choose vegetables you and your family like to eat.
- Check balconies, side yards, etc. that may have strong winds that will hinder the health of plant.
Please note: while the information on this page is aimed at vegetable gardens, most of it can be used for flowers and other ornamental plants.
Containers Types | General Requirements Of Small Gardens | For Vegetable Planting Only
Some vegetables that can be grown in limited garden spaces: strawberries, lettuces, tomatoes, peppers, beans, dwarf blueberries, radishes, chives, basil, spinach, parsley, cherry tomatoes, thyme, mint, arugula, cilantro, peas, kale, oregano, carrots, dill, rosemary, sage, beets, cucumber, bok choy, green onions, leeks, zucchini, lavender, broccoli, cabbage, fennel, bell peppers, Swiss chard, scallions, kohlrabi, turnups, nasturtiums, and more.
A few ideas of small space methods and places in which to garden: containers, raised beds, indoor gardens, walls, fences, window boxes, shoe organizer, ladders, window ledge, balcony, rooftop, narrow side yard, porch, trellises, repurposed dresser drawers, hanging planters, hanging gutters, pallet, grow bags, vertical tower, suspended string garden, birdbath, tomato cage, cinder blocks, stock tanks, repurposed file cabinet, upside down planting, portable pots (on wheels), repurposed pans and buckets, wooden crates, wheelbarrows, wine barrels, filing cabinets with the drawers removed, commercial pots, planters, troughs, etc.
As you can see, there is no limit to creative places and methods to grow in a small space.
Here are a few of the more popular and fundamental ways to incorporate a garden in whatever small space is available:
Containers
One of the simplest and most flexible ways to grow vegetables and herbs is in a container. Some elements are locating a sunny space, choosing containers, getting the right growing medium (soil), selecting the plants and care and maintenance. Visit our Container Gardening page for more in-depth information.
Raised Beds
This is an excellent choice that is both manageable and practical, especially for gardeners who want to have more control, less work, and the convenience of having fresh herbs and vegetables at their fingertips. It is a good choice to involve children and grandchildren. Raised beds are also wise choice for those who have limited mobility since they can be raised and/or located in a way that will give them access. Visit our Raised Bed page for more in depth information.
Hydroponics
Another option for small space gardening is hydroponic, a soil-free gardening technique for growing plants using nutrient-rich waters where space is limited and water is limited. Visit our Hydroponics page for more in depth information.
Hügelkultur (hill/mound culture) is a German practice where mound shapes are created by marking out an area that is then filled with wood (ideally partially rotted), then topped with other organic matter, soil and compost. The wood at the bottom acts like a sponge, holding water as it breaks down, leading to reduced water needs in the garden. Visit What is Hügelkultur? and Building a Hügelkultur Raised Bed for more information.
General Requirements Of Small Gardens
All plants have the same basic requirements. Whether planted in a raised bed, a large planter or in the ground, critical essential elements are adequate soil, sun and water. Some added nutrients keep plants healthy and productive. While these requirements are for edibles, you can easily substitute ornamental–succulents, flowers, and something else—in the space you have. Carve out a place in your garden for whatever you prefer.
Sun – Edibles need 4 to 6 hours of sunlight. Regardless of the size of the growing area, sun exposure is essential. Leafy crops such as lettuce and chard require at least 4 hours of sun per day and fruiting crops like tomatoes, melons, and beans need at least 6 hours of sunlight daily. It’s important to choose the sunniest spot on a deck or patio for an edible garden area.
Water – Container plants need water more often than those grown in the ground. While drip irrigation is ideal—especially for raised beds, a hose attached to a water source will suffice.
Soil Mix – The potting mix used in containers should be porous and fast draining, yet moisture retentive. A high-quality mix that contains compost and other organic matter is best. Garden soil is usually too heavy, difficult to keep evenly moist, and can contain disease organisms.
A fairly lightweight potting mix is best in containers. Use a prepared peat-based soil mix from the garden center or make your own soil blend. There are various recipes for container soil blends for containers that include a similar list of ingredients. They are usually mixed in thirds.
- Potting mix or potting soil—not planting mix or garden soil or top soil. Their density is not suitable for containers. Keep the bag sealed between uses so it doesn’t dry out.
- Compost – purchase it or learn to make your own compost.
- Perlite or vermiculite (separately or combined)
- Coconut coir (used because peat moss is not sustainable)
- Slow-release fertilizer (10-10-10 or 20-20-20) if the soil mix does not contain fertilizer. Read the potting soil label and follow directions. Add frequent but light amounts because the watering that container plants need leaches nutrients from the soil.
Match soil and drainage needs to the plant. You may have to fine-tune the soil blend to ensure success with a particular soil mix or drainage requirements.
A couple of cautions: When purchasing the soil mix, do not use planting mix, garden soil, or top soil as your primary soil component. And do not layer gravel or other material in the bottom of a pot to improve drainage—it doesn’t.
In-Ground Garden Soil – Avoid over-tilling soil or working it when it is wet or compacted in growing areas by walking on it. This is an opportune time to enrich the soil, so that you have success in whatever you grow. Learn more about soil and where to get your soil tested.
Fertilizers – If you are planting in sandy soil or in a container, plant nutrition will be needed more often. In both soil mixes and garden soil, many vegetables use a lot of nutrition from the soil. Growing vegetables over multiple seasons and keeping the soil continuously in use requires soil amendment and fertilizer, and more than is needed for single-season gardening.
For in ground gardens, add compost and/or another source of nitrogen before starting each new plant. Compost will provide not only nitrogen but additional valuable organic matter to improve the texture of the soil. Other good sources of nitrogen are fish emulsion, blood meal, or a dry fertilizer with a high ‘N’ number. Many crops also benefit from a complete fertilizer containing phosphorus and potassium.
Some gardeners like to incorporate slow-release fertilizers prior to planting. Slow-release fertilizers are excellent because they give the plants a steady supply of nutrients throughout the growing season. A liquid fertilizer can be applied with irrigation water after planting to provide some immediate nutrients.
Mulch – After planting, put about three inches of mulch on the soil surface to retain moisture and nutrients and to prevent weeds. Mulches that are fine-textured (e.g., pine, straw, shredded hardwood, pine bark) will stay in place better than coarse-textured mulches. Do not use fresh wood chips but composted ones are fine. Mulch up to the base of plants, but leave a couple of inches of bare space around the plant.
Support Systems – Plants grown in small spaces need support to stay upright, with options including arbors, arches, trellises, and pergolas for climbers. Support systems not only add structure and style but can also be cost-effective by using wire, netting, string, bamboo, or wood stakes. Wire works well in tight areas, helping maximize yields with minimal space. Supports improve air circulation—reducing powdery mildew—and help protect plants from birds.
Vertical planting – Grow vining crops like tomatoes, squash, cucumbers, and pole beans vertically using trellises, stakes, cages, or walls to save space and increase yield. Use shelves, racks, hanging baskets, or ladders for containers, ensuring balcony weight limits are respected. Use blocks under containers to protect surfaces. Consider using cages or netting to deter pests. If room allows add flowers for extra color, pollinator activity and to increase harvests. Maximize vertical space by matching plant types to suitable supports and placing climbers centrally in pots. Vertical growing also frees ground space for low-growing vegetables such as carrots, lettuce, and herbs.
For Vegetable Planting Only
Small spaces are bigger than you think. A small plot or containers on a deck or balcony can grow an amazing amount of food. Just like larger plots, small spaces need fertile soil, good sun, and appropriate watering. Keep these elements in mind when planning a vegetable garden:
Timing –Timing means getting the maximum use of the available growing season. In Orange County, there are two major seasons when vegetables can be grown, and one minor one. Many gardeners, however, grow only summer crops. By planting a cool-season spring crop, then a warm-season summer crop, followed by a cool-season fall crop, gardeners can get three crops from the same space. This requires close rotation of crops – for example, grow lettuce and strawberries in the spring, green beans and tomatoes in the summer, and spinach and broccoli in fall.
Spacing selection – Bush varieties are ideal for small gardens and containers, offering higher yields in limited space. Today, gardeners can choose compact beans, cucumbers, melons, and squash that need less room than standard types. Determinate tomatoes can be trained more easily to a stake and produce quickly, while indeterminate ones need trellises but have a longer yield time. Bush tomatoes work well in containers and may need support for heavy fruit. Even with little space, you can grow vegetables like greens, tomatoes, peppers, cucumbers, eggplants, squash, and beans by selecting compact varieties.
Planting strategies
- Interplanting involves growing two or more types of vegetables in the same space at the same time using methods like alternating rows or mixing plants. It helps maximize space and should consider each plant’s light, water, and nutrient needs. An example is planting fast-growing crops (like radishes or lettuce) between slow growers (like tomatoes or Brussels sprouts).
- Companion planting, a form of interplanting, pairs plants that benefit each other—such as tomatoes with basil or corn with beans and peas—to enhance growth, attract beneficial insects, and deter pests.
- Relay planting means planting the same crop in stages (every two weeks) to allow continuous harvests over the season. It works well with crops like carrots, beans, and radishes.
- Succession planting replaces harvested crops with new ones in the same space. It can also involve planning for a three-season garden: early spring cool crops (like broccoli), summer warm crops (like peppers), and fall cool crops again.
While you are enjoying your gardening experiences, remember that the UC Master Gardeners of Orange County is available to answer any gardening questions you may have.