Gardening in an Alternative Space

By Lee Oliphant

Q            I do not have a place where I can plant a garden. How can I grow my own vegetables?
David S. - San Luis Obispo
 
A            Not all vegetables need to be grown in a rectangular plot commonly thought of as a vegetable garden. Small boxes and pots strategically placed can grow lettuce, spinach, and chard. Flowerbeds can accommodate garlic and onions. Narrow side yards and garage walls are ideal for growing eggplant and beets. Add a trellis to a narrow space for cucumbers, peas, and beans. Grow herbs in pots on a deck. Half wine barrels are ideal for squash and pumpkins and hanging pots, cherry tomatoes. Nooks and crannies can become the home of a bountiful vegetable garden.
 
              As you plan your “alternative garden”, consider the need for sun and water. Most vegetables require about 6 hours of sun each day and a nearby water source. Use good quality soil. A commercial potting soil or a mixture of loam, compost, and sand can provide nutrients and drainage requirements for successful “farming” on a mini scale. A consistent fertilizing schedule is needed.
Maximize harvest by choosing productive plants that suit your tastes and won’t grow too large. Fast-maturing crops like lettuce and spinach can be interplanted in containers with crops like slower growing broccoli and cauliflower. Pole beans such as ‘Blue Lake” and scarlet runner beans, as well as edible pea pods, grow up on poles strategically placed. Mixed greens are successfully grown in pots year around.
 
              Finding a way to grow vegetables in a limited space requires creativity and ingenuity. If there is no outdoor space at home, consider a community garden. Learning and working together can be satisfying and rewarding and provide vegetables for an entire family.