Small Space Gardening

The original Square Foot Gardening method used an open-bottomed box to contain a finite amount of soil, which was divided with a grid into sections. To encourage variety of different crops over time, each square would be planted with a different kind of plant, the number of plants per square depending on an individual plant's size. A single tomato plant might take a full square, as might herbs such as oregano, basil or mint, while most strawberry plants could be planted four per square, with up to sixteen radishes per square. Tall or climbing plants such as maize or pole beans might be planted in a northern row (south in the southern hemisphere) so as not to shade other plants, and supported with lattice or netting.

The logic behind using smaller beds is that they are easily adapted, and the gardener can easily reach the entire area, without stepping on and compacting the soil. In the second edition, Bartholomew suggests using a "weed barrier" beneath the box, and filling it completely with "Mel's mix," a combination by volume of one third of decayed Sphagnum "peat moss", one-third expanded vermiculite and one-third blended compost. For accessibility, raised boxes may have bottoms to sit like tables at a convenient height, with approximately 6" (15cm) of manufactured soil per square foot.

You don't need a plot of land to grow fresh vegetables. Many vegetables lend themselves well to container gardening. With some thought to selecting bush or dwarf varieties, almost any vegetable can be adapted to growing in a pot. Vegetables that take up little space, such as carrots, radishes and lettuce, or crops that bear fruits over a long period of time, such as tomatoes and peppers, are perfect for container vegetable gardens.

What you can grow in a container vegetable garden is limited only by the size of the container and your imagination. How about a Summer Salad container? Plant a tomato, a cucumber and some parsley or chives all in a large (24-30") container. They grow well together and have the same water and sun requirements. By late summer they might not be very pretty, but they'll keep producing into the fall. This makes a great housewarming present, too.

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People who live in urban areas can cultivate their own gardens by planting flowers and plants on top of their roofs. Developing a roof top garden is an excellent way that city dwellers can benefit the environment and create a tranquil space at the same time. If a person wishes to make a rooftop garden, he or she can decorate the roof with potted plants or flowers. An urban dweller can also design an elaborate rooftop garden, using soil spread on top of a waterproof layer. If the gardener is not the owner of the building, he or she should seek permission from the building's owner before embarking on this project.
Before deciding to design a rooftop garden, the would-be gardener must determine if it is safe enough to plant vegetation on the roof. Rooftop gardens need flat roofs to thrive. Roofs that slope are not ideal settings for a garden. Consulting an architect or engineer will help a person determine if the roof is strong enough to support the weight of plants and decorations that will be used.

People choose balcony, patio, and courtyard gardening for many different reasons. Some are moving from a large house to smaller accommodation, some don't want the hassle of a large property, and some chose to live in rental property to avoid the high-cost of owning a home. Whatever the reason, this doesn't mean we can't garden. No space is too small for a small space garden. One plant in a container is a garden. In fact, ever more gardening options are available in terms of pots, half-barrels, window boxes, troughs, cast-iron planters, recycled materials - the list is unending with possibilities.

Planning a Small Space Garden

When planning your small space garden several steps are fundamental. The first consideration is to determine what purpose this space will serve. Do you want to grow vegetables, herbs, entertain family and friends, meditate, create a place of peace, healing, a memorial garden - the list is endless. Next, walk around your space and really look at what you have. Where are doors, sheds, permanent planters located? Is there any clutter? Clear out the clutter by asking yourself: 'Do I love it? Have I used it in the past year?' If it no longer serves you, turf it out, paint it or fix it, give it to somebody who needs it.

If possible, take a chair and sit down, move it around, and think about where the energy feels best for you. Wherever that is, place your seating such as a park bench, lounge, Muskoka chairs, dining furniture, swing, etc. Do you want a formal or informal setting? What features do you want? Features such as water, flowers, vegetables, herbs, wind chimes, wild life, color, etc. add the finishing touches to your small space garden. Finally, make a plan particularly if you are going to use large features such as a half-barrel. Once filled with soil you will not want to be moving it.