Grow Your Own Food: Vegetable Gardens for Small Spaces

Gerald Filipski

Not since the days of the COVID-19 pandemic has there been such a renewed interest in growing your own vegetables.

With food prices continuing to rise, more and more people are seeing this as a way to save money. Of course, the added benefit is that you can grow the varieties you want as organically as you want.

Not all of us have the space for large vegetable gardens, but a single container can be a mini veggie garden all on its own.

Last summer, I harvested more tomatoes from my containers than I ever did when growing them in the ground. Container gardening also allowed me to place the plants in optimum light, precisely control watering and fertilizing, easily control insects and pests, and minimize weeds.

The first step is choosing suitable containers. Almost anything that holds soil and has drainage holes can work — plastic pots, wooden boxes, fabric grow bags, or even recycled buckets. Larger containers are better for retaining moisture and supporting healthy root growth. For example, tomatoes and peppers grow best in containers at least 30 to 45 centimetres deep, while lettuce and herbs can thrive in shallower pots. Always choose a good-quality potting mix instead of garden soil.

You can use a three-tiered system even in a single container to increase your planting density. Tall or climbing plants, such as cucumbers or mini-zucchinis, are planted at the back of the container up against a wall or trellis, medium-height plants in the middle, and shorter plants in the front.

The total number of plants you can fit into a container depends on how much extra work you want to do. For example, you can cram the container chock full of plants if you consistently water and fertilize. More plants dramatically increase the container’s water requirements, and you may need to water up to twice a day during hot months, especially if the location is south facing. Serious container gardeners could consider a drip irrigation system to save effort. With each watering, apply a balanced fertilizer, such as 20-20-20, at one-quarter the recommended strength.

Plant spacing can be adjusted to your needs. The “Square Foot Gardening” system developed by Mel Bartholomew recommends high-density planting in containers while providing ample water and nutrients. You can read more about Mel’s system at squarefootgardening.com, which is based on planting a set number of plants in a square foot of space (900 cm²). For example, each square foot could contain sixteen carrots, six leaf lettuce, nine green onions, or two cucumbers.

Plant breeders continue to develop new varieties of vegetables suited for growing in small spaces or containers, which yield smaller produce that retains the flavour of the original varieties. Just make sure your container’s location matches the sun requirements for each variety.

Gerald Filipski, our regular gardener columnist, suggests taking the time to do your research, and you’ll be harvesting your own produce in a few short months.