Space Saving Vegetable Gardening Tips

Don’t panic if your garden plans are bigger than the available planting space. I have some space saving techniques that can help you get the most out of your landscape.

Try planting short season crops like radishes and beets between long season crops like cabbages, broccoli, tomatoes and peppers. The short season plants will be ready for harvest just about the time the long season plants need the extra space.

Grow several crops in the same space throughout the season. Match the planting with the climate. Grow radishes, lettuce, spinach, and other cool season plants during cooler weather. Harvest and replace these with warm season vegetables like beans, cucumbers, and tomatoes as the air and soil temperatures rise.

And consider going vertical. Grow pole beans, cucumbers, and other vine crops on fences, trellises, and other vertical structures. This not only saves space, but reduces disease problems and makes harvesting easier.

A bit more information: Add a few containers to brighten patios, decks, and balconies and keep fresh-from-the-garden ingredients right outside your door or next to the grill. Many of the new vegetable cultivars like Hansel and Gretel eggplant, Cajun bell pepper and Lizzano tomato are attractive and suited to containers. Combine them with tri-color sage, curly parsley or variegated thyme and colorful annuals for added appeal. Flowers, herb, and vegetable combinations make beautiful and edible additions to any size landscape.