Earth up potatoes
If you’ve planted some early potatoes, they will soon start to emerge. Keep burying them in
soil for a few weeks to establish healthy plants and deep
roots which are safe from light. You may end up with quite pronounced trenches between rows.
Extend the Growning Season
Start early in the spring by sowing salad plants under cloches and frames. If you have a greenhouse, conservatory or sunny windowsill sow indoors and grow plants on ready for planting out when the
soil warms up.
Sow
seed in September for
overwintering salads. Suitable crops include winter hardy cultivars of
lettuce or spinach, or try Oriental greens such as mizuna, rocket and also claytonia, corn salad and sorrel.
Herbs such as chives, mint, marjoram, parsley, or tarragon grown outdoors can be potted up and brought in for the winter. Plants can be kept on a windowsill or in a greenhouse or conservatory.
Gardening in a Small Space
(efficient)Using space efficiently in a small garden takes a little extra planning. First, try to plant space-efficient and continuous-bearing varieties. Study
seed catalogs and
seed packets which highlight varieties with compact growth habits and good yields. Avoid sprawling vines or use trellises or other vertical growing systems - grow up not out. Plant pole
beans rather than bush
beans, for example.
Practice succession planting to get more than one crop in the same space. Plant an early spring crop of peas, for example, and once they’re harvested, dig the vines under and plant a crop of Swiss chard.
Practice interplanting – planting two or more crops together which have different growth habits, and can therefore be planted closely together without competing for sun, water, or nutrients. Tomatoes, peppers, and basil are a good combination.
Lettuce and radishes also work well interplanted.
Patio or Balcony Garden
If you live in an apartment, you can still have a nice balcony or patio garden. Plant vegetables in pots and make use of vertical space. Grow “up and down” – use pots with trellises to grow up, and hanging pots to grow down, increasing your growing space. You’ll be amazed at how many vegetables you can grow!
Which Vegetables Should I Plant?
If space is limited, plant vegetables that:
- are your favourites
- don’t take up much space
- can’t easily be purchased locally from an
organic market
Vegetables that take up a lot of space include sweet corn and winter squash. Vegetables that can often be purchased locally and are not expensive include
organic carrots, potatoes, and onions.