Don’t have the space? Try small space gardening

SALT LAKE CITY — Maybe you don’t have room for a full garden, or maybe you just don’t want to bend over all the way to the ground. Either way, there are a lot of benefits to small space gardening. 

What kinds of veggies can grow in pots?

KSL Greenhouse Host Taun Beddes said usually anything that is under three feet can be grown in a pot, given if that pot is big enough. 

“Most of the vegetables that you grow in your garden, there is a version of that vegetable that can be grown in a container, with the exception of maybe like sweet corn.” 

There are lots of patio options available. For a watermelon option, there’s a melon called Mini Love which will produce small personal-sized melons. There’s also Bush Baby zucchini, Patio Snacker cucumbers, Minnesota Midget cantaloupe, and a ton of tomato options including Super Bush. 

What do you need for small space gardening? 

A windowsill, a patio deck, or a balcony where you can put a pot so that it gets sunlight is a great place to put a pot, though be prepared to move it as needed. 

In most cases, the bigger the pot the better. 

“The conventional wisdom in horticulture is they say if you’re growing a tomato, find something that looks big enough and then double the size of the container,” Beddes said. 

Potting soil is also needed, along with the right amount of fertilizer. You don’t want to overdo the fertilizer, but you also don’t want to let it run out. 

There are a few different options when it comes to fertilizer. A nine-month slow release fertilizer will last all season. But if a liquid fertilizer is being used, then once a week is sufficient. 

Lastly, watering can be tricky for potted plants.

One option for watering is a drip system that will continuously water as long as you refill periodically. Another option is a Dramm water breaker, which is a nozzle at the end of the hose that just lets out a gentle stream of water that doesn’t blow the soil or plant out of the pot. 

There are also self watering pots that just need a hose hook up. 

During hot days when the temperatures are in the 90s, you want to make sure they are watered daily. 

Benefits? 

There can be lots of benefits to small space gardening. Some do it because it requires less bending over. But potted plants also don’t require as much weeding as the typical garden does. 

With a little planning ahead, you can also use a rotating system that allows for a fairly large harvest that a bigger garden could produce. So you can get a full harvest without needing all the space. 

Related: When to plant vegetables along the Wasatch Front

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