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There's no denying the advantages of growing your very own vegetable garden. Fresh AND free? That's garden gold right there. Unfortunately, not everyone is blessed with a spacious backyard that has enough room for rows of gardening plots. If you're one of those folks longing for a veggie garden but lacking in space, we've got good news! Growing salad greens and cole crops is super easy in small spaces.
Not everyone gets excited about salads, but we sure do! We don't mean to sound like food snobs, but with limitless ingredients, we're willing to bet most people who don't feel the love for salads just haven't given them a fair chance. With a base of healthy greens as your backdrop, your salad can be piled high with just about anything—including fun stuff like cheese, meat, candied nuts, and fresh or dried fruit.
Plus, salad greens and cole crops aren't reserved only for the salad bowl. They're incredibly versatile, adding color, flavor, and tons of nutrients to sandwiches, pasta, stir-fries, and other dishes. Cole crops, like broccoli, cauliflower, and brussels sprouts can be tossed in any seasoning or sauce and enjoyed on their own! Have you ever had buffalo cauliflower "wings"? If you love spicy foods, you've got to try them—they're absolutely mouth-watering!Here are some of the delicious salad greens and cole crops we carry here at Westwood Gardens that you can grow in spaces of just about any size:
The other benefit of growing salad greens and cole crops is that they're undoubtedly the easiest edibles to grow, both in the garden and in containers. They also tend to be pretty tolerant of the cold weather, so you can get them growing outside in Fayetteville decently early. You can start vegetable seeds either indoors, or plant them directly in the ground. With small spaces in mind, you're likely going to be starting them indoors and transplanting them to a larger container or a small garden bed when the time is right. When you pick up seeds from our garden center, refer to the planting instructions and germination requirements on the back of the seed packet—here, you'll learn how long it takes your seed to germinate, and what conditions are necessary to do so.Something else you'll have to keep in mind is the last predicted frost date for your region. Here in Fayetteville, our last predicted frost date is around April 25th. If you live further south in Arkansas, closer to USDA Zone 6b, your frost date will probably be closer to the first or second week of April.Once you know how long it will take your seed to grow into a seedling and when it's safe to bring it outside, you can determine when you should start your seeds. Keep in mind, the ideal time to start seeds indoors may have already passed, but that doesn't mean it's too late to start them now!After your seedlings have sprung and the risk of a hard frost has passed (many greens can tolerate a light frost!), you can begin the hardening off process, slowly acclimating your seedlings to the outdoors. Then, you can transfer them to larger containers or small garden plots. Provide them with the appropriate amount of sun, water, and fertilizer, and they'll reward you with a hearty harvest!
So we know these crops are easy to grow, but how do you garden in a small space? You don't need a garden plot in the ground to grow veggies! All you need is a container filled with fertile soil and a place to put it.Raised BedsIf you are blessed enough to have a backyard (even a small one), you can easily build a small, raised garden bed to house your crops. Raised garden beds are lifted off the ground and filled with a specific soil mix to suit your unique needs, creating the perfect environment for growing your greens. As a bonus, since they're lifted off the ground, raised beds will keep your seedlings slightly warmer than the rest of your landscape would, so there's a lower risk of frost damage!
Patio ContainersEven those without a backyard at all can grow edibles outdoors. If you've got a small patio or balcony attached to your home, you can grow salad greens and cole crops in medium- to large-sized containers and harvest them steps away from your patio door!
Salad Bowl Gardens You can even grow lettuce, arugula, and other greens in a literal salad bowl garden! Simply plant them right in your salad bowl (although preferably not the one you plan to eat them out of). If your salad bowl isn't quite big enough, any bowl-shaped container will do, and it'll look super cute! It's best to grow veggies outside where they can get lots of sun, but for salad greens, placing your salad bowl garden near a large, sunny window inside can work, too.
Hanging BasketsStill struggling with limited space? Try looking up! Hanging baskets aren't just a super convenient way to fill up dead space; they're also a trending gardening style. If you want to savor what little floor space you have for you and your family to enjoy, grow vegetables from above instead. You can hang them from your porch overhang or roof, posts, or even special hooks designed specifically for hanging baskets. You can bring hanging baskets inside, too, but the upper corners of your kitchen probably don't get quite enough sun for vegetables to flourish.
Wall Planters No patio? No worries! Wall planters are another up-and-coming trend for 2020, and you can grow salad greens and herbs in them for a beautiful living wall effect. These containers can be attached to any wall, inside or out, housing your plants and veggies in even the smallest of spaces. You can go for a single-plant wall planter, or opt for a cute trough-style container instead—do a quick search on Pinterest to get some ideas! Either way, wall planters will allow you to grow your greens while also adding a point of interest to your modest outdoor space.
Everyone deserves access to fresh, home-grown veggies, regardless of their living situation. Whether you've got an acre of land or a tiny townhouse in the city, there's something for you! We hope you've found some inspiration with our small space suggestions; if so, don't hesitate to visit one of our four Westwood Garden locations in Fayetteville, Rogers, and Springdale, to get your mini-veggie garden started![/fusion_text][/fusion_builder_column][/fusion_builder_row][/fusion_builder_container]
