Creative Ways to Garden on a Small Lot
Think you’re too low on land to grow a successful garden? Think again!
With outdoor space and sustainability top of mind for new homeowners, vegetable and flower gardens are on the rise. But in today’s competitive market, sometimes lot size falls into the “compromise” category once all is said and done. While some take advantage of new technology and try out hydroponic gardening, others are hesitant to drop the cash and square footage on this recent trend. Fortunately, there are plenty of low-cost, creative strategies for creating a productive and beautiful garden on a small lot.
Vertical Gardening
When in doubt, look up! Space exponentially increases when you begin integrating vertical opportunities. Look to patio walls, fence space, and standalone structures where you could implement planter sections. For example, repurpose a shipping pallet into a fresh herb or succulent garden and position it in a convenient space of your yard. After soil and plants are in, the pallets can feel particularly heavy, but this option does still allow for some flexibility and comparative ease of transport.
Vertical space also comes into play with strategies like hanging pots, installing boxes on fence posts, and incorporating gutter structures. Always wanted to grow your own veggies? Vining crops like pole beans and squash can require minimal ground space and grow upward on a trellis, which can double as a walkway or fence decor. The possibilities are endless!
Window Boxes
Whether you opt for an outdoor garden or a little selection right inside your windowsill, window boxes are a great option for decorating and growing all at once! Exterior window boxes generally attach to utilize vertical space outdoors, saving exterior square footage while adding a special something to the view out the window.
Especially popular with flower gardeners, window boxes are handy additions to the yard and decor year after year! Always running out of your favorite herbs? Grow them yourself right out your kitchen window, snip as needed, and never compromise on flavor or freshness.
Cans and Jars
If reusing and keeping materials sustainable - as well as affordable - is your focus, try reusing cans and jars as mini planters. A few screws can attach them to walls and fences, or you can cluster them on upcycled outdoor furniture for a fresh take on raised beds. Be sure to create holes in the bottom of used cans or jars before planting in them to ensure proper drainage, and keep an eye on plant sizes to re-pot when necessary and keep them growing!
Mini Raised Beds
Build small (2X2) raised beds and plant strategically to yield your favorite herb, vegetable, and fruit crops. You can even use buckets or large planters as homes to your veggie garden. Just read seed packets to understand space requirements!
Have a retaining wall, yard feature, or patio section using cinder blocks for structure? The holes in cinder blocks make a pleasantly unexpected space for growing herbs, flowers, and smaller veggies. One take on square-foot gardening, this micro approach to sustainability yields impressive results while repurposing already-existing yard features.
Key Considerations
When choosing the placement of your garden, consider the basics: soil and sunlight. How many hours a day does each section of your yard receive direct sun? The crops and flowers you can plant will depend largely on sunlight levels, but that doesn’t mean a shady yard is a no-go. Seed packets and plant care instructions will name “partial sun/shade” if a plant doesn’t need many hours of sun each day.
Depending on your region and where you’re planting, purchasing soil will likely be a necessity. The type of soil needed depends on your gardening goals: transplanting veggies requires different soil than sowing vegetables from seed, and flowers will thrive in a slightly different mix.
Have your eye on the perfect lot for your dream home? Atmos can help make that dream a reality with a smooth, expert-led experience. Start building today!
