Different Ways to Garden in Smaller Spaces

Almost everyone has the desire to garden—to plant a seed and watch it flourish and grow. But the inclination doesn’t always come with the space or land to do it. Fortunately, there are different ways to give your green thumb a workout without a big backyard or even soil. Check out these different ways to garden in smaller spaces.
Raised Beds
Whether your home has a small backyard, no backyard, or soil that’s unfriendly to plants, raised beds can help you rise above it all. It’s easy to build simple boxes from cedar or redwood and a few screws and nails (you can use pine, too, but it won’t last as long outdoors). You can set raised beds on the ground and line them with landscape fabric to prevent weeds from growing through, or you can build them at waist level, which takes much of the back-breaking bending out of gardening. Most plants can thrive in raised beds, but you should consider size and weight when building the bed.
Hydroponic Gardening
If you want to garden but don’t like being at the whim of the seasons and weather, bring your garden indoors. Hydroponics gardening systems permit you to raise fruits, vegetables, herbs, flowers, and other plants inside all year round. While hydroponic systems use different methods to grow your plants—from simple wick systems to more elaborate aeroponics systems—they all work by delivering nutrition through water rather than dirt. This method also allows you to grow more in a smaller space and is better for the environment since it uses less water and doesn’t deplete topsoil. And you can enjoy fresh produce all year long!
Windowsill Gardens
Apartment and high-rise living can be great, but if you feel the need to return to the land, windowsill gardens can facilitate your efforts by bringing the land to you. Whether you hang one inside or outside a window, your plants can get the full benefits of natural light. Be sure to secure the windowsill planter safely and consider keeping it in the kitchen so that you can have ready access to the herbs, lettuce, or any other plants you grow there.
Vertical Thinking
When thinking of different ways to garden in smaller spaces, don’t always think “flat,” think “up.” If you don’t have much dirt but do have a gate or wall in your backyard, use it to create a hanging garden. You can bolt long and rectangular planters to a vertical space and use them to grow just about anything. Canvas shoe organizers are a popular way to create a hanging garden with separate spaces for plants. Likewise, you might rig a leaning pallet to hold pots and planters. Think outside the box by using rain gutters and other uncommon building materials as planters as well! Let your imagination go and grow!