Summary
Ever thought about turning your tiny balcony or small patio into a lush green oasis? This post will walk you through different ways to garden in small spaces using creative containers. From vertical gardening to recycled plastics, I’ll break down all the methods you can use to grow your own food—even if you’re working with just a few square feet. Get ready to think outside the (planter) box and bring some greenery to your compact space!
Table of Contents
- Gardening in a Small Space
- Vertical Gardening
- Gardening Towers
- Hung Pouch Gardening
- Grow Bags
- Recycled Plastics
- Regular Containers/Plant Stands
Gardening in a Small Space
Did you know you could grow your own food in a space as small as 4 square feet? Wild, I know! I honestly had no idea this was possible until I started experimenting.
I always dreamed of growing my own food but thought it was out of reach as I live in an apartment with no access to a backyard. Then I discovered container gardening; container gardening is essentially the practice of growing pretty much everything that you can grow in the ground, inside of a container. Yes, there are limitations, but there are limitations to every form of gardening whether it’s because of your climate zone or because of the soil in your area. Read more about you need to start container gardening here.
There are different ways to container garden, below is an essential guide on the different kinds of containers and which might work best for you.
Gardening Towers
Let’s start out with the simplest of them all: Gardening Towers. Over the years the popularity in gardening towers has tremendously grown and honestly, I can see why, even though I am not the biggest fan of these for aesthetic purposes.
Gardening towers are vertical growing towers that usually have a space in the middle for you to compost directly in, while having multiple openings around this central area for you to plant up to 50 plants. Although some gardening towers can be quite expensive, there are simpler ones that are just stackable planters. These stackable planters, although cheaper, are functional and save a lot of space but don’t usually include the composting area in the middle.
Example:
- The Garden Tower 2 by Garden Tower Projects allows you to grow 50 plants and compost in only 4 square feet of space.
Downsides:
- Can be expensive.
- May require some DIY adjustments for composting features.
Hung Pouch Gardening
Another popular vertical gardening technique is using wall planters. Now I am sure you have seen some sort of wall planter, they have a lot of fancy ones and I usually spot some of them while walking around Marshalls or TJ Maxx.
The ones I am referring to here, however, are the pouch wall planters. They are usually made out of fabric and come in a variety of sizes.
Benefits:
- Inexpensive way to grow multiple plants.
- Fabric material helps with drainage, a common container gardening issue.
- Great for growing herbs, which are easy to start with.
Where to Find Them:
- Amazon or online stores.
- Occasionally at local garden centers.
Grow Bags
Grow bags have taken the internet by storm. Similar to the wall pouches they are made of fabric, however, they are a lot larger than the wall pouches and are not able to be put up on a wall.
Features:
- Sizes range from 1-gallon to 20-gallon bags.
- Excellent for drainage and airflow to roots (prevents root binding).
- Inexpensive and versatile.
What to Grow in Them:
- Root vegetables.
- Dwarf fruit trees.
Recycled Plastics
This one is controversial as people have a lot to say about growing in plastic due to microplastics possibly transferring into the plants as they feed via their roots.
However, I think gardening with recycled plastics is effective and a great way to help the planet.
Things to Keep in Mind:
- Ensure plastics are food-safe (look for labels).
- Drill drainage holes at the bottom to prevent root rot.
- Consider painting plastics black to prevent algae growth from sunlight exposure.
This form of container gardening is honestly my favorite because I can use my empty water bottles and it allows me to get creative while saving money. Below are the food-safe labels you are looking for when gardening with recycled plastics:
Regular Containers/Plant Stands
Regular containers are also an option. You would think that as container gardeners, regular containers would be the only and top option. But as we have seen here, there are various forms of container gardening. Either way, regular containers are still a viable option and can be easily found anywhere. I will also add nursery containers to this space as they can be found for very cheap on Facebook marketplace or from local nurseries, just keep in mind they are not the most appealing.
Pros:
- Excellent choice for rented spaces.
- Come in a variety of materials (plastic, ceramic, etc.).
Cons:
- Not very space-efficient.
- Can get pricey.
If you are looking for a cost-effective and space-saving option for container gardening, regular containers may not be the best option for you, but they are still worth looking into.
Ready to turn your tiny space into a lush, green paradise? You don’t need a backyard—or even a big balcony—to start growing your own food. All you need is a little creativity, some sunshine, and one of the methods we’ve covered here.
Curious about setting up your space? Check out my article here where I break down how I’ve maximized my balcony for container gardening.
