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How do you design a small vegetable garden? For people who have small spaces, we’re here to help with advice and small-size garden layouts!
Garden planning for a small-space garden is critical as you want minimal wasted space and maximum yield from your harvest.
If your garden is small, it’s important to make the best use of the space you have with clever planting techniques and the right crops. Prioritize crops by choosing to grow only those that you really enjoy eating or that are expensive to buy. Avoid planting large sprawling crops unless they can be trained up a fence or other structure. Use inter-cropping techniques to grow small, fast-growing plants between larger, slower-growing ones, and plan for succession planting so that there is no wasted space.
The benefits of gardening on a small scale are that it’s easy to keep on top of weeds and keep the area looking beautiful. By making space for flowers, you can draw in beneficial insects that will naturally protect your crops from common pests.
1. Small Vegetable Garden Plan (Community Garden)
“Going with mostly container herbs in 2019. Trying flowers. Best results with my jalapenos and onions so they can line the edges. Strawberries are still going strong, so keep them (perennial). And I missed having sunflowers last year, so they’re back.”
Garden Location: Vernon, NJ Garden Size: 11’ 11” x 13’ 11” Garden Type: Community garden Garden Layout: Mix of containers and rows Sun or Shade: Sunny Garden Soil Type: Heavy, clay soil
Garden Location: Michigan Garden Size: 15’ 11” x 17’ 11” Garden Type: Backyard / back garden Garden Layout: Raised Beds Sun or Shade: Sunny Garden Soil Type: Good soil
See the plant list and more details about this garden here.
3. Small Garden Plan: Traditional Rows
“Suggested plot for a family of 4 at St. Mark Church Community Garden Come Grow With Us.”
Garden Location: Pemberton NJ Garden Size: 15’ 11” x 9’ 11” Garden Type: Community garden Garden Layout: Traditional layout - rows etc Sun or Shade: Sunny Garden Soil Type: Good soil
See plant lists and more details about this garden here.
4. Small Garden Plan: Raised Beds
“This is my first real go at a vegetable garden. I am sure it will change as I progress, but this is an exciting start!”
Garden Location: British Columbia, Canada Garden Size: 8’ 11” x 11’ 11” Garden Type: Home garden Garden Layout: Raised Beds Sun or Shade: Sunny Garden Soil Type: Good soil
See the full plant list and more details about this garden here.
Catherine Boeckmann loves nature, stargazing, and gardening so it’s not surprising that she and The Old Farmer’s Almanac found each other. She leads digital content for the Almanac website, and is also a certified master gardener in the state of Indiana. Read More from Catherine Boeckmann
We find that cabbages and lettuce spread out considerably more than we thought. Plant fewer veggies so they can grow more easily ( pumpkins, too, have very long vines).