Can you maintain a garden even in a tiny space? Living in a small space can definitely limit your options to growing your own food. I personally have lived in a lot of small spaces in my life, but I have come to find that plants, especially the really resilient, hardy ones, don’t need much to thrive and survive. So the answer to that question, is yes, it is possible, as is any thing you set your mind to, but how… let’s find out!

I have had lots of plants, specifically houseplants that thrived well under my care and when you really know what plants need, it is quite simple. If you can provide good light, even with supplemental lights, like grow lights, good airy soil, water, and plant food, aka fertilizer, you will have happy healthy plants!

I haven’t personally taken a gander into growing vegetables myself, but I feel strongly that if I apply the knowledge I’ve gained from the caring of my houseplants I can achieve this goal.

My husband and I are currently living in our 2 bed apartment and it has a decent size patio that I have big plans for this spring and summer! I think a great start for myself and anyone looking to achieve the same goal, is to start with something you can keep up with and remember to maintain! I think what causes failure in caring for plants is not knowing anything about plant care and then taking on too many plants or putting it in a window and completely forgetting about it! Knowing a plants basic needs is so important to keep a happy, healthy plant! I’ve gone to lots and lots of nurseries around my area, and most plants will have some type of care stick in the soil indicating what kind of sun/shade/light it needs, watering, etc., I think that’s a great place to start with any plant you bring home. Once it’s home and in your care, put it somewhere you know you will see it at least once in your day and check on it’s wellbeing.

Now that we know where to start, it’s time to bring home your plant. Maybe just the one you’ve picked up already established or maybe starting from the very beginning, as seeds. As I have stated not knowing much about growing and maintaining veggies and herbs, I believe the basic principles of plant care applies to all. For houseplants and veggies, there are some differences because houseplants are more so domesticated, having adapted to the interior environment of your home. Whereas a good amount of plants producing food or even flowers, require more sunshine. But the one similarity between houseplants and veggie plants, is pests. So be aware and keep your plants properly maintained to as to avoid a pest infestation.

If you are staring your veggie patch from seeds, there are plenty of inexpensive options to get them planted! Some great options for inexpensive containers would be egg cartons, or milk cartons turned horizontally with the top cutout. We’ve all got those in our house pretty often. Another great option would be to go to your local nursery and ask if they have any nursery pots they are about to recycle, a good amount of them will happily pass them along to you. And lastly, hit up your local thrift store and see if you can’t find some ceramic pots or more specifically some terracotta pots. Terracotta is great for outdoor gardens cause they’re inexpensive and because it is a porous, it helps keep plenty of air moving through the roots to ensure that excess moisture isn’t sitting in the soil, therefore avoiding root rot.

After you’ve acquired your containers, planted your seeds in good quality, airy soil, it’s best to place them in a spot, depending on the type of veggies planted, that is either partial shade or full sun. Get yourself a good sized watering can and you’ve got yourself the makings to start growing your own food! With a little research, consistency, and patience you’ll have a very happy little patch of wholesome, nourishing veggies you can feed you and your family with or even share with friends!

I hope you found this post to be insightful and helpful to start your little veggie patch! Thanks for reading! Until next time 😉