One of my favorite things to talk about is how to start an urban vegetable garden! And that’s because there are so many possibilities – different garden layouts, different veggies, and different growing zones. But the one thing that all small space gardens have in common is that you have to find ways to maximize space! So today I’m sharing with you my 8 steps for starting a vegetable garden in small spaces!
- Look up the rules & regulations
- Find out your hardiness zone
- Research small space gardening techniques
- Allocate your gardening space
- Decide what to grow
- Map out your plants
- Plant your garden
- Maintain your garden
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There’s an old saying that goes – if you fail to plan, you plan to fail! And that is very true when it comes to gardening.
Sure, you can just grab some plants from the garden center – but how do you know if they grow well in your zone? And of course, you can plant out some fruit trees in your front yard – but what if the county makes you rip them up later?
By taking just a few easy steps to plan out your suburban vegetable garden, you can save yourself tons of headache and a lot of money!
And for more gardening resources, get access to our free gardening resource library! It will help you fast track your garden and it only takes 5 seconds!
1. Look up the rules & regulations
Oh the rules and regulations.
I know, not the most fun to talk about – but super important when it comes to gardening in the suburbs!
Let me give you an example. In the neighborhood I live in there’s a Home Owner’s Association – icky, I know.
But since I knew they don’t allow vegetables to be planted in the ground, I built my raised beds. My neighbor down the street didn’t bother to do her research. So she planted her tomatoes on the side of her house – straight into the dirt.
A couple months later she has beautiful red tomatoes – and a nasty letter from the HOA telling her to rip them out!
That’s why it’s so important to know the rules wherever you live. The county rules, city regulations, and even the community bylaws.
Plus, it really doesn’t take that much time to do a bit of research. And then if you do have some regulations where you live, you can figure out how to get around them! 😛
One of my favorite workarounds is raised bed gardening. This allows you to still plant where you want, but with a few tweaks.
Another workaround I love is planting herbs instead of traditional landscaping. Most people won’t know the difference and they still look good!
2. Find out your hardiness zone
Your hardiness zone is one of those things that you absolutely need to know when it comes to gardening – no matter how much space you have!
And if you don’t know what zone you’re in, there’s a good chance your plants might not survive.
Think of it this way – certain plants won’t do well below a certain temperature. And certain places are constantly dropping into really low temps.
Wouldn’t you want to know which plants match up with the region you live in? I know I do.
Plus, once you know your hardiness zone the fun part begins – figuring out which veggies will thrive in your area!
Say goodbye to killing plants all the time, and hello to plants that want to grow!
And remember, just because they sell it at the local garden center doesn’t mean it will actually grow well in your area. Big box store garden centers will sell whatever know people will buy – so don’t give in!
I’ve seen things like pear trees for sale at my local nursery – and that doesn’t grow in my zone!
This is why knowing your hardiness zone and what grows in it is so important!
Psst…want to fast track your garden? Get access to my FREE gardening resource library and start maximizing your garden today!
3. Research small space gardening techniques
If you’re tight on space then maximizing the space you already have is essential.
And you’re in luck! Because there are tons of ways to grow food in small spaces.
These will not only save you space, but they can make your garden produce better too. Here are some of my favorite space saving growing methods!
- Vertical gardening – choosing plants that can grow up a trellis to grow upwards instead of taking up valuable soil space
- Companion planting – planting things that grow well together and benefit each other. For example, grow tomatoes up a trellis and herbs underneath for pest control!
- Square foot gardening – basically you divide up your entire space into square foot boxes and then calculate how many of a certain plant can fit in that one box – for example, 1 tomato per square foot, or 9 bean plants per square foot
And the best part about these is that you can use multiple techniques at once. I use all three to create a space-efficient garden and grow tons of veggies every season – which I show you exactly how to do in my Starting Your Urban Vegetable Garden workbook!
4. Allocate your gardening space
Okay so now it’s time to actually design your garden!
Start by measuring out the existing space you have – and don’t worry if it doesn’t seem like much. Using the space saving techniques in #3 you can always find a way to make it work!
With the existing space you have, think about: do you want to dedicate all of it to a garden? What about half?
Ideally it should be a space that receives lots of light, but don’t worry too much if there’s some hours of shade.
Then think about what you want to include – raised beds, a compost bin, maybe even a bird bath? And then draw it out to get the perfect layout!
In the past I’ve spent hours on my garden layout – finding inspiration, thinking about what features to include. But it doesn’t have to be that complicated.
Start with some scratch paper and a pencil. Use your inspiration photos and get creative!
And if you want a step-by-step guide on designing your perfect layout, I’ve included an entire chapter in my Starting Your Urban Vegetable Garden workbook! There’s even a few sample layouts for an average size backyard.
5. Decide what to grow
The possibilities are endless when it comes to what you can grow!
And I know that when I first started out, I was a little overwhelmed – I wanted to grow everything! And I still do.
But the first step is to find out what grows well in your area. And then decide on the veggies and herbs you use the most. Because trust me, there’s no fun in harvesting veggies you don’t actually like!
Within those types of plants there are so many varieties sometimes it can be hard to choose.
But start with a few and later on you can always branch out into new varieties or new crops altogether. For example, one of my gardening goals every season is to include a new variety I’ve never grown before!
That’s how I’ve been able to try out so many types of tomatoes – and find my favorites!
And if you end up growing something you weren’t a fan of, that’s ok – you can always switch it up next season!
6. Map out your plants
Once you have all the varieties you want to grow, it’s time to figure out where they’ll grow best!
Take a look at your garden space – does it get full sun? Are there some parts that are completely shaded out? You’ll want to match those areas up with plants that grow well in those conditions.
For example, I have a space in my garden that gets shaded out by a huge tree for most of the day. Instead of removing the tree, I plant salad greens and other shade-loving veggies in that space!
And by doing this on paper first, you’ll save yourself the heartbreak when those veggies die!
Start with a list of everything you’re growing, and a drawing of your garden. Then play around with what grows well in certain areas.
And don’t forget to take into consideration what can grow vertically to save space!
Mix that in with square foot gardening and companion plants and you’ll have a great garden map in no time!
7. Plant your garden
Now for the best part – planting!
It’s time to take your list of veggies and herbs to the garden center and get yourself a few seedlings to plant out in your garden!
You can also start with seeds, but for the beginner gardener I would highly recommend buying seedlings as it’s less complicated.
Look for seedlings that are green and healthy, and don’t forget to check the underside of the pot. If they have tons of roots coming out of the drainage holes that’s a sign that the seedling is a bit overgrown.
You’re looking for seedlings that have healthy roots and no dead foliage.
Once you have all your seedlings (or seeds) you can lay them out in the garden according to your planting map. And if you notice anything that needs to be switched around (too much shade or something), go ahead and re-organize before you plant.
Then, once you’ve planted your seedlings don’t forget these steps to take after planting!
8. Maintain Your Garden
After you planted your garden and watered in your seedlings, you’re still not done! Your garden needs to be taken care of on a regular basis if you want to keep it healthy!
Remember, a garden is a living thing and will need to be fed and watered just like any other living body! So regular maintenance is a key part of starting an urban vegetable garden.
And yes, this can take up some time, but having a set list of things to do on a daily, weekly, or seasonal basis really helps!
I do have an entire list of gardening tasks, but here are a few weekly gardening chores to get you started!
- Adjust the watering as needed – whether you’re manually watering your plants or you have a drip irrigation system in place, take a step back every week to check if you are overwatering or underwatering you plants. Some signs to look for are yellow or brown leaves and soggy or dry soil
- Check for signs of pests and disease – look for signs like holes in leaves, brown/yellow leaves, flowers dropping without producing fruit, and active creepy crawlies on your plants
- Trellis and clean up the garden – keeping the garden clean will prevent pests and disease since there are less places for pests to hide, and more aeration to stop the spread of diseases
best beginner vegetables
Some things are just easier to grow than others. And some crops just take less time! So for beginner gardeners, the veggies listed below are the best to start with in my opinion!
- Salad greens – most salad greens grow quickly and don’t need too much attention, making them perfect for a beginner gardener!
- Radishes – radishes have a 3-4 week turn around time so before you know it you’ll be harvesting some for a salad! Plus they are pretty frost tolerant if you live in a colder growing zone
- Tomatoes – tomatoes are my favorite thing to grow because they’re so versatile! They are also self-pollinating so it’s rare to not get a harvest!
- Bush beans – bush beans grow without the need for trellising and they don’t take long at all. Plus one plant gives off tons of beans and they’re super easy to save seeds from!
What month should I start my vegetable garden?
Generally gardeners start their vegetable gardens for the season in March, April, and May. But when you should start your vegetable garden depends on your hardiness zone.
You should check your last frost date for your growing zone and plant out your seeds and seedlings according to their requirements.
For example, radishes can be started before your last frost date, but heat-loving vegetables like tomatoes and okra will need to be planted once the soil temperatures rise.
And if you want to extend your growing season, look into growing vegetables that are frost-tolerant and ones that can take the heat! These will need to be planted at different times of the year, but it’s well worth the effort.
I hope this was super helpful! And for more gardening resources, get access to our free gardening resource library! It will help you fast track your garden and it only takes 5 seconds!
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