Growing High Yielding Crops in Limited Areas
In small gardens space is at a premium, and growing crops that maximize production is key to a successful harvest. High production crops not only yield more in volume and weight, but they also take into account other factors such as the space they occupy, their harvest times, and their time to maturity.
By planting crops that yield a heavy harvest relative to the small amount of space they take up, such as jalapenos, or those that produce their harvest in a short amount of time, freeing up garden space for another planting, like bush beans or squash, you can increase the productivity of your garden.
For a high production garden, consider the following crops:
Long Season Crops:
These crops produce a harvest over a long period in a season, and include options such as indeterminate tomatoes, peppers, cucumbers, and pole beans.
Quick Harvesting Crops:
Harvests that come to maturity quickly, like determinate tomatoes, lettuce and salad greens, bush beans, dwarf snap peas, and squash/zucchini, are perfect for small garden spaces. They allow for succession planting, providing two or more harvests from the same space.
Crops to Avoid in a Small Garden Space:
In small spaces, it is best to avoid crops that take up a lot of space and yield poorly, such as dry beans, shelling peas, corn, broccoli, and cabbage. These crops either require too much space or yield only one head per plant, making them l poor choices for small gardens.
However, if you have a love for these crops, consider planting them in the fall when garden space is not at a premium.
For a more in-depth discussion on high production crops and finding ways to grow other crops in small spaces without sacrificing premium space, check out the recent podcast episode on the Beginner's Garden Podcast.
In small gardens, maximizing the limited space is crucial for a bountiful harvest. By growing high production crops, utilizing vertical space, and practicing succession planting, gardeners can produce more food while making the most of their space. With careful planning and strategy, a small garden can become a productive and rewarding source of fresh produce.
- To make the most of a small garden, listeners can tune into the 'Beginner's Garden Podcast' for advice on growing high production crops, such as jalapenos, bush beans, and squash/zucchini, which are ideal for small spaces due to their quick harvest times and space efficiency.
- For gardeners looking to add more variety to their produce, garden printables offering suggestions for planting gardens with a limited amount of space can be helpful resources, guiding them on what crops to grow, such as indeterminate tomatoes and determinate tomatoes, and which ones to avoid, like dry beans and cabbage.
- In small garden spaces, successful productivity not only depends on growing high production crops like peppers and cucumbers but also on efficient lifestyle choices, such as home-and-garden design with an emphasis on vertical gardening and succession planting, allowing gardeners to enjoy a broader selection of fresh produce while making optimal use of their limited garden space.
