• Home
  • Get to Know Me
  • Blog Topics
    • Backyard Garden
    • Homestead Animals
    • Real Food
    • Simple Living
  • Contribute
  • Contact Me
  • Nav Social Menu

    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • YouTube

The 104 Homestead

Homestead where you live.

We are a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for us to earn fees by linking to Amazon.com and affiliated sites.

By Jessica Lane | Last updated on February 4, 2017

Small Space Vegetable Gardening

Check your inbox!

Subscribe to The Homestead Helper, a monthly(ish) homesteading newsletter, to get your Printable Seed Packets


Heads up! I link to products and services that I love from time to time. More often than not I have an affiliate relationship with these providers. What does that mean? I might make a small percentage from any purchases you make, but don't worry, you won't pay even a penny more. Thanks for supporting The 104 Homestead. You can see our full disclosure statement here.

  • 226shares
  • Pinterest
  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • Reddit
  • WhatsApp
  • Share

My property is just under 1/4 acre and it is forced to fulfill many purposes. The buildings alone take up a third of the area and the rest has to occupy poultry, children’s toys and still offer space for my flower gardens. That is a lot of work for a small space. However, I can still produce a lot of food for my family and customers. It simply takes some planning and innovation.

Discover ways to vegetable garden in a small space. With a little creativity and ingenuity, you can provide food for your family even in the smallest of small spaces.

If you haven’t read the books Mini Farming: Self-Sufficiency on 1/4 Acre and Maximizing Your Mini Farm, then I highly recommend them. The author, Brett Markham, has created the homestead that I dream of on the same amount of land that I have. Not only that, but he’s located in New England so he conquers the short growing seasons with finesse.

Planning for a Small Space

The way to be successful, as mentioned before, is to plan. Spend time researching new and innovative ways to grow your food in smaller spaces. Just today someone sent me a Pinterest link about a neat way to grow pumpkins in a small area. Not only was that a genius idea but while looking at the picture I found myself thinking I could put some shade tolerant herbs under there.

A neat way to grow pumpkins in a small space.

Click to see the pin.

Vertical Gardens Expand a Small Space

Much like my pumpkin dream, vertical gardens are a wonderful option. Vertical gardens grow up instead of out, saving on space. Some benefits of growing vertically include easier pest control, less waste since ripe produce is more visible, and harvesting is super easy on your back. Tomatoes, gourds, melons and vining vegetables are just a few things you can grow vertically.

Utilizing Container Gardens

Container gardens are perfect when you only have a porch or patio, or you are trying to grow foods that aren’t meant for your gardening zone. Container gardens may also be your saving grace if you rent from a landlord who would prefer you not dig holes in the lawn. A bonus to container gardening versus in-ground gardening is that you have a lot more control over the soil conditions.

Embrace the Space You’ve Got

If you have a lot of trees on your property, you can choose shade-tolerant plants for those less than ideal locations. Straw bales are a great way to grow produce if you have poor quality soil or even no soil at all. Yup, straw bale gardens can even be set up in the corner of your driveway or on a concrete slab. I have heard wonderful things about strawberry yields in straw bale gardens.

Additional Reading Resources

Grow Great Grub: Organic Food in Small Spaces by Gayla Trail
Small-Space Container Gardens by Fern Richardson
Vertical Vegetables & Fruits by Rhonda Massingham Hart

Great Tools for Small Space Gardening

Tierra Garden 3-Pack Haxnicks Tomato Patio Planter
Akro-Mils Stack-A-Pots

Discover ways to vegetable garden in a small space. With a little creativity and ingenuity, you can provide food for your family even in the smallest of small spaces.

You May Also Like

  • There’s No Reason to NOT be Growing FoodThere’s No Reason to NOT be Growing Food
  • How to Grow Indoor Fruits, Vegetables & HerbsHow to Grow Indoor Fruits, Vegetables & Herbs
  • Your Guide to Healthy HouseplantsYour Guide to Healthy Houseplants
  • Repairing Damaged SoilRepairing Damaged Soil
  • 226shares
  • Pinterest
  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • Reddit
  • WhatsApp
  • Share
The following two tabs change content below.
  • Bio
  • Latest Posts
My Twitter profileMy Facebook profileMy Google+ profileMy Instagram profileMy Pinterest profile

Jessica Lane

I am a non-traditional homesteader. What is a non-traditional homesteader? I'd like to think we are the people who don't fit the mold. I am a busy mom on a small bit of property with not a lot of financial resources, but I am figuring out how to live the life I want. A homesteader's life.
My Twitter profileMy Facebook profileMy Google+ profileMy Instagram profileMy Pinterest profile

Latest posts by Jessica Lane (see all)

  • Burn Barrel 101: Why You Need One on Your Homestead - November 24, 2020
  • How to Incubate and Brood Coturnix Quail - October 1, 2020
  • Can You Freeze Spaghetti Squash? Yes! Here’s How - October 1, 2020
  • The Big List of Chicken-Safe Plants for In & Around Your Coop - October 1, 2020
  • Help Livestock Deal with Summer Heat on the Homestead - March 25, 2020

Filed Under: Backyard Garden Tagged With: Getting Started Gardening

Subscribe

Thank you! You will receive an email in your inbox shortly to confirm your subscription.

Subscribe to The Homestead Helper and receive a copy of my new book, Welcome to the World of Homesteading, your guide to setting attainable homesteading goals. If I can homestead where I live, what's stopping you?

Previous Post: « Line Drying Clothes in Winter
Next Post: A Simple Trick for Great Tasting Goat’s Milk »

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Stella Lane says

    July 18, 2018 at 8:28 am

    Vertical gardens are the great solution for everything. They don’t need much space but they give you the comfort.
    I bought and installed a vertical garden 2 months ago and I’m very satisfied. I bought it from this supplier:https://elmich.com.au/ 

    Reply
  2. Mike the Gardener says

    June 15, 2016 at 4:15 pm

    I have all kinds of vertical gardening going on as well as containers. People that say they don’t have enough room to garden, are just making excuses not to garden.

    Reply
    • Jessica Lane says

      July 3, 2016 at 9:25 pm

      Exactly! Where there is a will there is a way.

      Reply
  3. Almas.Nathoo says

    January 17, 2016 at 11:37 am

    almas.
    Thanks I have same amount of land and I am doing the same. I am learning a lot from your website. Of course I get all my food from my garden. Keep sending interesting news from your end.
    thanks
    almas.

    Reply
  4. Shelley says

    February 11, 2015 at 4:23 pm

    Great article! I have about the same amount of space as you. We have most of our yard covered in gardens and do a lot of vertical growing. I’m always looking for ways to put more in.

    Reply
  5. Dee Petty says

    February 10, 2015 at 10:52 pm

    Enjoy country & gardening

    Reply

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published.

Recipe Rating




This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

Primary Sidebar

Welcome!

My name is Jessica Lane. I live a nearly self-sufficient lifestyle with my three beautiful children on 5 1/2 acres in Maine. We raise Nigerian Dwarf goats, ducks, and chickens, and we grow as much food as we can. What we can’t grow or produce ourselves we barter for. If we can homestead where we live, what’s stopping you?

Read More

Search This Site

Now Trending

I love the simplicity of these crochet Christmas ornaments. It’s perfect to add a little something extra to your tree. Enjoy DIYing your holiday season.

Easy DIY Crochet Christmas Ornaments

Native bee populations are suffering.They refer to it as Colony Collapse Disorder. You can help by planting native bee-friendly flowers.

A Meadow of Bee-Friendly Flowers

With a small flock of free range chickens, it's easy to shovel a small area for the chickens to graze. With a larger flock, it's harder to supply adequate space.

Where to Free Range Chickens in Winter

Keep In Touch

  • 68,161 Pinteresting Followers
  • 26,314 Facebook Friends
  • 4,986 Twitastic Friends
  • 2,446 InstaBuddies
  • 245 Subscribers

Psst! I Sell Holistic Goat Treats

  • Home
  • Homestead Living
  • Real Food
  • Homestead Animals
  • Gardening & Outdoors
  • Inspiring Homesteads

Footer

Disclaimer

I am not a doctor, lawyer, veterinarian or Martha Stewart. Please use the knowledge acquired from this site responsibly.

See Our Privacy Policy

Disclosure

We are a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for us to earn fees by linking to Amazon.com and affiliated sites.

Work With Me

Become a Contributor/Guest Writer
Advertise on The 104 Homestead
Contact Me

  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Pinterest
  • Twitter
  • YouTube
Homemade pizza and game night. I love this time wi Homemade pizza and game night. I love this time with my boys. #makingmemories❤️ #homemadepizza🍕 #qualitytime #farmlife #homesteadingit #lifeouthere #homestead #simpleliving #homesteading #nothingisordinary #instagood #farmlifebestlife #thehomegrownlife #farmlove #farmliving #familyfarm #sustainability #homesteadlife #consciousliving #selfreliant PS: My oven is permanently stained. It's not really that gross 😆
Little kitten face is helping me grade my son's al Little kitten face is helping me grade my son's algebra work. She's so helpful! #catsofinstagram #kittenlove #homeschoollife #kittenlife
Hecks yeahs! 🍌 🍞 (I didn't cut it lol) Hecks yeahs! 🍌 🍞 (I didn't cut it lol)
I don't know this for sure, but I feel like the mi I don't know this for sure, but I feel like the mister buys bananas purely because he knows when I spot them over ripening on the counter, I'll make banana bread. Never seen him actually eat one. I feel there's a banana conspiracy happening here. It's all good though... I ♥️ 🍌 🍞 #bananabread #breakfastofchampions #homebakingrocks #nooldbananas
These two warm my heart. Working animals at rest. These two warm my heart. Working animals at rest. They have such an amazing bond. #lgd #barncat #farmdog #homesteadingit
Working on some face scrubbies. Pattern is a free Working on some face scrubbies. Pattern is a free download on ravelry thanks to @stitchedupcraft #crochetersofinstagram #winterproject #happyhooker #homesteadingit #makeityourself
Load More... Follow on Instagram
© 2013-2020 Jessica Lane of The 104 Homestead