Tiny Garden - Most (food) Bang For My Buck

ceridwen

I have a positively teensy garden and have had sporadic attempts at growing food in it. Unfortunately - for starters - everything has to be in containers.

I want the highest amount possible of food to be produced from my tiny space (and to this end have been buying some straight-sided containers even - to literally utilise every single inch as far as possible).

I have the Square Foot Gardening books and am now wondering whats best to grow in my tiny space. I am thinking of both conventional food crops and wild foods (as I gather they are better able to "look after themselves" than typical food crops).

The space I have available is only:
13' x 7'8" (much of which spends a significant part of the day in shade - and I have a waterbutt and mini table/chairs for 2 in that part)

and

a space 7'11" x 5'3" (aka "the sunny bit")

I've been scanning a book re growing wild food in a tiny garden and wont bother with things like nettles (I'm planning on "encouraging" nearby ones on waste ground) or dandelions (dont like them).

I'm thinking so far around:

WILD FOOD
Marsh Mallow
Sea Beet
Wintercress
Salad burnet
Ox-eye daisy (the wild version - errr...could do with knowing the Latin name of this if anyone knows it please)
Ramsons
Three Cornered Leek
Chickweed
Lambs lettuce
Shepherds purse
Blackberry (I've got one in a pot anyway and am hoping it will come to something)

(I presume all the above will be okay in containers and I note Three Cornered Leek and Ramsons apparently like shade - so good for my larger area).

Re more "standard" food crops I'm thinking:
Tomatoes
Peppers
Potatoes (which I think are okay with shade?)
Nasturtium

Anyone else with a similar set-up and wanting to get the most food out of their tiny space? What are you doing?

jamanda

What about a few of those fruit trees which are just a stick? I think they are called "minarette" or something, and you could underplant them with something else because they wouldn't shade much.

sunflower76

I would be looking to grow either things that give the highest yield height wise or those that are expensive to grow or taste much better really fresh.

Height wise, I'd say runner beans are your best crop to go for as you could easily fill your freezer with the mountains of beans that you could potentially freeze. I suppose this depends on whether you like beans! You'll need plenty of water and fertiliser to get decent crops though.

Salad lettuce and tomatoes are really good crops which will do well in tubs and with regular sowings they will see you through summer. Some tomatoes will do well in hanging baskets if this in an option?

I wouldn't bother with root crops as they tend to be relatively inexpensive to buy and possibly aren't worth the hassle although new potatoes are particuarly lush. If you can protect them well enough you could plant spuds for Christmas.

Strawberries are another crop which likes being 'containered' and with the right tub you can get a lot of plants in for the height (google strawberry tub) although again, you'll need to give them lots of water and fertiliser.

Radish, spring onions and herbs are also quick croppers which you can plant, harvest and re-sow in a short period.

Personally I owuldn't bother with fruit trees as they take a lot of time to develop into mature trees and will need plenty of attention to produce anything worthwhile as their roots are so confined. Berry bushes are a different story though, you could have a blueberry, blackcurant etc and as long as you give them plenty of NPK and water they should crop well.

If you want any more info I'm happy to help. I've had a few beers tonight and my answer may not make much sense - if so, I apologise:rotfl:

ceridwen

I'd forgotten about minarette trees. I see the point about fruit trees generally - but I am wondering whether a couple of these might be an idea. Anyone ever bought any of these for container purposes - and if so how long was it before they turned out a reasonable amount of fruit and do they need pruning (whoops - hope not)?

I would also be interested to know if anyone has cultivated any wild food plants in containers and what their experiences are purlease?

Myrtle

I'd always grow salad - there are various oriental winter ones that you can grow at this time of year) and
Perpetual spinach - just a few leaves added to a green lentil curry transforms it

paddy's_mum

ceridwen - it might be useful to know what particular foods you most like or use?

How about doing a kind of two tier planting - plant (for example) a climbing french bean in the centre of a tub and then plant dwarf french beans all around the foot of it. That way, the taller plant gets the light it needs but you don't lose the cropping capacity of growing lower down. Both types need the same care which simplifies things too.

I believe that no cook can ever have enough tomatoes so I'd be looking at ways to grow them - hanging baskets, window sill mounted troughs, wall hung containers .. ?

Lotus-eater

Personally, if I had that small space, I wouldn't put fruit trees in it, no matter how small.
It depends if you want to grow food that is expensive in the shops, or food that tastes alot better if you eat it fresh from the garden.
What do you like eating most? I suppose is the most important question.

ps, I'd forget the wild food option. Thats why its called "wild"

ceridwen

Foods I like to eat:

Well - just taking into account my tastes:

Tomatoes - thats a frequent one
Red/yellow peppers
Aubergines
Onions
Garlic - inc. wild garlic and hedge garlic
Potatoes
Virtually any fruit - except lychees
Green salad veg - except iceberg lettuce
courgettes (occasionally)
spinach
mushrooms
peas
mange tout
radishes
baby sweetcorn
leeks
cauliflower

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DISLIKES;
runner beans
green peppers
sweetcorn
sweet potatoes

Part of the reason why I am thinking about wild food is the way its used to "looking after itself" (ie less work for me) and I also like the thought of trying new things and doing my tiny bit to preserve genetic diversity.

Lotus-eater

Courgettes are worth growing, the plant does take up alot of space, but you get a good return off it, you can also get climbing ones I believe.
Tomatoes, try going for the "tumbler" variety, you can stick them in big hanging baskets (the bigger the better) or just hung up buckets etc.
Garlic you can grow, leeks would be good after lettuce, for example. Radishes grow anywhere. Mixed oriental salad leaves are excellent.
Perpetual spinach is good. All these will give you a good return for the space you have.

Baby sweetcorn, potatoes and things like cauliflowers, won't.

ixwood

For low maintenance, get as many perennials in as possible. Fruit bushes mainly, there's loads of different sort. Most don't mind pots. And can be pruned to required shape/size.

Apple and pears and some others can be grown as cordons in very little space to maximise crop. Or Fan trained, or espaliered (very nice looking too!). Google them to see examples. Very nice feature IMO.

Or most small trees can be trained into a bush and kept in check.

You can get family "trees" now with more than one variety/type on the same tree/bush. Apples/pears with 5 different varities. Almonds and plums on the same tree. Triple cherries etc.

And lots of patio versions of larger fruit plants.

Might also be worth reading up on permaculture and using all your vertical space efficiently. I think you may like permaculture ideas and values.

Lotus-eater

Don't forget about climbing fruit to use that wall space.
Loganberry, tayberry, bosenberry, all are excellent.