The Next Step

Average time to read: 1.8 minutes

So you want to grow food but you’re limited to a very small space. That’s ok! You might be surprised by how much you can still grow. Without the luxury of space though, you do have to be “choosy” about what you plant. If you don’t know where to start, why not pick a theme for your garden? Your “Cottage Corner” will naturally evolve as you gain experience so don’t worry about the future right now.

An Herb Garden:

An herb garden is beautiful, fragrant, and the perfect way to indulge in life’s little luxuries on a daily basis. Is there anything more glamorous than clipping fresh herbs to season a meal? Herb gardens can be limited to just a few pots in a window and can grow indoors without grow lights. Some herbs are frost hardy or semi-frost hardy and can survive in outdoor gardens long into the cold season, especially with frost protection. You can even pick a theme for the herb garden; a theme within a theme! For example, a cocktail herb garden might have Mint, Rosemary, and Basil. A French herb garden might have the four fines herbes: Parsley, Tarragon, Chervil, and Chive.

A Salad Garden:

With a salad garden, you can go as big or as small as you want. Keep it simple by sticking with Looseleaf and Babyleaf Lettuce, Arugula, and Mesclun Mixes. Go bigger by adding Radish, Cherry Tomatoes, or Peppers. What do you like to have in a salad? The sky’s the limit!

A Preserves Garden:

If you want to replace as much of your grocery haul as possible, you’ll almost certainly need to preserve your produce. The best thing about preserve gardens is that you can maximize a small space by staggering years. For example, in year 1 you might focus on growing Cucumbers for making Pickles and Relish. In year 2 you might grow Tomatoes and Peppers to make Tomato Sauce, Salsa, Pickled Jalapeños, and Dried Chillies. In year 3 maybe you grow Chamomile, Lemon Balm, and Mint to dry for teas. Pretty soon, you will have a lovely little pantry stocked with your homegrown food.

A Favourites Garden:

A favourites garden is for those gardeners who are simply in it for the joy of growing your favourite foods. No real plan, not necessarily for preserves, this garden is for living in the moment. There’s no denying that a fresh Tomato straight from the garden is the best way to eat a Tomato. The same is true for Broccoli, Watermelon, and so much more.

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