Make the Most of Your Yard with a Small Garden

Green thumb? Check. Large, luscious yard to grow your flowers, fruits and vegetables? Not so much.

If this is you, don’t worry – a beautiful garden isn’t out of your reach! We’ve got terrific tips for small-space gardening. Bring on the May flowers and fruits!

Perfect the Prep

Before you plant or even begin to work the soil, it’s important to complete some prep work. Select an area of your yard, patio or balcony that receives enough sunlight for what you want to grow. Organization is key if you plan to grow several types of plants with different sunlight requirements. For example, it’s best to avoid placing shade-loving plants in the same bed as sunlight-hungry plants, unless the sun-loving plant is meant to shade the other. Companion planting charts like this one can prevent placing incompatible plants next to one another.

Easy access to a water source is essential to growing a successful garden. Have your watering can handy, or install water pipes and a hose spigot with the help of Mr. Rooter Plumbing to make watering a traditional bed easier! If planting in a container (Keep reading – we have great container ideas!), ensure your plants don’t get too much water by adding holes to the bottom for draining. Finally, ‘perfect the prep’ by installing the proper outlets to illuminate your garden!

Location, Location, Location

Professionals in real estate often stress “location, location, location.” We think the same goes for your plant’s home, too! You don’t need a big space to reap a big reward. Consider these small space gardening locations that don’t involve planting in a traditional bed!

Want to be kinder to your hands and knees? Try planting in a raised bed. This option will prevent the back and knee pain often associated with traditional planting, and you’ll have ultimate control of the size of the bed. Purchase one, or build your own! No room for a raised bed? If you have a sunny windowsill, Glass Doctor has a great solution – window gardens! Discover how to build a window garden and grow your own fresh herbs for your kitchen.

If you own a home, look up! Make use of your vertical home space by purchasing or building an outdoor wall planter. These often take shape in fabric or wooden planters. Or, opt to hang little ceramic pots or mason jars on the wall for a modern look! Check out these planters by West Elm for inspiration.

Want to plant a fruit tree but lack the space? There are several types of dwarf trees that work well in pots, such as dwarf apple trees, dwarf orange trees or dwarf avocado trees. Pots are an altogether fantastic container for several plant types. Placing pots on a patio or deck? Check out these gardening tips from Mr. Handyman! Have a balcony? Utilize your railing with rail planters like this one!

Remarkable things come in the smallest of packages. Need some expert help with your small-space garden? Consult the pros at The Grounds Guys!

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