Year in Review: Kem Ormond’s vegetable garden - how to grow more in less space

Kem Ormond has some handy tips for those who don't have a lot of room in their vegetable patch. Photo / 123rf

The Country looks back at some of the biggest and best stories of the past 12 months, including readers’ favourites, news events and those yarns that gave us a glimpse into rural lives and livelihoods across the country.

Originally published April 20.

Kem Ormond is a features writer for The Country. She’s also a keen gardener. This week, she’s writing about the highest-return vegetables to grow if you are restricted by space.

OPINION

If you are restricted by space for a vegetable garden, the best way to make the most of your limited patch is to plant the highest-return vegetables.

In my garden, I grow sweetcorn, potatoes, and onions, which take up a lot of space.

The reason I plant my own is not really to save money, as in season, these vegetables are reasonably priced; it is because I like to have them freshly picked when they are at their best.

I plant the onions because I love stringing them up and always having them on hand.

If you want fresh potatoes and don’t have space, one of the best ideas I have seen is a potato box.

You add your soil, starting at the base and plant your seed potatoes with the sprouts pointing upwards.

Then, as the potatoes grow, you add more dirt, just leaving a few leaves poking out the top.

Continue adding soil as the potatoes grow, taking the soil to the top - this is called hilling.

Growing using this method should yield potatoes all along the buried stems.

To remove them from the box, you just pull the latch, open the door, and dig them out.

There are other similar ideas on the internet, so check them out.

If this seems too much work for you, then there are some large planter bags available at garden centres.

If you want fresh potatoes and don’t have space, a potato box is a great way to grow. Photo / Kem Ormond

Friends of mine have had good success with these when it comes to planting their potatoes.

If I were restricted for space, I would look at what I could grow up a trellis, against a fence, up a stake and what needs to be grown in the limited space available.

Firstly, microgreens are great as they are so easy to grow.

I grow them in a small tray in front of my kitchen window all year round.

Salad greens do not take up much room, especially lettuce and perpetual spinach, which I grow close to each other.

Spring onions are another crop that is great to plant all year round.

I grow from seed into small punnets and then transfer them into the ground when a new crop needs to come on.

Using a planter basket is a good way to save space in the garden. Photo / Kem Ormond

If you do this regularly, you can plant in a small space and have them year-round.

Standard tomatoes use very little space as they can be trained on a stake.

You need to make sure that you keep them well-trimmed.

Planting them staked up against a boundary fence means you can plant lettuces in front of them.

Peppers and chillis can be staked, and remember you can fill in any spaces with herbs like basil, coriander, parsley, or chives.

Planting cucumbers up a stake or a netting fence will save room in your garden, as will planting beans the same way.

Having a permanent bean fence is a worthwhile investment as peas will grow well with the support, and you can also plant a crop of colourful sweet peas if you so desire.

If you like rhubarb, this is terrific value … you just plant it and leave it alone!

If you are looking for other options, why not plant herbs in a hanging basket, plant lettuces in pots, make use of the old wheelbarrow that is full of succulents, just find a new home for them and hey presto … there is another spot for vegetables.

So, even if you are restricted by space or in temporary accommodation, there is always a way to grow some fresh produce for your family.

Happy gardening.