photo credit: net_efekt

Another benefit of a tea garden is that it takes a very small amount of space. A 6-foot by 8-foot garden is actually quite big. If you have less space you can make it smaller. And if you only have indoor space available, a tea garden will adapt well to being indoors or on a balcony.

If you have more room you may want to set the tea garden up in a cottage garden tea garden design with a small fenced in area with a gate and trellis or arbor.

Many cottage herb garden designs plant honeysuckle, clematis, climbing rose bushes or wisteria on the trellis or arbor. It will not be long before these plants climb over the arbor and trellis and add astonishing color to you garden area.

Whatever size you select for an outdoor tea garden you will want to divide your entire garden down the middle by making a path. The path can be wide enough for a wheelbarrow or a slender path used for harvesting. Next create narrow paths within each planting bed on either side of the path.

Your goal is to make everything is within arm’s length for weeding and harvesting. This will keep you off the soil and allow more room for your herbs. I will often place a flat rock to stand on just off a path if I need to be able to reach into the garden bed further. This also adds a more natural look to the garden.

Choose herb plants that will thrive in your garden zone. A trip to you local nursery or garden center will help you with your plant selections. I also mix a few colorful fragrant flowers, fruits and vegetables in the herb garden just to add interest and color.

As with any garden, plant the garden based on what each plant needs for sunlight and spacing.

Herbs can be planted closer together than many plants and still thrive so fill the garden. If possible leave a very small section for a tiny bench or a very small table. This will give you a place to relax, enjoy the garden and have a cup of fresh tea.

I also try to add a rain barrel to my herb garden area so that water is easily within reach for watering the plants.
photo credit: chaz2b

And if your only available space is the patio or indoors, herbs grow very well in containers and hanging baskets. Just try to find a spot that get 6 to 8 hours of sunlight for the plants.

Herbs make wonderful container gardens because you have interesting color and texture in herbs and by selecting unique containers and planters you can create wonderful relaxing garden art that can be changed during the season and that also adds tea and seasonings to you home.

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A vegetable garden doesn’t have to be huge and hold tons of plants. Not everyone has the space for a garden like that, but they can grow thriving plants in a small area as long as there’s access to sunlight.
photo credit: thunderf10wer

People develop gardens in various small areas – it could be a tiny bit of land outside a house, or pots in planters kept indoors or outdoors. How well you treat your plants and how skillful you are at gardening are issues that are far more important than the amount of space you have.

Even a little garden can compete with a large one, if the gardener’s expertise is applied well to growing the plants.

Take the time to plan out your vegetable garden design to maximize the amount of space that you have. You’ll want to research the plants you intend to grow within your garden. Find out what plants can be planted near each other, which ones need the most sunlight and any care instructions needed to grow a particular type of plant.

Once you have a plan, it will help you place the plants in your garden, whether you are using planters or a small area of your backyard. You’ll also need to research when you should plant each plant as well. There are some plants that need planted earlier than others.

You’ll need to buy the seeds or plants that you are going to plant as well. Be sure that you have planters that are big enough if you are going to go with a pot garden. Some plants will need a bit more space for growing, so be sure that they are not too crowded.

The soil you use in your pots should be of the best quality. This should give your plants the nutrition they need to grow large and healthy. You can ask for advice on soil from the experts at your garden center.
photo credit: *Susie*

Small gardens are not immune to ravages by insects. You can deal with this problem, though.

The first thing you can do is entice creatures that prey on insects into your garden. Frogs, birds, ladybugs and lizards will come to your garden if there is a pond or other body of water, as well plants that they will find attractive.

You can also use other methods instead of chemical repellents. Try insecticidal soap, spicy peppers or garlic to keep insects away.

There are certain kinds of soil available that come with pest-repelling ingredients,  try these out. Pesticides are one option, but go easy on these and only use what is strictly necessary; after all, they are injurious chemicals, with detrimental effects on the health not only of the plants, but of animals and children too.

No matter how large or small your garden may be, you need to make sure you nurture it. Get rid of any weeks and make sure that soil is aerated from time to time and watered regularly. Without the right care from you, your garden will never thrive.

Even the small gardens can thrive and do well. So, if you just don’t have enough room for a large garden, you can use the area you have to have a great garden, even in a small area.

If you take care of the garden, you can get the healthy and beautiful plants you want.

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photo credit: 【╠╣♥ŃEҰ】

My largest garden is 25 foot by 30 foot and is set up to be as easy of a garden to maintain as possible. This is my Lasagna Garden/Straw bale garden combination. I have combined the two garden techniques to simplify my gardens and improve the soil in this older garden bed.

This area is also fenced, which in my backyard has become a necessity in the last few years with rabbits and groundhogs.

To start my garden I have put down cardboard over the entire garden area that I picked up free at a local store. I chose cardboard over newspaper to make sure I had all the sod covered well enough to stop its growth.

My next step was to pick up old sawdust and leaves. The sawdust came from a local bat mill and the leaves were picked up on a weekend cleaning the township offered. I layered the leaves down first in a 8 inch layered and then added the older sawdust in a 6 inch layer. I topped the layers off with sheep manure and watered lightly.

Later today I will top the mixture off with fresh grass clippings and straw.

My next step will be to plan the straw bale garden areas. I plan on making 3 square bale garden areas for the gourds and melons. I will also have a moss covered flower tier from straw bales to make the garden area fun and my last straw bales garden will actually be for vegetables and herbs.

After I have decided where to place the straw bales, I will begin to treat them for planting. Also at that time I will decide where I want my other lasagna garden area in my fenced garden area and slay out the plans for them. I will raise this area with more composting materials to create my lasagna garden growing areas in a raised bed fashion.

More plans and photos will follow for my lasagna garden/straw bale garden as the garden takes shape.

My other gardens include the small space $20 dollar recession garden and my perennial gardening bed for new perennial flowers and herbs.

If you are using the straw bale gardening method or lasagna gardening method let me know how your garden is doing.

Technorati Tags: 20 dollar recession garden plan, creative gardening, lasagna garden, lasagna garden/straw bale garden method, recession garden, small space garden, Straw Bale Garden, straw bale gardening

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This summer, many patio owners will be looking for ways to make their patios shine. What you might find is that any patio design that brings in the garden around it will do the best job of highlighting the patio itself. You might have a very nice patio but if the garden around it looks awful then the patio will not stand out like it should.
photo credit: gailf548

Your patio can be a normal looking patio if the plants, flowers, and hedges surrounding it look spectacular. By working on your backyard and making sure it looks great, you will also be making your patio look better as well. This way, you don’t have to spend a lot on your patio but just put in the time and care to the garden around it.

This coming summer, you will be glad if you take the time right now to think of all the ways you can make your patio more pleasing to the eye. This doesn’t mean that you have to spend a lot of money redoing and remodeling your whole patio. If you take the time to plan your garden you can make your whole patio environment much more enticing. By carefully blending your patio and the garden around it you can make it look like they are meant to fit together.

Many homes that come with a patio, have a plain slab of concrete. While this is sufficient for some, those who have a nice big yard and live in a place where they are going to use their patio a lot for entertaining, will most likely be interested in trying to find some better patio ideas. Anyone can have that slab of concrete for a patio but if you have a carefully thought out garden and patio combination, it will enhance your whole house and even raise it’s value.

If you use your patio a lot, you will probably want to make it as accommodating as possible and have it be a fun place to hang out. This means you might want to be creative in the furniture you pick and how you arrange the surroundings. The more work and thought you put into your patio and the surrounding area, the better your patio will look and the greater your satisfaction will be. You might look in garden and home improvement magazines for all sorts of ideas for your patio remodel.

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photo credit: iLoveButter

So I saw an ad in the newspaper for garden seeds on sale at the local hardware store. The price 5 for $1. I thought I would purchase my seeds there and pick up any additional seeds or trade for what else I wanted for the garden. I also decided to buy my tomato and pepper plants as transplants. Many first gardeners may not be prepared to start seeds early so by buying a larger plant and giving it special attention my goal it to harvest 30 pounds of tomatoes off each plant. I am not sure what I will get with the pepper plants.

Seeds I have purchased for the Recession Garden

• Scarlet Globe Radish -2 packs
• Beets – Detroit Dark Red and Early Wonder
• Cucumbers – 3 packs Wisconsin SMR 58 (pickling)
• Carrots – 2 packs Danvers Half Long
• Beans -Yellow Top Notch Golden Wax Kentucky Wonder Blue Lake bush
• Summer Squash – Early Crookneck
• Swiss Chard – Fordhook
• Lettuce, 4 packs – Buttercrunch, Black seeded Simpson, Dark Green Cos Endive
• Herbs – sweet basil, oregano, borage
• Flowers – Marigolds, Nasturtiums, Calendula, Sunflowers.

These were all purchased for $5. Cucumbers, carrots beans and the lettuce varieties all have enough seeds available for multiple plantings for the entire season.
photo credit: iLoveButter

I also purchased Vegetable Squash (winter Squash) and a large packet of Peas for $1 a packet. I have made plans to trade some of my Vegetable Spaghetti seeds for Butternut and Buttercup squash. I will also trade some of my yellow Summer Squash for Zucchini. I picked up onion sets and paid $3 for three pounds. So far my garden costs are $10

My tomato plants and pepper plants I will pick up in two weeks and plan to spend 50 cents plant. If I had to purchase garden tools I can get them at the auction for $1 a piece but I have what I need.

As for potatoes, I had potatoes that were starting to sprout so I will use them. I cut up my first batch for planting today and have them healing. This will take about two days. If you haven’t cut potatoes for seeding leave two eyes per section of potato. If you live in an area that has potato blight you may wish to purchase potatoes for seeding. They will cost about 4 to 5 dollars. Note: I plant my potatoes in baskets and use a straw method for planting. It increases the harvest and you have clean potatoes.

You may have to pay to have a garden spot plowed or you can grow in containers or use the no-dig method for gardening. And remember, you can plant a garden in a small space.

The rest of the money I have left will probably go for any additional seeds, composting materials or supplies for homemade insecticides. All of which ideas and tips will be posted at The Gardener’s Rake on the Recession Garden Garden Plan page.

Also check out the Free Seeds and Plants page for more garden saving ideas.

Technorati Tags: free seeds and plants, lasagna gardening, recession garden, recession garden garden plan, small space garden, vegetables, victory garden

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photo credit: forestgladesiwander

As I was gathering up my materials for a Straw Bale Cold Frame I was also thinking of additional garden spaces for this summer. So I decided to try a method of using the Straw Bale Cold Frame to start my plants and then arrange it so that the cold frame would become a square Straw Bale Garden later in the season. I made sure my location for the cold frame was one where I would want a mini small space garden all season and began laying it out.

I placed four large straw bales in a square shape and put the bales in an area with a bit of a slant. This will catch the sun at a southwestern angle. I then placed cardboard inside on the ground to kill the grass. Next I put a large amount of rotted manure in the square and topped with more straw. Once again I put a smaller layer of manure and a layer of straw, Finally I topped with compost. My Straw Bale Cold Frame has a 2-foot filling and has space for the seedling to grow.

I watered the Straw Bale Cold Frame and put a 3-½ foot by 3-½ foot window on top of the bales. These windows were from an old trailer that was being torn down so I hauled them away for free. What I like about them is that they have a lever to open the windows. This will give me a way to supply fresh air to the cold frame and cool the air on a warmer day.

I will let this sit a few days them plant it with spring crops such as lettuce, cabbage, spinach and onions. Normally I would use black plastic and clear milk jugs in this cold frame to help heat the frame naturally, but the manure should supply the heat I need. This is almost a hot house set up. 
photo credit: faeryboots

My plan is to use the Straw Bale Cold Frame for the early spring season then when the regular planting season arrives  fill the straw bale square with more manure. I think this will make a perfect garden for melons or for gourds, both of which need plenty of fertilizer. I plant to add poles inside the straw bales for the plants to grow vertically on.

I also will  add flowers or vegetables to the straw bales by planting them directly into the bales. This will add more decoration to the yard and make more use of the space. Time will tell if I decide to plant flower or vegetables, but I think this will make a fun mini small space garden for my backyard.

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photo credit: John!!!

In one 4-foot square area you can grow enough food for two people. If you have more room you can add another 4-foot square. If you only have a one-foot deep area you can set your garden area up in a long one-foot row that uses the small space area that is available to you. You can also add a few hanging baskets to your porch or balcony area. And don’t forget those windowsills! Even apartment and city residents will be able to produce their own fresh produce.

How to set up a one-foot deep No-Dig Garden

• Select a spot in your yard, patio or patio that receives six to eight hours of sunlight.
• Buy or find boards that are one foot deep, one foot high and as long as your yard will handle. I still keep the sections at four to six foot for easy handling.
• Assemble the boards to make a rectangular form that you can fill with soil, compost or straw. You will not need a bottom for this.
• Place you form where you want your garden.

Tips:

• You can use bricks or cement blocks for your raised garden.
• Use untreated wood
• And by all means if you can find boards without purchasing them, you can use that money for seeds!

Since you are adding this form on top of the garden you will need to add a soil mixture. You can buy soil or use compost you have made, or you can use a no-dig garden method where you create your own soil.

Start by placing cardboard on the bottom of your form. This will stop any grass or weeds that is there from sending out roots. It also helps the soil to break down and will add nutrients to the new soil mix. Next add grass clippings or old leaves. Top with a layer of straw, add soil or compost next if it’s available. Many people will add peat at this stage. Top this mix all the way to the top with straw and water to hold in place. Let set for a few days and top again with straw.

I usually add a little compost to the top. Your new raised bed garden is almost ready to plant.

Now that the form is weighed down with a soil mix I add a trellis or wood poles to the back. This allows me to grow tomatoes, beans, squash, cucumbers and any other sprawling vegetable vertical instead of the plant taking up space on the soil. Make sure that the trellis or poles are very secure. They will hold a lot of weight.

This also leaves the front open for smaller crops, herbs and flowers.

If you place you plants using the Square Foot Gardening technique you will make the best use of you soil and assure that you have healthy crops.

The No-Dig garden is very versatile and will fit your needs and budget. You can buy soil, make your own or even try straw bale gardening where you plant directly into straw bales.

And don’t forget hanging baskets. They will hold, flowers, vegetables and herbs for extra growing room plus they have the benefit of adding beauty to your porches and balconies.

Technorati Tags: small space garden, Square Foot Gardening

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photo credit: thomas pix

If you have space for a garden but just want to use the land more efficiently or cut back on gardening time, Square Foot Gardening is a gardening method that I have used and highly recommend. By using your soil in a more efficient way you cut down on weeding, watering and insect problems. The method uses one-foot growing sections and you learn how much room a plant needs to grow and how to use this area in the most efficient way. Using this method you can fit a small space garden in many areas.

Gardening using containers is versatile and a container garden can be located on a roof, balcony, and patio or along the driveway. Many successful container gardens are grown on a porch or in an indoor room, which adds to your growing. I must admit I have quite a large piece of property but container gardening is fun and I can change the look of my front and backyard by moving or adding planters and containers. One of my favorite containers to use is a bushel basket. I like the rustic look and I mix vegetables, flowers and herbs in the bushel baskets.

Raised bed gardening can make use of a piece of property that may sit by the garage, by a hillside or just in an area that gets sun but has bad soil. By creating a raised bed you can improve the soil, even out any uneven land and raise the bed so that it’s easier to work in. My neighbor created the nicest hillside garden and took a piece on soil that was impossible to use and turned it into a beautiful garden oasis that provides, flower, fresh vegetables and a wonderful background for patio furniture. This area now doubles as a small secret garden retreat.

Hanging baskets are also a wonderful way to add to your gardening space. Many people grow flowers but there are many vegetables that grow well and look amazing in a hanging basket, I grow an upside down hanging tomato basket every year. By growing cherry tomatoes from the bottom of the basket, they are easy to pick. And that leaves the top of the hanging basket for a bean plants, lettuce and a few herbs. Just make sure to water this hanging basket well.

One other way I use additional space for growing to use my windowsills. Windowsill boxes and small planters offer extra space and work wonderful in the winter months to extend you gardening season. I always have a pepper plant, tomato plants, seve4ral bean plants, herbs and greens growing in the house.

Sun rooms, porches, balconies and even a spare indoor room will work for small space  garden area. As long as plants have rich soil, adequate light and water they will grow anywhere.

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© Denise for The Gardener's Rake, 2009. | Permalink | 9 comments | Add to del.icio.us
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My house sits in a hill and has a very unique and challenging front yard with rolling slopes. It’s beautiful when its mowed and the gardens are flowering.
photo credit: bobrpics

Another challenge is added where the house sits into the hill and I have to try to create easier landscaping and mowing.

What I did on the north side of the house was to dig more of the hill away and put in a rock wall and a tiered garden above that. I no longer have an extremely steep slope to mow and my garden area is close to the house.

The wall had to be put in properly so that it would handle frost and the ground expanding in the winter. I also have a drain out into the wall to prevent water drainage problems. On the very bottom of the rock wall I put in a rockwall planter, which I also wrapped around the foundation of the corner of the house. This added section linked the gardens with the house and created a larger looking and very inviting garden area.

A rockwall planter will add a lot of character to your yard and property. It’s easy to build and can be put in over a weekend if you have your materials ready to go. You can purchase the rocks or collect your own rocks to cut down on the cost of the project.

Building a Rockwall Planter.

First decide how you want your rockwall planter to be laid out. I use a garden hose to outline any new informal garden area I work with. A garden hose gives you the chance to lie out a shape and see if it’s visually pleasing and easy to work with.

Any garden or landscaping I add to the house is put in with the idea of being easy to maintain. Try various outlines for the rockwall and decided where you want to position the planter. After the decision has been made use lime or flour and sprinkle heavily where the house is to mark you pattern. 
photo credit: bartlomiej.malysz

Smooth the area where you are going to build the planter and tamp the soil into place. You will want to work about 12 inches into the outline. This is a very important step so take you time. This is the base of your planter and it need to be even and stable to hold rock firmly in place.

I used basketball-sized rocks for my wall. I was lucky and harvested them all from the creek in my back yard. If you don’t have many rocks you may need to purchase them. You can usually get them from your local hardware store or try a construction site. They may deliver them for free. If you have rocks brought to you have them unload them as close to you project as possible.

Separate the rock into three piles of small, medium and large rocks. To save strain on your back, stack the largest rocks closest to the planter. They will be the fist size you will be using. I also used a wheel barrel.

Start you wall by laying out the largest stones evenly along the line. Make sure the rocks are touching as you build your first row of the wall. It takes a little practice to get the rocks fit together tightly and to be stable. You may have to rearrange the rocks a few times to get the results you want.Work your way to the medium rocks then follow by using the small rocks. Make sure the wall does not exceed 18 inches high and feel secure and does not wobble.

Next attach a landscape fabric to the backside of the rockwall planter. This will prevent weeds from growing out of the planter. A black plastic tarp is best and you can find them in the gardening section at your hardware store. I put a drainage tile in the bottom of the planter by the section I had by my foundation wall. I wanted to make sure I had no water problems near my house.

Fill the bottom of the planter with rocks to aide in drainage and take up space so you don’t have to use so much soil. I used about nine inches of rock and topped with eight inches of soil. I watered the planted and let the soil settle. I added a little compost to the top of the planter and put in my plants.

I have had no problems with my planter and many comments. It just adds to the comfort of my back yard and solved some of my more difficult landscaping tasks.

Technorati Tags: creative gardening, landscaping, raised bed gardening, small space garden

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You can still plant a variety of fresh flowers, vegetable and herbs. There are many varieties of plants that adapt easily to being grown in containers, window boxes and patio beds.

There are also mini varieties of plants and trellising techniques for bigger plants. With proper planning there is very little you cannot grow in a container.

Many apartments have a small or medium size patio that is perfect for apartment gardening. If you don’t have a patio you can place your containers in the sunlight of a window. Southern or western lighting is the best but other lighting will do and you can always use artificial lighting if necessary

There are also plants that flourish in the shade. A garden center or good gardening book will help you find these plants.

You can save more space in your apartment gardening by growing vertical plants or if you have a fence growing crops along the fence and train them to climb up. Hanging baskets can also be used for herbs, vegetables and fruit. I always like an inverted tomato plant in a container with herbs and flower growing form the top. I also like mixing dainty flowers with strawberries.

One thing you will have to take into account is that some flowers attract insects and some will actually repel some insects. Geraniums and Marigolds are two examples. If your plan your garden properly you will be able to control insects with plants.

An indoor garden will give you fresh food and flowers. I also think it makes an apartment look bigger and more inviting with the added textures and colors.

Technorati Tags: apartment gardening, container gardening, creative gardening, growing in small spaces, small space garden, vegetables and flowers

© Denise for The Gardener's Rake, 2008. | Permalink | 2 comments | Add to del.icio.us
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