What Do I Grow in a Limited Space?

by Peter Wilkinson
(Greensboro NC)

We have just moved into an older home in West Greensboro with a neglected garden, requiring much effort to be ready for vegetables. We have built a raised garden, 4' x 4' x 1' with a 4.5' trellis at one end.

The growing bed is a selection of top soils and composted cow manure. Any suggestions please for planting?

We are growing tomatoes in grow bags (a very popular English method) and there is an area I can set up for a wigwam style structure for beans.


ANSWER:

I would start with your favorite small vegetables such as lettuce, green onions, peppers, radishes, and anything else that you are spending a lot of money for at the grocery store!

If you love cucumbers, you could grow a cucumber plant on a trellis to keep it from spreading all over your garden.

Carrots don't require much room in the garden, but they are still pretty inexpensive to buy. So you might want to use your limited garden space for more expensive vegetables that you use on a regular basis.

For now, just avoid any of the "space hogs" such as pumpkins, squash, or corn. Later you can always expand your garden space to include room for all of your favorite vegetables.