Limited Space for Vegetable Growing

Q: We have such limited space for vegetable growing. I’m a cook and my husband is the gardener. Every year he orders all these different seeds. Half of it doesn’t get planted and with what he does plant, there are too few of each variety that it’s not a practical vegetable garden. Help! I’d rather have fewer varieties and grow more of what we like to eat.

A: Oh my, I see this problem all the time (including in my house!). Aside from addressing this with a marriage counselor, sit down with your husband and let him know the three to five varieties that YOU would like to have and how much of each that you’d like to be produced. I’ll bet he’ll take the challenge. Make a goal - for instance,10 lbs of green beans per month in July, August and September, 40 lbs of tomatoes in August and September, 3 lbs of spinach in April and May. Suggest that all the experimental varieties be limited to ¼ of the garden or in pots scattered around the rest of the landscape. By the way, that’s a great way to increase vegetable-growing space: fill large pots (14-36" in diameter) with a mixture of organic potting soil and garden soil and use them for vegetables like tomatoes, peppers, eggplants, melons, and sweet potatoes that like warmer temperatures. If all else fails, join the neighborhood community garden so you have more space!

Written by Kelly Grummons, who writes our Q & A column, is co-owner of the mail order nursery businesses, coldhardycactus.com and dogtuffgrass.com