Tiny space, big harvest

vege garden

Explore the world of mobile vege gardening and learn how to grow your own produce in small living spaces.

You don’t need a big space if you want to grow a vege garden — in fact, you don’t even need to own your own home. Creating a mobile vege garden means you can enjoy growing edibles wherever you live, and take them with you when you leave. Here’s how to get the best home-grown produce in a small apartment, town house, or a rented home.

Container options

There are many options, including purpose-built planters, regular pots or containers, hanging baskets and living walls. And each container suits different veges.

When it comes to choosing the best planter for your situation, think about what you like the look of, what you want to plant, and this’ll help narrow down your selection.

Keep in mind that lighter containers will be easier to move if you’re renting. So, steer away from heavy materials like terracotta and ceramic.

You can even build your own planter box.

Location

Choose a container to suit your space, and make sure it gets sunlight at least part of the day. If you’re renting, keep an eye on water staining the deck. It’s a good idea to move your pots and clean under them at the end of the season.

Soil

When using planters or containers don’t use regular garden soil, as it tends to compact. This starves the roots of oxygen, and doesn’t have the same nutrients as vege mix.

Do not add compost, as it can burn the roots.

Watering

Water daily in summer and check moisture levels in winter by pushing your finger into the soil. If it’s feeling dry — top up with some water. Use wetting agents if needed.

Container gardens need more water as they dry out more quickly.

Using vegetable mix to grow in is beneficial as it includes saturaid — which retains water, and then slowly releases it over time, helping to prevent plants from drying out.

You can add saturaid to your containers as needed, or use water storage granules, which also absorb, and then slowly release water.

You could also set up an irrigation system for your containers just like a regular garden, very handy for when you go on holiday.

Feeding

If you are planting into an existing container, add a dose of vege food every 8 weeks, which contains dolomite lime and blood and bone — both good for the plants and for encouraging microbial activity in the soil.

Pests & disease

As they are pretty self-contained, your plants shouldn’t suffer from pests or disease, but use a pyrethrum spray if needed, and ask in store about specific problems.

Vege Garden Examples

Tui Urban Oasis

This is a great option for herbs, leafy greens, brassicas and other and quick-growing veges.

It’s a self-watering container with storage for 16 litres of water. It includes a cover to protect plants from harsh growing conditions and extend your growing season. They’re very low maintenance.

We’re planting some baby carrots, silverbeet, pak choy, and mini-broccoli. These will be ready to harvest in 6-8 weeks, and then you can go again with another round.

Fill with a good quality natural based vegetable mix as this’ll have the right blend of slow-release nutrients for sustained growth and a bumper crop.

Check the spacing on the back of the plant tag before planting.

Simply ease the plants out of their pots, dig a hole, place them in, and press the soil around them down.

When you’re done, give everything a good watering-in, and then add the handy cover for added protection from the elements.

Make sure the reservoir is always topped up.

Tui Mobile Vegetable Patch

This option is good for plants that require extra support, with the frame allowing you to grow up to 1.4m. It’s handy as you can extend the frame as your plants grow. It’s also self-watering and has a reservoir that holds 12 litres of water. They’re very low-maintenance.

We’ll be planting beans, peas, and some lower-growing spring onions at the front.

Check the recommended spacing before planting, and if they’re ready, start to weave them up the support and attach them in place.

The beans will keep cropping throughout the summer, and the peas will be ready to harvest in 6-8 weeks.

Tui Tomato Grow Tower

Tomatoes are really easy to grow in containers, and there’s a variety to choose from. They grow up the tower structure and will crop continuously through summer to early autumn. This container has a self-watering reservoir at the bottom, and is also very low-maintenance.

Simply fill with tomato mix, ease the tomato plants out of their pots, dig a hole and place them in.

Water in, making sure the reservoir is full.

You can then build the support tower, and add more rings as they grow taller.

Hanging baskets

This is an easy and cost-effective way to get some veges going at your place. Herbs, strawberries, and tomatoes do well in them. The coconut husk base helps retain moisture.

Tumbling toms are an excellent option, as they are a hanging/trailing variety.

Simply add garden mix, and plant your tomatoes straight in. As the vines grow, they’ll hang over the sides, cropping continuously through the summer.

Find a place to hang the basket, then use the bracket supplied and screw it in place.

Water frequently.

Half-barrel

We’ve planted a half-barrel with zucchinis (courgettes) — a great option for anyone new to gardening as they’re easy to grow and you can harvest them all summer long.

We’ve only used one per barrel, as they spread very quickly.

Plant in vegetable mix, and water in well.

Trough

These are a very simple option. We’ve planted some Salanova lettuce — one of the most popular vege choices.

Living Wall

These are ideal for small spaces, and a great way to add a green feature to your area. They can be planted with herbs or vegetables, providing a welcome splash of colour and edible produce.

Simple kits are now readily available, enabling you to create a stylish living wall in an unused space in your home.

— Courtesy of Mitre10