Gardening in Small Spaces Notes
Notes prepared by Karen Sutherland, Edible Eden Design, 2025
Watch the recording of the Gardening in Small Spaces workshopGardening in Small Spaces.
Small space – what kind of space do you have?
Environmental features that make up your garden’s microclimate can significantly influence what you can grow in your garden. Sit in your garden at different times of the year and get to know it’s patterns of sun, wind, airflow, rain, shade and reflected heat. Be aware of rain shadows under building eaves and close to tall fences and buildings. Concrete and brick buildings and paths can retain summer heat and radiate it out after sunset, which can be wonderful for warm climate plants like eggplants or gardenias, but could cause problems for plants that don’t want prolonged summer heat, such as blueberries or even tomatoes.
Look up!
Find space in your garden by growing vertically, using wall gardens and hanging baskets. Remember these can dry our easily so need frequent watering, less so if you use a potting mix designed for hanging baskets. Use trellising to train climbers along a fence, arches to train climbers over, or homemade bamboo teepees to train annual plants like tomatoes, climbing beans or peas.
Basic rules of potted plants
When it comes to potted plants, there are some basic rules to follow for successful growth. First and foremost, remember that there is no such thing as cheap good quality potting mix. Depending on the plant you are growing, you may need to fertilise every fortnight or only a couple of times per year. It’s easy to check if the fertiliser in your potting mix needs replacing. Squeeze a small fertilizer ball between your thumb and forefinger and if it squashes flat, it is no longer working. Check your fertiliser package for amounts and frequency of use. Repot plants every 2 to 3 years, as potting mix deteriorates over time. When re-potting, trim the roots lightly and ensure you plant to the correct soil level. Avoid using rubble in the base of pots, as this hinders proper drainage. Watch a video on repotting large plants here.
Larger, established plants can dry out a little between watering, although small plants and seedlings should never be allowed to dry out. Make sure water drains through pots at each watering. If a potted plant has dried out to drooping, perform some pot first aid. Plunge the whole pot into a bucket with diluted liquid soil wetter or even a small squirt of mild dish detergent to re-hydrate.
Pests and problems
Small gardens or balconies are isolated environments, which usually lack predator insects, so it is up to you to control pests. Whenever possible, avoid spraying and opt for organic solutions if you must spray, as even organic sprays can harm beneficial insects. Aphids can be sprayed off with water, soap spray, or garlic spray. Mealy bugs, scale, and 2-spotted mites can be treated with Eco-oil or a mild soap-based spray. Caterpillars can be hand-picked off, as can their small green eggs before they hatch. Sooty mould can be wiped off leaves with soapy water and then rinsed off with water. Powdery mildew can be prevented by spraying leaves with milk diluted at a ratio of 1 in 10. Be sure to remove any already affected leaves first. Making sure plants have good airflow around them can help prevent the build-up of pests and diseases.
Here’s a couple of videos to help you along.
Raised garden beds
Raised beds are a great solution for food growing, especially if you are concerned about soil contamination. When filled with good quality growing mix, they promote better root development with great results. Raised beds are beneficial for those with back issues or those less abled, as they offer easier access to gardening activities. Additionally, raised beds keep roots warmer in winter compared to being in the ground, allowing crops to be grown earlier and later than usual. However, they can dry out more easily, so it’s important to mulch and maintain regular watering.
Wicking beds
Wicking beds are an excellent solution for growing food. When filled with growing mix with good levels of organic matter, they promote better root and plant growth, using approximately 50% less water than non-wicking beds and needing less frequent watering. They are particularly wonderful for growing tomatoes, lettuces, berries, spring onions, celery, and lush herbs like basil, mints, and Vietnamese mint. However, they are not ideal for garlic, onions, and Mediterranean herbs that don’t thrive in constant moisture.
For more information visit My Smart Garden
Dwarf fruit trees for small space gardens
Choose from the large range of dwarf fruit trees in your local nursery or online, as many popular varieties are now available as dwarf forms. Check the label to make sure it’s the size you need, as you may need ‘super dwarf’ trees. Apples, pears and plums need two varieties for cross pollination. Peaches, nectarines and apricots can fruit with only one variety.
Espaliers
Espalier fruit trees are an ornamental way to fit fruiting plants into small gardens, or perhaps a Sasanqua camellia, by training along a fence or frame. However, bear in mind that espaliers take experience to manage well and not all plants are suitable to grow this way. Also, some positions can be too hot, for example a brick wall that absorbs the afternoon sun in summer could be unsuitable for many cold climate plants, causing leaf burn.
Fedges – fruiting & herbal hedges
Growing fruiting or herbal plants along your fence can create a lovely and useful background to your garden, without taking up too much space. Strawberry and Yellow Cherry Guavas, Feijoas, Bay Laurel and citrus, especially Mandarins, Cumquats and Finger Limes can all be trained into tall fedges. Native Thyme, Native Oregano, Rosemary, Midyim Berry and Blueberries are all good medium to small fedge plants.
Pollinator hedges
Smaller growing natives and flowering non-natives can be grown around the edges of your garden to help establish a community of beneficial insects, ready to help when needed, for pollination or natural pest control! Try natives such as Bottlebrush Slim, Tea Tree Starry Nights, and large flowered Grevilleas such as Ned Kelly, and non-natives such as Tree Marigold, Lavenders and Salvia Hot Lips and other Salvias.
Highlight on herbs
Most herbs grow better in pots, benefiting from the controlled environment. Warm climate herbs like basil enjoy the warmth of a pot. Vigorous herbs like peppermint, spearmint, mint, and lemon balm are best grown in pots to manage their growth. Remember to divide and repot running herbs such as oregano and mints every two years to maintain their health and productivity. Lemon, Orange, Pizza and regular Thymes all grow well in pots in sunny spots.
Small space berries
Strawberries need full sun so for a shady area choose alpine strawberries. Evergreen and deciduous blueberry plants both need acidic soil, so are best grown separately to other plants. Thornless Blackberry ‘Waldo’ is very compact, making it ideal for small spaces. Midyim berries are easily grown native Australian berries that fruit in autumn and prefer growing in light shade.
Vegetables for small & sunny spaces
Look for smaller growing plants and varieties such as bush beans, bush or dwarf peas such as Tom Thumb, Baby and French Round Carrots, dwarf tomatoes such as Tiny Tim or Tumbler and also the Gondwana series, cucumbers, mini cauliflower, mini cabbage, mini red cabbage, mini corn Sugarbaby, turnip Hakurei or other small types, radishes, leafy lettuces, mizuna, tatsoi, Bok choy, rocket, coriander, parsley, spring onions, celery, silverbeet and kale (the last two if harvested regularly to keep small.
Vegetables grown intensively, or close together, need special care to avoid problems. Harvest regularly, always taking outside leaves. Check these videos to see how it’s done!
Leafy green growing densely planted
Snow Peas & Bok Choy planted closely together
Flowers for small & sunny gardens
Violas and pansies, English marigolds, Alyssum and Californian Poppies are all good for small gardens and encouraging insects. Choose clumping nasturtiums like Empress of India instead of triffid-like trailing types such as Jewel Mix. Nasturtiums, Violas and English marigolds are also edible flowers.
Become a worm farmer!
Worm farms are great for small gardens and balconies, but as they are small, they can only handle kitchen scraps, not garden waste. Make sure to keep them shaded and cool in warm weather and ensure all added materials are evenly damp. Also, regularly add some carbon in the form of brown paper bags or paper towels to avoid soggy worm compost. The leachate that drains through the tap at the bottom can be diluted to the colour of weak tea to make a homemade fertiliser once a week. Once worm compost at the base of the farm is fully broken down it can be used to fertilise plants and grow seedlings.
Happy Small Space Gardening!
Check out Karen Sutherland YouTube for some small space vegetable gardening tips!