Kem Ormond’s vegetable garden: Growing spaces in unexpected places
Kem Ormond is a features writer for The Country. She’s also a keen gardener. This week, she’s finding gardening space that you probably have never thought about.
I have often heard people say they would love to have a vegetable garden but simply do not have enough space.
My response is always the same: if you really want to grow fresh vegetables, think outside the square and you may be surprised at just how much growing space you can find.
This week, I drove past a charming little cottage in the middle of town. The cottage occupied most of its small section, but the owners had created a wonderful vegetable garden in the limited space available.
They had cleverly utilised the strips of ground between the concrete tracks used for driving their car into the garage.
Growing there were spinach, lettuces, herbs, brassicas, carrots and spring onions, to name just a few.
It was an excellent example of making the most of every available piece of ground.
The only downside is that the car has to remain parked on the road while the garden is in full production.
I imagine that once the crops have been harvested and the next plantings are being established, there would be a brief period when the car could once again enjoy the comfort of the garage.
The owners had also planted a beautiful passionfruit vine along their verandah, making excellent use of the vertical space.
An assortment of containers was filled with yet more vegetables, while I could see preparations underway for what appeared to be stakes ready for tomato plants.
It was a wonderful reminder that you do not need a large section to grow your own fresh produce.
With a little imagination and some careful planning, even the smallest spaces can become productive gardens.
When it comes to containers, I have seen a whole rose garden surviving in containers; a lot of work, but the owner had the time and the enjoyment she got when she opened her garden to the public made it all worthwhile.
I am rather partial to quirky containers and I have had a few recycled ones over the years, such as an old copper full to the brim with flowering red geraniums and a water urn sporting a ladder fern – and I am still rather partial to the odd terracotta pipe here and there!
Containers can come in any shape or form, whether they be an old wine barrel, plain terracotta pots, colour-glazed pots or even an old, recycled concrete washtub.
You can even utilise fence space and do a spot of vertical gardening!
Correct-sized containers, good soil, plenty of water, adequate sunlight and a good temperature are all necessary to get good results from vegetables grown in containers.
They will also need to be fed regularly with some good fertiliser and some compost for added nutrients.
Some of the vegetables that grow well in containers are peas, potatoes, tomatoes, carrots, radishes, eggplant, leafy greens and peppers.
Almost any vegetable, herb, shrub or small tree can grow successfully in a container.
Dwarf and compact cultivars are best, especially for smaller pots.
How often you water your container plants depends on many factors such as weather, plant size and pot size.
Don’t let soil in containers dry out completely, as it is hard to re-wet.
To keep large containers attractive, spread a layer of mulch as you would in the garden.
This will also help retain moisture, but mulch away from the stems.
There are other options available that you should check out, such as pods with insect-protective covers and moveable planters on wheels. And remember, you can always plant vegetables among your flowers in the garden.
All you need to do is think outside the square ... or maybe the garage!