A vertical vegetable garden is a simple way to boost growing space, reduce insect and disease problems, and beautify decks and patios. In my veggie plot, I use structures like trellises, stakes, and obelisks. These support vining tomatoes, cucumbers, squash, gourds, peas, and pole beans. But, I also have a vertical vegetable garden on my back deck and patio. With a little creative thinking, you can grow edibles on walls and fences, or create your own vertical space with hanging baskets or pallets.
10 upcycling ideas for the garden
One of the things I love to do is take old objects that no longer have a purpose and turn them into something cool for the garden. In my book, Raised Bed Revolution, I made a few raised beds out of items I’d found at a local antique market—an old wooden suitcase, a metal washbasin, a small dining table, etc. I figured this was the perfect topic to celebrate Earth Day, so I’ve gathered a few photos that will hopefully inspire you to get creative and come up with your own upcycling project for the garden.
6 high-yield vegetables
You don’t need a big garden to produce a large harvest. Growing high-yield vegetables is an easy way to maximize your growing space. High-yield crops are those that produce the most food per square foot of garden. There are plenty of great books on growing more food with less space, including the recently released book, High-Yield Vegetable Gardening by Colin McCrate and Brad Halm.
READ MORE » about 6 high-yield vegetables
The best plants for beneficial insects
While there’s been a lot of focus on promoting pollinators in the news lately, let’s not forget about supporting all the other beneficial insects that reside in our yards and gardens. There are thousands of species of predatory and parasitic beneficial insects who help us control many common garden pests by consuming them or using them to house and feed their developing young. If you want to encourage these pest-munching bugs, then you’d do well to include plants for beneficial insects in your garden plans.
8 salad greens to grow that aren’t lettuce
I love making salads during the growing season. There’s nothing quite like walking out the back door with a pair of scissors or herb snips and harvesting your own salad greens. I even built a lettuce table for that very purpose. However I need variety. I’m not content to just grow one type of lettuce and call it a day. I grow a bunch of things so there is a medley of flavours and varieties in my bowl.
READ MORE » about 8 salad greens to grow that aren’t lettuce
Get a jump start on spring with a cold frame
In my first book, The Year Round Vegetable Gardener, I detailed the many ways I use cold frames to extend my homegrown harvest into winter. However, a cold frame is also an easy way to get a jump start on spring, planting weeks – even months – earlier than in traditional vegetable gardens.
READ MORE » about Get a jump start on spring with a cold frame
