Growing veggies in small spaces can be done without much time or effort. You just need to plan, organize and accept its limitations. Nowadays, the biggest limitation we face is not having enough time to do everything. When our schedules seemed so crammed that we barely have the time and energy to tend to our garden, we must implement some time saving steps in order to manage our small gardens easily.
Using Self-Watering Pots
Containers can dry out fast, especially during summer. Use self-watering pots to save time on watering. You can even buy containers without pre-drilled drainage holes and just drill holes on the side of the pot instead of at the bottom.
Mulching
Proper mulching is beneficial whether you are growing tomatoes or a walnut tree. This saves you time because you don’t need to water or weed as often. You also save time fertilizing if you use rich compost as mulch.
Amending Soil
Amend soil with organic matter to reduce watering time. Compost, worm castings, rotted manures and similar matters not only build good drainage but they also build the water-holding capacity of the soil.
Installing Irrigation Systems
The most frequent and time-consuming task when gardening is watering. To save time, install a timer on your spigot and use a drip line, soaker hose, or sprinkler. You may also add multiple connections to your water faucet so you can run several hoses, or even Eley Garden Hose Reels, throughout your garden.
Planting Low Maintenance Crops
Don’t grow crops that require daily tending if you want to save time on gardening. Some vegetables need continual staking, pinching, cleaning and harvesting. It is best to plant low maintenance herbs and crops like chives, oregano, thyme, onions, garlic and sweet potatoes if you know you barely have time to garden but really wanted to keep one.