Use Your Available Garden Space to its Best Advantage.  Try one of these methods of food production.

Growing a vegetable garden is an important part of being prepared and self-reliant. In times of economic stress or for general knowledge, you’ve got to include food production as part of your plan.

While gardening might be important knowledge to have, it’s also fun, a fantastic way to teach children the wonders of nature and a great stress reliever! The biggest bonus of all, in my opinion, is knowing that you can walk outside for a delicious meal and that it is chemical free. So what’s your garden style? Do you like to…

• // grow in raised beds
• // use vertical gardening tools like trellis’ and ladders
• // apply Permaculture principles in your garden
• // grow in pots and containers
• // use the square foot gardening method
• // grow in rows like a farmer

I have at one time or another incorporated most of these methods in my garden. Each of them has a place in your vegetable garden styles, there are many ways to use available space to our advantage. Follow through to these posts –

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This post about Square Foot Gardening  explains how to use it. It’s intensive planting at its best. You can get a lot of vegetables into a small space if you know how much area each plant REALLY needs.

I recommend a few books below that I like and own (these are affiliate links, thanks for supporting PrepardnessMama!)

–All New Square Foot Gardening, Second Edition: The Revolutionary Way to Grow More In Less Space by Mel Bartholomew

–The Postage Stamp Garden Book: Grow Tons of Vegetables in Small Spaces

–Mini Farming: Self-Sufficiency on 1/4 Acre

–Square Foot Gardening: How To Grow Healthy Organic Vegetables The Easy Way

The Raised Bed Gardening post will give you helpful tips if you want to start your garden quickly or if you have poor soil. Just put together raised beds of various sizes and bring in some soil and compost. Find out more in the Raised Bed Gardening post.

Another idea I’d like to try is a keyhole garden. The Ultimate Raised Bed – Make a Keyhole Garden post will give you great ideas. Keyhole gardens are raised beds with a twist! They have their own compost system in the middle and are easy to make from recycled materials.

Vertical gardening is a plus for small space. The post – Sow it up, Vertical Gardening – see our Pinterest Board for more inspiration- If you have a small garden space vertical gardening is for you. Grow up to maximize every inch of your area. I also put up a gutter garden and I’m exploring other ways to grow vertically in my small garden.

Try the Mittleider Gardening Method  It is a combination of raised beds and soil-less growing. I know it sounds strange to grow without soil, but this intensive gardening method works!

Straw bale gardening is a new venture for me this year. I learned how to condition a straw bale before planting in it and I’m expecting to have great harvests.

Container Gardens

I love container gardening. Even though I might have a big “farmer” garden I still incorporate containers into the mix. See 8 Reasons You Should Try Container Vegetable Gardening or more information Container gardening is perhaps my most favorite way to get growing in a short amount of time. You will be surprised all the fruits, vegetables, and herbs that can be grown in pots.

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For Around $10 You Can Grow Fresh Salad Fixings to Harvest for Months We are eating salads most every night now ...
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Visit the other gardening pages at PreparednessMama: Gardening for Food Production – Tips, Tricks, Sprays & Brews (DIY Gardening) – Growing Herbs – Composting and Soil Building – Get Growing