Gardening in Small Spaces: Inspiration for growing in containers on lanais and windowsills (2024)

FAQs

Gardening in Small Spaces: Inspiration for growing in containers on lanais and windowsills? ›

Herb Containers: Herbs are an excellent choice for small-scale container gardening. Compact and versatile, they thrive in small pots on windowsills, balconies, or shelves. Basil, mint, rosemary, and thyme can provide a fresh supply of aromatic herbs for cooking enthusiasts.

If you are interested in growing tomatoes, eggplant, cucumbers, squash, strawberries, or other fruiting crops in your lanai, make sure to place them in the sunniest spot, where they can soak up every bit of sunlight. It is also a great idea to provide tomatoes and cucumbers with a structure to support vertical growth.

Since we're growing our carrots in pots on our Florida screened porches, we recommend selecting a smaller variety, as the Thumbelina, Parmex, and Parisienne. While you're purchasing the seeds, pick up a pot with at least one foot of depth and adequate drainage. If the carrots receive too much water, they will rot!

“Interplanting” or “intercropping” is the practice of planting small crops in between bigger ones; the small, fast-growing crops will be ready before the big ones need the extra space. If you have a small area, this lets you use your space more efficiently and for longer.

What is a lanai? Take a cue from the Golden Girls: It's a design solution with a tropical bent that delivers protection from the elements and the feeling of being outdoors. Similar to a covered porch or roofed deck, a lanai is another type of covered area original to Hawaiian homes and architecture.

A sunny, south-facing window will provide the most direct and indirect natural light, but when battling shorter days you'll want to harness the power of a grow light, too. On average, most young vegetable plants grown indoors need 12 hours of light a day, and seedlings may need 14 hours or more.

A basic gardening rule of thumb, whether you're planting patio pots or in ground, is that greens are great in cooler, damp weather, herbs do well in moderate weather and tomatoes, peppers, cucumbers, zucchini and the like do best in the warmer weather….

Carrots, beets, onions, garlic and radishes can be grown indoors. Planting these beauties is not just about what grows below the dirt, their green tops (on some plants they're called scapes) are tasty in salads, sauteed and in pesto mixes. Look for smaller varieties, often called compact, petite or dwarf.

Baby greens like lettuce, arugula, basil, spinach, chard, red mustard, and microgreens like radish, broccoli, lettuce, mustard greens, peas, and sunflowers all work wonderfully indoors. They are shallow-rooted and quick to grow. A container 2-4 inches deep will work well. They need moist, well-drained soil.

As a general rule, put tall veggies toward the back of the bed, mid-sized ones in the middle, and smaller plants in the front or as a border. Consider adding pollinator plants to attract beneficial insects that can not only help you get a better harvest, but will also prey on garden pests.

How to grow vegetables with no space? ›

You can grow just about any kind of vegetable in a container. Look for compact, dwarf or bush varieties of vegetables rather than tall plants. For example, instead of growing pole beans, which require a vertical support, consider bush beans because they are much more compact.

Start by drawing a rough sketch of how you want your garden to look. Fill your container with compost or soil to create a base for your garden. Build your pathways and any solid buildings first, then add in your smaller decorations. Leave anything that's delicate until last, so it doesn't get covered in soil.

A patio (/ˈpætioʊ/, from Spanish: patio [ˈpatjo]; "courtyard", "forecourt", "yard", "little garden") is an outdoor space generally used for dining or recreation that adjoins a structure and is typically paved.

In our experience, here is what grows really well in patio pots… Greens like lettuce, kale, and Swiss chard and all herbs are the easiest to grow. It is tougher, though not impossible to grow fruits like tomatoes, cucumbers and eggplant in patio pots.

The sodium draws moisture out of the plant and it can burn roots. However, it is possible to have a lush, productive veggie garden by the sea if you choose tolerant varieties and amend your soil with plenty of organic matter.

Provides Natural Sunlight

Vegetables and plants need plenty of sunlight to grow, which can be challenging if you try to grow your plants indoors. However, a sunroom makes it easy to let natural light in, allowing your indoor garden to get plenty of light to maximize crop yield.

Conclusion to growing a garden in Hawaii

By choosing the top vegetables to grow in Hawaii such as sweet potato, taro, green beans, lettuce, cucumber, eggplant, and squash, you can create a sustainable source of fresh produce for yourself and your community.