If you want to grow some vegetables but don't think you have the
space, why not look upwards instead? Vertical gardening lets you take
advantage of fences, trellises and exterior walls to grow fruits and
vegetables in tiny spaces.
Blackberries or raspberries
I grow my berry bushes along a chain link fence which does a great job
of camouflaging the alley while keeping my family well supplied with
fresh berries. A healthy blackberry bush will produce between 10-20
pounds of fruit a season, a single raspberry bush slightly less.
Grapes
Grapes are another family favorite at our house though do require full
sun to grow. Grape vines can be trained to grown along a fence, over a
pergola or on a trellis. I usually harvest about 15-20 clusters of
grapes per plant.
Lemon cucumbers
I've only
started growing this unusual vegetable a few years ago and love the
compact size of the fruit which makes it ideal for growing along a porch
rail or small trellis. Lemon cucumber plants are very prolific and easy
to grow. Last year, our average yield was between 20-30 cucumbers per
plant.
Pole Beans
Certain bean varieties are known
as "pole" plants, meaning they can be trained to climb upon a fence or
trellis for bountiful yields. Pole beans have 2-3 times the yield of
bush varieties and have a much longer growing season. Average yield per
plant is about 5-6 pounds.
Pickling cucumbers
Our
family eats a lot of relish which is why pickling cucumbers are a staple
in my garden too. Pickling cucumbers are much smaller than standard
market cucumbers which means that they won't break the vine as they
grow. Most pickle and relish recipes call for at least 4-6 pounds of
pickles per recipe which is why you'll need to plant at least 8 plants.
Apples, peaches, plums, and cherries
While we don't think about growing fruit trees along a fence line, the
old art of espalier training makes it possible to grow orchard fruits
in tight, compact spaces along a fence or a wall. The yields are
fantastic in relation to the space -- for instructions for espalier
training fruit trees in your yard, check out the Mother Earth News
article: How to espalier apple trees. Need more ideas? check this article called 4 Fruits You Can Easily Grow
A lack of yard space doesn't mean that you can't have a micro orchard
or vegetable garden. Thanks to vining fruits, pole vegetables, and tree
varieties that can be espalier trained, it is possible to grow food for
your family in hardly any space at all.
