by Susan Klatz Beal

Created on: November 16, 2008   Last Updated: August 13, 2010

For an apartment dweller or anyone who lives in a place where there is little to no outdoor growing space, the prospect or possibility of having a garden can seem like an impossibility. Admittedly, it will be a challenge, but no matter how little space there is, anyone can make the most of that space and create a garden that can be both aesthetically pleasing and capable of producing a nice crop of fresh vegetables to harvest. The key is to figure out how to use every possible inch of available space to the greatest advantage.

Here are some tips to help you use that space more effectively.

*Vertical growing -

f you are growing vegetables and a lack of space is a consideration, consider vertical gardening. This simply means that rather than allowing things that tend to spread out to grow out, you train them to grow upwards. Growing things like cucumbers, squash and anything else that grows on a vine upward (or downward if you can grow it in an upside down container,) will free up a substantial amount of horizontal space.

*Take advantage of multiple stacked raised beds -

Use multiple raised beds. Build raised beds on top of one another. This will offer you a different way to grow things vertically, but it will also force the things that you grow to grow within a confined space. Building raised beds on top of one another will require a lot of labor.

*Square foot gardening -

Consider square foot gardening. In square foot gardening, the garden space is measured and then divided into squares that are one foot by one foot. You can use edging to separate the squares. It doesn't matter whether you are growing things from seed or from pre-purchased plants. Plant them in that small square. You may have to plant fewer seeds or plants but you won't have to thin what you plant, so that will save you money.

Plan your square foot plot carefully. You need to make sure you have enough space to be able to get in and harvest things. Because you are compacting so much into such a small space, you will reduce your need to weed by a good 95% or more. Be strategic about your arrangement. If you plant tomatoes, don't plant lots of tomatoes together. Plant things that don't grow tall or that don't need as much space around the tomatoes. Lettuce, spinach, radishes, and anything else that doesn't grow tall or bushy would be ideal.

*Container gardening -

Take advantage of deck and patio space to grow things in pots. If you don't have beds that you can plant in, that's okay. You can plant

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