How to Grow Vegetables on a Porch or Patio

More and more people are turning to home gardens to provide a portion of their food. Those who live in deed restricted communities, apartments, or who have very shady yards may need to grow vegetables on a porch or patio. Using space saving gardening techniques and utilizing vertical gardening, it is possible to get large yields from small spaces.

Here Comes the Sun

Most vegetables like full sun, but there are some that can grow well in partial or full shade, such as leafy greens. Quite a few herbs can tolerate at least partial shade.

To find out how much sun is available on a porch, it’s necessary to watch the sun throughout the day. For example, if the porch faces west, there will be plenty of strong afternoon sun for most sun loving vegetables. If it faces south, there will be morning sun on one end, and stronger afternoon sun on the other. Place containers according to how much sun is available in a particular spot.

Take note of how the sunlight moves across the porch, and which areas get the longest period of sustained afternoon sunlight. Creating a “sun map” can help determine plant placement. Sketch the porch, and lay out the areas that get sunlight at which times of day, and for how long. Remember that at least six hours of afternoon sun is needed for most full sun vegetables, although some varieties can take less.

So Many Varieties, so Little Space

There are many different varieties of vegetables suitable to container gardening that have different requirements. For example, Cherokee Purple tomatoes, an heirloom variety, do not like strong sunlight at all, and tend to split in hot afternoon sun, so growing them in an area that only gets good morning sun and no strong afternoon sun would be not only be possible, but beneficial. The same goes for bell peppers, which scorch in full afternoon summer sun.

The best source of information on what grows well locally is the local County Extension Service Office, which can be located online. Each county in the U.S. has an Extension Service Agent, and most larger counties have physical offices. The state office usually has a website with all the information needed, but if not, a call to the nearest office will get the information quickly.

Local gardening forums or clubs can also provide information that isn’t found in seed catalogs. First hand experience of local gardeners is a valuable resource.

Only plant vegetables that will grow best under the specific conditions available, so as not to be disappointed.

Grow Up Instead of Out

Vertical gardening is an excellent space saving technique. Get creative with your space. Many vegetables climb, or can be trained to grow vertically to save space. Most gardeners know about staking tomatoes, but squash can also be trained onto a vertical support. Cucumbers and pole beans are climbers that are perfect for vertical growing. If corn is desired, but room is at a premium, try growing pole beans up the corn stalks like the Native Americans did. The beans will hold nitrogen in the soil to feed the corn roots, and the corn will provide support for the beans.

Don’t hesitate to hang containers with herbs or smaller vegetables like radishes. Tomatoes can even be grown upside down in hanging containers. Using a patio fence of wall to hang planters utilizes space otherwise wasted.

Tiered planting also provides a good space saving alternative. Instructions for building simple tiered gardens are available for free online.

Grow Veggies with a Friend

More than one vegetable can be grown in one container. Study companion planting, and combine two or more vegetables in one container for higher yield. According to the National Sustainable Agriculture Information Service, some plants actually make vegetables grow better when they are planted together. There is something that will grow well with almost anything, and companion planting helps to utilize all the wasted space around the bottom of vertically planted crops.

When planted properly, it only takes 100 square feet to feed a family of 4. There is a surprising amount of space available to grow vegetables on a porch or patio when using the methods outlined above. Homegrown organic vegetables are healthier, and can save money.