Gardening will help in the war against economic recession. These tips give you some ideas how to increase the area you cultivate and the number of crops you can grow even if your garden space is restricted.

More Growing Area for a Small Garden

Grow Bags and Containers

• Grow bags can be stood on paths or waste land and can be used for many crops like onions, salads, tomatoes or courgettes.
• Make your own grow bag, if they are too expensive, with ordinary soil in a plastic bag. To help water retention I have used those packets of silica they use to keep electrical products dry.
• To get a deep grow bag I cut them in two and stand them on there ends for crops I want to cosset.
• There are a wide range of baskets and boxes that can be fixed to a wall or fence to increase your growing area.
• You can make a raised bed on hard standing. I have put 10 inches of soil over an old tarmac drive and it is fine for leafy crops.

Special Crops

• Mushrooms can be grown in a cupboard or garage, bean sprouts can be forced in a jam jars in similar conditions and mustard and cress can be grown in an old flannel.
• Old dustbins with holes in the bottom or any deep container can be used for Leeks, Parsnips or Potatoes and stood on a path or hard-standing.
• Use hanging baskets to grow extra crops like tumbler tomatoes.
• Window boxes can be brought into service for herbs and salad crops.
• Window sills are grand for herbs but be a bit more adventurous and try some pick and come again salad crops
• Plant pots and containers can be pressed into service to grow more vegetables, small apple trees or strawberries.

Other Space Creations
Vertical gardening is the latest fad. You can construct a tiered garden against a wall and grow salad crops or trailing plants.
An allotment or rent-a-garden are alternatives to get more space.
The Victorians made greater use of indoor growing even though light levels were generally lower. I augment lighting with a special daylight lightbulb.