5 Things I Won't Repeat in Small Garden

[@ryanhill906]

Hi Wendy! This year I'm making my garden smaller, even though I have plenty space! The last 2 yrs I'd expanded a lot and got to where I couldn't give anything enough attention, so I'm scaling it back to where I can hopefully be more successful.

[@wendiland]

Yea we need to align our goals with our needs, lifestyle, practicality but with a little too for fun too. 😊

[@DIYBIGMAN]

I love gooseberries!

[@gordonspears6320]

In my small garden I have fruit trees planted 5 feet apart. I grow pineapples and peanutbutter fruit beneath and between the mangos and advocares. They do grow slower and smaller in the shade, but the fruit are just as sweet and it's produce from space I otherwise wouldn't be using. I like the way the banana looks and I have gotten some good racks (goldfinger) but the productivity alone is not enough to justify the garden space. In general, I wish I had chosen fruit tree varieties based on productivity more than high fruit quality.

[@wendiland]

You are making such great use of your space! Do your fruit trees in the shade get any sun at all? That's great to know the fruits are just as sweet. As a fruit lover, can get carried away with anything unique. I find that fruit trees from the Eugenia family produces small, but pretty good yield. Does the peanutbutter fruit have texture like its name to you?

[@gordonspears6320]

@@wendilandI do have some …Eugenia neonitida (pitangatuba) plants. In my experience trees that make smaller fruit produce over a much longer season. This is the case with Eugenias, jaboticabas, mulberries, acerola, etc which may produce several times throughout the warm months. Im not a big fan of E. uniflora (pitanga). It also seems that smaller trees and shrubs are more tollerant of shade than large canopy trees, which seems logical. The Bunchosia (peanutbutter fruit), carambola, and pitangatubas that get more sun do seem to fruit more. My garden is arranged in a keyhole shape facing south so all of the big trees and even many of the smaller trees and shrubs do get some direct sunlight at some point during the day.

[@edwinrodrigues9747]

​@@wendilandactually fruit trees will produce but they need time to adjust. Let the trees grow taller instead of broader. They will produce in their own time

[@janesnow3633]

Happy Lunar New Year to you! 🎉

[@wendiland]

Thank you! Happy Lunar New Year!

[@PrettyAliceNight]

I’ve found plants do much better when you give them the proper space they need. I used to think I’d get more if I put them closer together but have learned that when they are too close and competing they do worse than if you give them the proper space. Also vertical gardening has helped me save space. And totally agree about plants that don’t produce a lot. I found drying beans don’t produce much so you either need a lot of space or only get a small handful- not worth it for me.

[@wendiland]

Absolutely. Planting more is only if you want to grow wider variety, but you can't maximum the potential of the plants. I choose to grow things I cannot buy. Dried beans isn't worth growing in small space, IMO. :)

[@GingerfootGarden]

Thank you for sharing this Wendy. Designing a small space garden and wanting to grow a lot is challenging.

[@wendiland]

The smaller the garden the bigger the challenge sometimes, or keep it simple is helpful in the long run for busy bees.

[@AnnM-cx9my]

Awesome information. Can you please give garden tour? You have many varieties. There is a lot to learn from your garden.

[@AnnM-cx9my]

I grow vegetables in my Dallas tx backyard. Here frost free days last for 7 months. The clay soil limits types of fruit trees I can grow. Had success with only Fuyu persimmons so far. Black berries I should have planted in full sun.

[@danellefrost5030]

Oh my gosh! I do the exact same thing, I sometimes ponder over where the perfect spot for something should be, often to the detriment of the poor plant that's left to strangle in its nursery pot! No more! This year I am going to plant into grow bags anything that I can't decide where its perfect place should be, that way, I can easily move it around if I don't like where I first placed it. I too have a very small garden space. I only have a 12'x12' space right now, as I soon realized that I had to completely enclose in wire mesh the entire raised bed area that I had just constructed to keep the ground squirrels and ravens out. I hope to expand it a little this summer. Last year I planted too many oversized plants, this year I am planning more leafy greens and dwarf varieties of plants. I have several small figs, a pomegranate, and some moringa (fingers crossed that I don't kill them this year), that I am going to squeeze in someplace, as I simply cannot part with them. Sadly, for anything to survive, it has to be within the protection of the enclosed area. I plan on training my malibar spinach up and over (the inside) of one corner of the space to create a living shade cloth for some of the less heat tolerant plants, problem solved there with that prolific plant! I love seeing the creative ways that you garden in a small space, you are such and inspiration. Thank you!

[@wendiland]

Wow you got a variety going too! Love the way you are creating to house different kinds of plants. A square garden is much nicer to work with in my opinion. Mine is narrow so most plants get part shade. Great idea for planting them in grow bags so you can move them! Wishing you great success this year, and plant everything you have! :D

[@sevenangelsfarm7465]

This year I'll be adding alot more, I've slacked the last fue years and lost plants so I'm adding back this time.

[@wendiland]

I'm glad you are getting the garden growing again. Happy gardening! :)

[@oldgoatsgarden4897]

Happy New Year! I've cut back over the years a bit myself, from 7 acre average, used to market garden, to just a little over 1, counting the orchard and vineyard area. My biggest problem is all the bring in plants as it gets a bit colder here. I have a dwarf banana and it typically takes around 5 years as it pretty much spends half of each year semi dormant and the pineapple 3 to 4 years to fruit. Always more plants to try and never enough space or time. Thank you for sharing and have a wonderful week.

[@wendiland]

Wow even at a reduced size your place is 😮🤩! Banana is more of a novelty if you have to shelter them. When they finally flower you think it’s all worth it! 😂

[@oldgoatsgarden4897]

@wendiland I do grow a lot of novelties, I guess I'm either plant crazy or just love the challenge. A couple that I've given up on for now are mango and avocado, even bringing them in the north Missouri winters are a bit too stressful 😫 for them.

[@AAHomeGardening]

Dragon fruit plants look so healthy

[@wendiland]

Thank you! Yes, it will be hard to part with them....don't know if I can do it honestly, but I think it's the right move...

[@goducks20101]

Thanks for this video. I live in Zone 10A near the beach in So. OC. There are two adjacent homes that block direct sun at different times of the day. Seed packets say plant in direct sun for 8 hours, usually. An idea is to grow that type of plant where the majority of direct sun hits. Then grow other plants that are fine with less/ shaded areas. I'm just wondering what you'd suggest. Cảm ơn một lần nữa, bạn của tôi ☺

[@wendiland]

Chào bạn! I would do the same as you. It is crucial for certain plants to get direct sun so save that valuable space for them. :) Most leafy greens can be grown in filtered sun, or part shade.

[@louski5844]

Think i over planted last season not leaving sufficient space between plants. This year my theme will be less is more.

[@wendiland]

We’re on the same boat. 😂 good luck in the garden!

[@stevefujii9132]

Thank You Wendi! Solid tips for us So CA folks with small yards.

[@wendiland]

Glad it was helpful!

[@mythics6669]

Chúc mừng Năm mới. Chúc cháu một năm mới mạnh khỏe hạnh phúc và an lành trong tay chúa JESUS và mẹ Maria ❤ I have never seen Gooseberries before, but it sure looking good 👍

[@wendiland]

Chúc mừng Năm mới! Em cảm ơn bạn vì những lời chúc. Em cũng chúc bạn như vậy

[@FullmoonEffects89]

I didnt know you could eat fuchsia. I just got them because i love the flowers.

[@wendiland]

Yes! Super excited that it counts as edible. Fruits fully ripe is actually quite tasty 😄

[@ClassyJohn]

wow your dragonfruit plant looks really healthy. Mine is very ashy...

[@wendiland]

Don't say that! You're making it very hard for me to part with them! LOL But thank you. Ashy -- Did you mean scale or what is it?

[@Stanlee99]

Another wonderful video 🍍🍌 Very interesting perspective, Pineapples and bananas 🍍🍌super grower

[@Sandy-ch1mi]

It used to rain like that in the 70s

[@wendiland]

Did it used to have rain in the winter as well?

[@annsalty5615]

No, I was there.

[@donb.puryearjr.8699]

I definitely understand the challenges. While outdoor space is not necessarily an issue for me, the number pots and indoor storage is (due to cold winters here) is. I see so many different plants and wish to experience the success and beauty of growth......but isnt this a "good" problem to have????😊

[@wendiland]

Anything to the extreme is never great I think....I do feel fortunate that I've grown so many cool plants though :D You are being a very responsible plant dad. :D

[@gtrgenie]

Audio works fine

[@gtrgenie]

My banana plant is doing great in a 40gal grow bag, but it still hasn’t flowered after 3 years. It makes pups though.😂

[@wendiland]

Wow! Wish I had room for a 40 gal pot. Lol You might have to remove the pups to allow the largest plant to direct its energy to flowering.

[@heirloomn.heritage7004]

Where do you grow? Bananas are hungry plants. Fertilize monthly in growing season with balanced fertilizer ie 14-14-14

[@alannatolentino5513]

How big is your garden?

[@A55-s9d]

When are you posting the cannabis video?

[@wendiland]

Hahaha! Thanks for reminding me. I think I filmed it and didn't edit. Yikes.

[@ras9875]

There's no such thing as a low maintenance garden 😂😅😂😅😂

[@wendiland]

I hear you. The term "low maintenance" is however you want to set it. For me it means to setup irrigation, and with adequate spacing -- hopefully I won't have to tend to them as often.

[@mballer]

Move your "unwanted" plants to your neighbor's yards. Everybody wins.

[@tobyspassingtimesandmore6589]

i played this and there is no audio, how about the others?

[@wendiland]

There should be a speaker icon on the lower part of the video. Make sure it’s not on mute. Hope that helps!

[@bethb8276]

​@@wendiland I'm not sure how you're growing your pineapple and dragonfruit, but both will grow in pots, which can be moved around. Also, have you considered growing drawf banana plants?

[@wendiland]

@@bethb8276 I've grown dwarf bananas before. They grow so low that I can't really grow much other plants under them. I really don't even have room for another decent size pot. That's how crowded it is here.

[@mballer]

Move your "unwanted" plants to your neighbor's yards. Everybody wins.

[@wendiland]

I wish I could, but not everyone around likes to grow things.