How to Grow a lot of Food in a Small Garden - 9 EZ tips

Here are nine easy tips for growing more food in a small garden:
1) Grow in Beds, not Rows
2) Optimize Spacing between Beds and Plants
3) Grow Vertically
4) Succession Planting
5) Interplanting
6) Grow in the Shade
7) Grow Edible Plants in the Front Yard
8) Grow Microgreens
9) Grow in Pots & Containers
Ideas from viewers
1) Interplant sweet peas with sunchokes. The sweet peas fix nitrogen, the sunchokes act as trellises for the peas, and both attract beneficial insects.
2) 3 sisters garden
3) Grow dwarf trees and plant shade tolerant crops underneath
4) Grow in window boxes
5) Optimize use of space by growing food you like the most
OYR is all about growing a lot of food on a little land using sustainable organic methods, while keeping costs and labor at a minimum. Emphasis is placed on improving soil quality with compost, mulch, and compost tea. No store-bought fertilizers, soil amendments, pesticides, compost activators, etc. are used.
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[@soisitimpossible]

I can't understand why anyone would want a lawn when they can plant a garden. Your garden looks great.

[@soisitimpossible]

@{Delete this} Agreed! Millions of acres of grass for what? To compete with your neighbors!

[@sage0925]

@{Delete this} I don't have a lawn by choice. I have a sloping meadow that we want to have terraced, but we aren't going to bother without a fence (which we can't afford now), as wildlife is abundant here, and they eat damn near everything. Hence the grass.

[@prettypothos4me290]

Deer, that’s why. Can’t afford to fence it all.

[@littleblue2242]

@@sage0925 You could start with a small bed and fence it. In permaculture, always start small. You don't even need to dig, just make a lasagna. Good luck!

[@bettybark4441]

Surely the majority of people with grass lawns arent using it for this way, but, grass lawns are nice for dogs

[@rebeccashetter8389]

He is so right about raised beds; most soil has been so chemically treated because of lawns that you will be getting leaves and very little food. Also; try to focus on double crop vegetables like onions , spring onions, garlic, can be harvested and the leaves are great as chives.. you can even cut up and dry for later use. Sweet potatoes are wonderful for the potatoes; but the leaves are like spinach and can be cooked in soups, salads, and also are great for drying to add later to soups. Raspberries are wonderful for both jams and de-glazing pans for pork chops and dried for later use. The leaves are great dried for teas and great for cramps or upset stomach. Peas are a must to grow; shade lovers, the tops are delicious for soups, salads and grow like weeds if kept watered... Strawberries leaves are also edible; a lot of the teas we buy when they say strawberries flavor if not artificial are the leaves and skins of plants or fruit. I use the skins of fruit after I peal that are organic and dry and put into the coffee grounder and add to tea; delicious. Don't forget the wild edibles; stinging nettle is a super food and also takes the radiation out of the body with the increase around the world of radiation is a must have. It also deters animals inside the garden if you plant it in a wild animal run. Mullen is great and has been used for centuries for bandages and to use on cuts and sores. Mushrooms are a must they feed the soil and keep the plants healthy and happy. Planting mushrooms at the edges on maple or oak logs looks really pretty and will increase your yields in crops. So much to learn and so little time. Keep learning guys; practice and keep sharing... we are in this together. I talked to the grocery store clerks and wholesale food company managers and they are running out of food. We all need to start to grow food... even hydroponics inside an apartment with a barrel of feeder fish will work. Buy a fountain solar pump... All you need is knowledge and practice . God Bless and stay safe guys.

[@anndennis7163]

Tip # 10 grow only what your family will eat. Do and inventory of what you eat and break down dishes to find what is available for you to grow. Example: spaghetti sauce is mainly tomatoes but there are also many spices that can be grown towards making that sauce more your own.

[@OneYardRevolution]

That's a great tip, Ann!

[@tracywilliams6051]

You can sell, or give to friends, your surplus yield, which is a good way to bankroll your prepper plan. JS

[@gallifreybarnett3924]

You can always barter for eggs and other things that you don't grow. And does it help to grow stuff that will keep the soil aerated and use for compost?

[@1Melody1963]

Joe Wolf Get chickens

[@likeargamanflaming940]

Yes! I tell my daughter's that I'm "growing you some eggplant parmegian and shakshuka. Eggplants; tomatoes; basil; oregano; parsley etc ...they get a kick out of it.

[@MIgardener]

Very nice! I love the tips you gave. You hit on some of the main ones I focused on this year, and it is so true. rows kill your space, block formation is a winning idea. Thanks for posting, and sharing!

[@OneYardRevolution]

Thanks Luke! You're going to have so much food this year!

[@Valentina_-lw9ui]

Not certain about the points made but ,if anyone else wants to uncover backyard garden designs try Loctavan Beautiful Landscape Strategy (should be on google have a look ) ? Ive heard some extraordinary things about it and my brother in law got great success with it.

[@milododds1]

I have a tip to add, I call it "staggering" which means don't plant your entire crop all at the same day. Instead plant over several weeks if not longer for certain crops. This ensures freshness and not an over or under abundance. Another tip is to spend 1/3 of your total gardening time by improving your soil through composting, which includes: turning and adding leaves in the fall, cut grass, horse manure from a local ranch, composting from a local waste management, and as much vegetable matter you can muster from your kitchen.

[@LearnToGrow1]

Excellent tips Patrick! This is very helpful to new gardeners as well as seasoned ones :)

[@OneYardRevolution]

Thanks Misilla!

[@suburbanhomestead]

Great tips. I use most of these techniques and they really work!

[@OneYardRevolution]

Thanks suburban homestead ! I'm glad to here you've had success with many of these techniques. Thanks for watching!

[@reneew5915]

One of my favorite ways to grown melons is on a trellis. I build the trellis with the top secured to a fence for support. The base is in the ground about 16" from the fence. I plant the baby melons just behind the ground supports. This gives the baby plants enough shade to grow without burning from the hot sun. As the plant grows I just weave them through the uprights. When the melons start to develop, I gently place them in a mesh bag tied off to a horizontal frame piece just above them. I use dollar store bath scubbies as the mesh. When unfurled, they can give you several mesh bags. Just tie a knot in one end, place your melon in, then cut the mesh off to give you enough room for tying off at the top. It doesn't cause any harm to the melon, it's a space saver, and they're easy to harvest. Thanks, I enjoyed your video.

[@OneYardRevolution]

+Renee w Thanks, Renee! That's a great way to grow melons vertically. Thanks!

[@tracywilliams6051]

Great tips, plus, your instructions were so vivid and descriptive, I could see it.👍

[@nicfarrow]

Short, clear, to-the-point. Excellent!

[@oregoncoastmama3004]

I've been binge watching all these old garden videos. I can not wait to get mine started this spring!

[@OneYardRevolution]

Thanks for watching! Best wishes with your garden this spring.

[@CatHouseMouse251]

I enjoy watching your video's. I've been a gardener since 1970 and used to make my raised beds just by pulling soil up in rows with enough room to walk between them. Used a rake to do it and leveled the top out. Then spread lettuce, radishes and carrot seeds on top and finished with just tamping with the rake. Worked great as the radishes matured, then lettuce and finally carrots. By harvesting the radishes first, it left room for the carrots and lettuce. But now I'm handicapped and can't walk or stand very well anymore. But don't feel bad for me because I am now using raised beds that I can get around in my power chair and still do what I love best, raising organic veggies' for us. We took down an old 2 car garage that has a gravel floor. I'm wondering if raised beds would work on that floor so I can still get around with the power chair. Right now I'm using recycled 55 gallon drum's that were well cleaned before drilling a few holes in the top and bottom and my husband cut them around the middle. Just refreshed the soil with recycled yard waste from a local recycle place. But I want some more raised beds that I can work in from a garden scoot (from Gardeners Supply). I'm so determined to keep gardening I have been trying to think of ways for more gardening space and your video gave good idea's. And love the raised beds you show. I just can't do a lot of standing and bending anymore. Love your idea's and appreciate you making these video's and sharing them. Sorry this was so long, but just had to tell you and will look at your other video's as well for more info.

[@OneYardRevolution]

+CatHouseMouse251 Thank you!I'm glad the video was helpful! I admire your determination to grow organic veggies for your family. Best wishes with your garden!

[@nancyfahey7518]

These were great tips. Its finally sinking in how to plant all my seeds and trees. My one plant saver is to plant my tree kale on the shady side of a large tree. Its shaded in the hot summer sun and when the tree looses it's leaves the kale has full sun all winter. Love your gardens from Florida.

[@OneYardRevolution]

Thanks, Nancy!

[@sam.1224]

Did you really say that in some states it is not allowed to grow food plants!? Mindblowing to hear that, for real. ❤️From Holland

[@landscapephotosgardeningho8633]

good to hear that small garden can be of great importance. thank you a lot!

[@urbanfarmstead]

Great tips! Thank you for sharing!

[@adrian_barreto]

This was really an eyeopener for me to optimise the use of land

[@ramip8816]

Brilliant! Thank you, Patrick! 🙏

[@jimwilleford6140]

As usual, your videos are full of proven ideas. Thank you yet again!

[@alabamaorganicgardening8801]

This is great, Patrick! It's a great list to go down through and make sure you are doing all you can to be successful in the garden.

[@OneYardRevolution]

Thanks Clay! Every year the garden gets more packed with food!

[@dmat7148]

I’m a longtime gardener always looking for tips, tricks and new ways to garden. Your videos are educational and concise…thanks for posting great content!

[@AgricultureAcademy]

Great video full of helpful tips. Thanks mate 👍

[@brent9516]

Thanks for everything, continuity in community through gardening

[@JoeyHerby]

As always Patrick I this video was helpful and inspiring (the diligence in the way you document your progress is also very inspiring). Thank you

[@OneYardRevolution]

Thanks, Joe! I appreciate your encouraging words and am glad you found the video helpful.

[@aishatamang5072]

I will definitely make one of this organic garden back home... It's beautiful...

[@greengardenchick9097]

Thank You. I am a Master Gardener in Az and always enjoy learning something new.

[@OneYardRevolution]

+Angela Brooks, Green Garden Chick You're very welcome, Angela!

[@cultivatingorganicbyjomig1719]

Excellent tips and really great ideas. I'm a firm believer that a gardener can't never learn and know enough. There's always something new to learn and improve on. Thanks so much.

[@OneYardRevolution]

+Cultivating Organic by greenwiseJo Thanks! I'm glad you found the tips helpful. You're absolutely right. There's always something new to learn in the garden.

[@10yearvet]

Excellent, tips, Patrick. I've followed each one of these myself and have shown them in my vids though I never really emphasized them as you have. Odd thing is this was stuff I figured out on my own. Everyone around thought I was crazy for breaking out of the mold. No help and didn't know about YT at the time and didn't know how to search for help. If I can figure it out anyone can and with great videos like this one others should be able to jump right in.

[@OneYardRevolution]

Thanks! I think you and I both like to go our own way and experiment in the garden. It took me years to learn about these things too. KZbin really is a great learning tool for people getting started. Thanks for watching!

[@jimwilleford6140]

Many glorious ground covers. Some drought tolerant. My faves are Hacienda Creeper or Virginia Creeper.

[@quarteracreadventures855]

It is the dead of winter here, minus 7 degrees F. It is nice to see a nice gardening video!! Thank you.

[@OneYardRevolution]

+Sandra Noneofyourbusiness You're very welcome, Sandra!

[@quarteracreadventures855]

Oh my. Are you also in New England? We had -32 with wind chill this past weekend (in Connecticut) an Ice storm this morning, and then temps in the mid 50's this afternoon. Crazy weather in NE! I can't wait to get out and dig in the garden!

[@OneYardRevolution]

+Sandra Noneofyourbusiness It sounds like we lucked out in Chicago. We just got past a cold spell, but it wasn't that bad.

[@OneYardRevolution]

+Sherry Lee Keep dreaming of spring, Sherry! It won't be long.

[@craftfarms901]

I'm trying beds for the first time this year. It seems to be going well.

[@jothimuruganp8517]

Hei, it is excellent to note all the tips. I do really appreciate the words you apprehended as " for the benefit of all ".... It shows your vested interest on public interest, welfare of all and social concern. **THANK YOU**

[@donnadavis2488]

I planted three dwarf apple trees in my small strip of grass along my front driveway. I also have been growing hard squash, small pumpkin close to my cyclone fence & guide them up the fence. It acts as a privacy fence & gives me room for other plants in my Chicago back yard.

[@OneYardRevolution]

Great use of space, Donna!

[@acytoh]

Keep it coming. Love your videos !

[@JeeJeanVittoVlogs]

Great!! I like organic gardening.😊

[@seto4795]

Making better use of sunlight leads to better harvest. It was a good learning. Thank you.

[@stevieM82]

Thankd for sharing Patrick. Really appreciate your videos!

[@OneYardRevolution]

You're very welcome, Stevie! Thanks for watching!

[@SouthpawDavey]

Thanks for the tips. I found a big pile of black gold last week. Your garden looks fantastic mate.

[@lynnlamont9427]

I'm going to grow some good king henry this year as well as tree collards and malabar spinach.

[@happydays1336]

Thanks for your great videos. They're very informative. You have a nice voice that's easy to understand.

[@divogalindra9821]

Its so relaxing to watch

[@1cor13Godislov]

I learned that for cut and come again- the roots of greens can reproduce new set of leaves about 3x if I leave enough roots. i hope to try that soon to nourish the soil by leaving the roots

[@NapoleonGARDENINGTV]

Thanks a lot ! I can use a lot of it in my garden! Happy Gardening!

[@dianemurray6550]

Thanks for the great tips! You're garden is beautiful!

[@nadezhdab._alisasurname8732]

Thanks for tips! And it was a pleasure to see how neat is everyting in your garden!

[@OneYardRevolution]

You're welcome, Alisa!

[@soulfulsweat6205]

Gardening is the best! Such great info on the effectiveness of garden beds.

[@OneYardRevolution]

Thanks!

[@HomesteadOdyssey]

Your videos are so helpful, you have really inspired us to do more this year!

[@GraftingTactick]

Love to have a garden like that lots.of green veggies 👍👍

[@ashharijaywardena]

Your beautiful and bountiful garden has struck in to my heart the most unbearable nostalgia for my gardening days. Haven't the possibility to anymore, sadly. Thanks and best wishes from Germany!

[@OneYardRevolution]

You're welcome, Ashhari . I hope you're able to return to gardening soon.

[@happyhound1373]

Such great ideas and your garden is proof!

[@ingridveilleux4786]

Another great video, Patrick. You are really inspirational!!! Great, practical tips!!!

[@OneYardRevolution]

Thanks, Ingrid!

[@prettypothos4me290]

Great video! Learned about keyhole beds.

[@LindaPenney]

Awesome update and thank you for sharing have a blessed weekend

[@OneYardRevolution]

Thanks Linda!

[@RachelEHumphreys]

Great video! I recently started a garden and I live in a duplex so I have a very small space to work with but I have maximized my space!! You are so fun to watch! I've actually created a cost analysis spreadsheet to track my garden expenses, retail cost of produce, and how much I harvest to see exactly how much I save my family in cost of produce! I'm trying to share with as many people as possible because gardening is so much fun and can save money too! I'm trying to soak up as much knowledge as I can and share what I learn with others too! Thanks for sharing!!

[@OneYardRevolution]

+Spend Smart Live Happy Thanks! Best wishes with your garden! We have a very low cost approach to improving soil fertility that relies almost exclusively on free local resources to make our own compost and vermicompost. We also mulch with free local resources. Please let me know if you have any questions about reducing gardening costs while getting great results.

[@GetDamage]

Thanks for the tips, Patrick!

[@OneYardRevolution]

You're very welcome! Thanks for watching.

[@meenaxisanga]

So many plants and vegetables in a small garden, it's great!👌👌

[@Joyful-Heart777]

Thank you for a quick overview of these useful tips!

[@OneYardRevolution]

You're welcome!

[@f1rcx]

very nice thank you

[@OneYardRevolution]

Thanks!

[@GideonGardens]

Great information Patrick. Thanks for sharing!

[@OneYardRevolution]

Thanks Ann!

[@RobbieEnglishClub]

Your video was awe-inspiring! It made me think of setting up my own plant bed (of veggies) in my tiny garden. :)

[@OneYardRevolution]

Thanks, Robbie! Best wishes with your garden.

[@angelasgardening4455]

definitely will be putting these tips to use this year. thanks

[@OneYardRevolution]

You're welcome!

[@user-xo5lc7sr5b]

Love your gardens 👏

[@VK-qo1gm]

This came across my feed now in 2021, I absolutely love your -to the point & on track tips-, Your methods are great not only for smaller gardens but large ones too. The keyhole box is excellent, thankyou for these awesome tips. Just subbed

[@osangdacutanan0413]

Thank you for sharing this kind of tips

[@misslee8388]

I hope you are well. Thank you for your videos.

[@PlantZone]

Hi, I was looking for ideas for better managing my gardening spaces. The tips in this video are invaluable. Thank you so much.

[@jksatte]

Awesome advice. I just love your video's. Thanks for sharing. Janice

[@OneYardRevolution]

+jksatte Thanks, Janice! I appreciate you letting me know.

[@PetalsonthePavingSlabs]

There's some great information here, I'm going to try harder to incorporate some of your tips into my back yard, thank you.

[@OneYardRevolution]

+Petals on the Paving Slabs Thanks! I hope these tips work well for you!

[@pamelalehto9314]

FANTASTIC.... YOUR GARDEN ROCKS..

[@OneYardRevolution]

+Pamela Lehto Thanks, Pamela!

[@victoriajohnson5304]

AWESOME!🌻 ❤FROM DALLAS TEXAS

[@cherylspring2954]

Thank you, I found this really helpful! :)

[@icecap9056]

I love it. Will be trying these out at my new house with a small yard.

[@OneYardRevolution]

+Karen M Thanks, Karen! Best wishes with your garden!

[@fitriyustitia2695]

Very inspiring thanks, your garden looks great

[@Pacnwoutdoors1]

Excellent tips - thanks Patrick!

[@OneYardRevolution]

Thanks Pacific Northwest Outdoors ! I appreciate it.

[@is_this_name_taken]

Thanks! I don't have a garden yet but would like to start this year. We have a lot of shade and limited space, so this video will help!

[@OneYardRevolution]

You're welcome! I'm glad you found the video helpful.

[@sonjaveda9832]

Great video! Thanks

[@nkingable]

The best video ever I found on youtube.Good job

[@OneYardRevolution]

Thanks!

[@SandyDriggers]

The video was clear and concise. You have a beautiful garden. Thank you for sharing.

[@OneYardRevolution]

Thanks, Sandy Driggers ! I appreciate it.

[@elisezvirzdin3884]

So great! Thanks so much for your videos!

[@OneYardRevolution]

Thanks, Elise!

[@brazilian-lady9175]

Wow! Great ideas. Thank you for sharing

[@subhishasri3490]

best video on gardening that i have ever seen

[@OneYardRevolution]

Thanks!

[@FreddiesFarmPHILKEN]

This is a fantastic video... I am an organic farmer myself. I produce my own fertilizer and other concoctions. I operate at my backyard in an urban estate in Nairobi, Kenya. Keep up the good work. Thanks for sharing! Cheers!

[@FeraleHubbard]

Who would thumb this video down? I found it very informative. People are weird.

[@ghillzballer]

Excellent video.Really has me reconsidering raised beds for my garden. I've traditionally planted in rows.

[@OneYardRevolution]

Thanks, Pierre! Even if you don't use raised beds, you could always grow in larger plots instead of rows. Thanks for watching!

[@kokilaskitchengarden9427]

Good advice very informative. Thank you Patrick.

[@OneYardRevolution]

+Kokila Amin Thanks, Kokila!

[@Angie-ci1lp]

Awesome!!!👏🏽👏🏽👏🏽👏🏽

[@goforgreenliving]

Tip 10 permaculture crop crops at the same time that benefits each other like the 3 sisters corn beans and squash it might fit into inter-planting. I think that would make a great poster for the greenhouse Great tips!

[@CookingLessonsforDad]

Great tips! Thanks!

[@DinewithNasrin]

Wow beautiful garden!!

[@R20104]

Love it! What a beautiful garden 🌱🌾

[@OneYardRevolution]

Thanks!

[@badvibesnosleep975]

Great video Patrick, really learn a lot from your videos as well as how to make an entertaining and educational videos

[@OneYardRevolution]

Thanks Isabella and Jaidyn!

[@virginialacar3218]

Thank you for your nice tips!!!

[@OneYardRevolution]

You're welcome, Virginia!

[@Mammalbonsai]

nice to see

[@OneYardRevolution]

+Vijay saini Thanks!

[@delsurf71]

This year I choose smaller diameter carrots and radishes (Lady finger carrots and french breakfast radishes) which don't require as much spacing. I also grow more indeternament tomatoes instead of bush. I let the largest store bought cages I could find determine spacing (slightly smaller than sq ft). Inverted same size cages with zip ties for more height. Will post a video soon. Thx for the tips.

[@bryanwickizer7485]

Thanks for the great tips Patrick. I grow in a very similar size lot....1/10th of an acre I believe, and have adopted a few tips mentioned. Growing vertically has been my most successful so far. We have a fence that borders our yard and I have trellised most of the full sun areas with peas, beans, and cucumbers so far. Succession planting is what I really need to work on as I want to be able to harvest produce from my garden all year if possible. Thanks again for the great tips.

[@OneYardRevolution]

You're very welcome, Bryan! I'm glad to hear you are making great use of your 1/10th acre! Growing vertically and succession planting make a huge difference.

[@lionolee5480]

I have less then your space .06 acres 😔

[@steelballs7456]

Aye this video is almost at 1 million views! Congrats!

[@davestumpf9235]

great tips---may have to use some of them tips thx for the info

[@OneYardRevolution]

Thanks Dave!

[@CeritaMrZank]

i really love these tip, i'll make it in my backyard, thanks for sharing

[@Brianbeesandbikes]

Excellent tips delivered wo drama. THANKS!!

[@DiYChat]

Thanks for the tips, loved gardening

[@OneYardRevolution]

You're welcome!

[@ggwhhbb1822]

woow i am so happy to find out this series. thank you very much

[@OneYardRevolution]

You're welcome!