planting that works extremely well. If the plants
have ample water and nutrients, high-density
planting will optimize a container’s usefulness.
You can read more about Mel’s system at
squarefootgardening.com.
There are many ideas on how to maximize the
use of space in a pot or a container. One of the
better systems is the garden spire. You will need
some chicken wire and a small length of PVC pipe
to make this system work. Begin by constructing
the spire out of 2.5-cm chicken wire, one metre
high. Roll the wire into a tube 42 cm in diameter. Line the spire with ordinary cardboard. Stand the
column on end in your desired location and insert
a 10-cm-wide PVC pipe in the middle. Fill this pipe
with rocks and sand.
Fill the rest of the column around the pipe with
good soil, packed down enough to prevent it
sinking too much later (but not too tightly — don’t
compact it). Carefully remove the PVC pipe. The
stone and sand core allows the water to travel
evenly throughout.
Cut slits 5 to 7.5 cm long through the cardboard
in a spiral going around the spire from top to
bottom. The spiral should go around the column
six or seven times, with 15 to 20 cm between the
slits, making about fifty slits or more.
Plant flowers, herbs, lettuce or other plants
by prying open the slits. Water and fertilize
regularly. In one small pot you now have 1.5 m 2
(roughly 12 ft 2 ) of gardening space. This column
will produce enough veggies for many salads or
if planted with something like Crystal Palace and
White Lady lobelia can look spectacular. ●
Some ideas for a 40-cm-wide pot: Urban gardeners and those living with small
gardening spaces need to readjust their thinking.
We have all been raised with the idea that a
garden or flower bed needs to be planted on a
large scale. The sprawling
garden is becoming a thing
of the past, as yards — such
as those in townhomes
— get smaller. With baby
boomers seeking out more
condos, this trend toward
small space gardening
will continue. You can
grow a container garden
in as little as one square
foot of space and the choice
of containers is limited only
by your imagination.
Example 1
• 2 canary vines in the back (bright yellow
flowers against dark green foliage)
• 6 Celebrity petunias in the centre
• 2 wave petunias trailing over the front
Example 2
• 1 morning glory vine in the back
• 6 dwarf marigolds in mixed colours of yellow
and orange
• 6 Crystal Palace lobelias trailing
Example 3
• 1 Spacemaster or Bushmaster cucumber
trellised
• 2 Tumbler cherry tomatoes in the centre
• 10 lettuce plants such as Red Sails lettuce
mixed with green leaf for a beautiful and yet
functional veggie container
news&views SUMMER 2019 | 19