Garage Agriculture: The Art of Growing Food in Small Spaces

The emerging trend of sustainable living is not showing signs of slowing down. As homeowners recognize the benefits of connecting with nature from the comfort of their homes, the concept of garage-based agriculture has gained momentum.

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When you look at your garage, green living probably isn’t the first thing that comes to mind. Many people use their home garages to park their car, for storage, or even as a workshop.

As the sustainability movement continues to gain traction and people are looking to connect with nature, the concept of garage-based agriculture has gained traction.

Are you hoping to have your own garden but you lack the space? With a little creativity, you can embark on a green journey at home by utilizing your garage in a way you might have never thought possible. Sustainable gardening can happen anywhere if you are passionate about a greener, more eco-friendly future.

The Right Home for Green Living

If you are currently in the market for a new home, there are a few things to look for that will let you make the most of the space and live a more sustainable lifestyle.

Firstly, if you are planning to buy a home in the city but do not want to compromise on outdoor space, take a look at local recreation areas. Many cities in the US have strong outdoor cultures, including Denver, Asheville, Chattanooga, Orlando, and St. Petersburg. Here, you have the potential to find a home with plenty of outdoor space for all your nature-based projects.

If your property lacks a large yard or space for a garden, you can grow some of your own food by starting an herb garden indoors or taking advantage of the space in your garage. Growing indoors might seem counterintuitive but in many places with unfavorable climate, it might be your only option. Moreover, in a controlled climate, you can enjoy the fruits of your labor all year round.

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Growing Food in Your Garage

It is not uncommon for people to use their garage as a storage space or a place to keep things organized. That might typically include things like seasonal decorations, lawn maintenance tools, or sports equipment and gear. But if you want to transform your garage into an indoor garden space, you will have to keep it clean and organized in a different way. Gardening does not have to be complicated, but it does require a few special tools.

If you do not have a lot of space in your garage, get creative with your storage design. Stack wooden crates, hang things like hoses and wheelbarrows from the ceiling or on walls, install shelving and pegboard to hang smaller tools like trowels and shovels. You can also hang magnetized strips on the walls for easy and accessible tool storage.

An organized garage will make it easier to have a dedicated growing space. Your garage might not be exposed to natural elements like a lot of sunlight or rain. So, having a clean space to grow your food is essential. Keeping your tools and equipment in one distinct area will allow you to focus on the needs of your garden while having easy access to everything required to move it along.

The Best Plants for Garage Growing

Because you are likely not going to get the same amount of sunlight and water in your garage that you would in an outdoor garden, it is essential to choose your crops carefully. The last thing you want is to get discouraged because your harvest is lacking. Some of the best edible plants that will likely thrive in your garage environment include carrots, mint, tomatoes, lettuce, mushrooms, and kale.

Most of these vegetables can be grown in pots or containers, so you can move them around as necessary to ensure they are getting enough light. If your garage has windows, they can be stored on shelves or crates that will elevate them toward the light. Keeping your garage organized so you have easy access to the hose will make daily watering simple. On warm, sunny days, consider leaving the garage door open for a bit of extra sunlight, and if you happen to be home while it is raining, container gardening makes it easy to move the pots outside for a while to get a drink.

If you do not have a lot of space in your garage, consider going vertical with your plants. Vertical farming is already helping the environment when it’s done on a large scale. It offers higher yields from smaller crops, reduces water consumption, and allows for more diversification of crops. You can achieve those same benefits on a smaller scale by creating a vertical garden in your garage while saving space. You can build a specialized structure that easily holds multiple growing containers, or consider hanging containers from the wall using pegboards and hooks.

As you can see, all it takes is a bit of creativity and organization to be able to transform your garage into a growing space. Whether you live in a small home where every inch of space needs to be utilized, or you don’t have the opportunity to create a large outdoor garden, there’s no reason you can’t start growing your own food and reducing your dependence on the grocery store.

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