Even without a large yard to cultivate crops, you can still grow your own produce. Patio vegetable gardens are on the rise and make fresh food readily available to those that are willing to put in the effort. It will take some planning, time and a lot of patience to create a successful vegetable garden on your patio, but the end results can be oh so worth it — fresh salads and pasta sauces, anyone? As you save photos and patio vegetable garden ideas, keep in mind the following information to help yours thrive.

Start Small

Slowly build your patio vegetable garden so it’s not overwhelming to start with, but don’t skimp on the size of your containers. Vegetables need room to spread their roots and retain water for the warmer seasons. If you’re not an experienced gardener, start by planting just enough to make your favorite salad, or just the base for said salad. Consider these types of containers to build up your patio garden:

• Potted: Individual pots work well for small patios where you want to grow one variety of veggie per pot. Clump them together for a container garden look that will give the illusion of a larger crop.
• In ground: If your patio butts up to plantable space, go ahead and create an in-ground veggie garden that borders one or more sides of the patio. This creates a nice visual transition in your yard and provides easy access to the garden itself.
• Elevated beds: When hardscaping is your only option to plant on but you want more of the garden feel, try elevated planters. The larger surface area allows you to plant multiple things in one container and will make you feel like a true farmer.
• Hanging baskets: For those seriously lacking floor space, hanging baskets can help you create a vegetable garden atop your patio. Just make sure you don’t have anything underneath that can’t get wet!

Location, Location, Location

While you probably can’t change the location of the patio itself, you can select the placement of your vegetable garden on the patio. Keep in mind that most veggies require six to eight hours of direct sunlight each day, so do some scouting and pick a spot that gets enough sunshine. Some produce will do fine with less sun, such as greens. If you’re really dedicated, place your pots and planters on wheels so you can move them with the sun as the seasons change and sunlight hits different spots.

Plant a Variety

Veggies don’t have to be boring. Try making your patio vegetable garden double as the focal point of the space, whether it’s colorful, monotone or any other vibe you’re going for. The key is to play with height and texture of both the plants and their containers. Mix up the size, shape and look of pots but keep them all coordinated. Or go for matching pots with varying vegetables for a sleek look that will showcase the plants themselves. If you are planning to use larger containers to grow multiple things, know that some veggies don’t play nice with others, so do your research on which varieties can be paired together for maximum growth. Also, if you’re just starting out in this gardening endeavor, try using small transplants instead of growing from seed; it’s much easier and will provide the instant gratification that most are seeking.

Soil Matters

Now down to the dirty stuff: soil. You need something that won’t drown your veggies — typically soil from the ground is not suitable for drainage in pots and planters. Look for a potting mix that is designated for containers, not in-ground gardens (unless you are in fact planting directly in the ground). It will generally be formulated to release moisture in a controlled manner so your plants thrive instead of drown. You also need to be wise about how you implement your patio vegetable garden ideas so that you can properly water and feed your new babies (this is not a hands-off project!).

• Watering: Always ensure your containers have drainage holes, otherwise you may end up with root rot. Add a drip system if you feel like regular watering is overwhelming for you.
• Fertilizing: Make sure your veggies are fertilized on a schedule, as potting soil can’t draw nutrients from the surroundings like in-ground soil can. Some soils include slow-release fertilizers, but you’ll have to refresh the soil every so often to maintain the benefits of that.