What can I grow with limited space?

Hi,

I just bought my first house and it comes with a rather small lawn at the back of maybe 3x3 metres. I am thinking of digging it up and using it as a garden for vegetables. Is there anything that would grow easily in Auckland in a small area! (Total newb to gardening).

Also, the property has a large, sunny balcony, are there specific flowers and herbs that would grow well in an uncovered balcony! There's glass barriers on all 3 sides but it's exposed to the rain.

Everything. Auckland is easy to grow almost anything. Well, except perhaps gooseberries and swedes. But they need frost.
Yes, you can grow on the balcony too. Get some decent size planters, I like the long ones rather than round pots, but it doesn't matter too much. Plant herbs, even some of the smaller veges - radishes, spring onions, lettuce, tomato (if trimmed a bit to prevent it sprawling over the entire area), cucumber (use a tall pole in the pot and grow it up). Capsicums.
We have a 500sqm section, lawn is not that big, but I have 6 gardens and 2 planters. I used bits and pieces, like a bit along the back fence, treated the soil and planted passionfruit and herbs along there. Behind the back of the garage in a dirt strip is more herbs. Thriving too.
Around side I have strawberries and a dwarf ornage tree.
See, be creative. You don't have to have just one large space for a garden.

BTW use actual compost, forget potting mix or special other mixes. Compost is what you need. I add sheep pellets to my planters too.

Runner beans on a tripod don't use much space and are very prolific.

http://www.nzgardener.co.nz/page.asp!id=53

This is cool you can sign up to receive an email each week tells you what you can plant how to prepare garden etc etc. And she is based in Auckland

Think about what you like to eat & what you would use most .for me it would be culinary herbs, salad greens, lettuce, rocket, a mizuna/mesclun mix& maybe if there was room, some carrots & spinach& beans (they taste so much better home grown)
Good luck & you will learn as you go.

Cool! Thanks so much for the ideas/suggestions. :D

I thought i'll bump this instead of a new thread.

The area I want to use currently has grass on it. What is the best way of getting rid of this! Just dig it up! Or kill it first then dig it up!

Apple cucumber and gherkins will climb. And so if you provide them with some plastic netting, mesh or other support they will grow upwards, and hence take less ground space than they otherwise would. Maybe put them at one end of the patch against a wall/fence with mesh propped up to the wall or arranged in a cylinder around the plants.

Cos lettuce and spinach can be planted quite close together and don't take much room. Both can be plucked and allowed to regrow, giving you something that will last for a while before it's done.

A balcony that is sheltered on all sides, has glass on 3 sides (allowing lots of light) with no roof is perfect for many things. The lack of roof is in most cases a bonus - since sometimes rain will do the watering for you.

Be aware that watering stuff a lot on a balcony may soak whatever's underneath the balcony, and house walls etc. Possibly not a problem since its all exterior stuff (house cladding etc) and gets wet anyway, but keep an eye on where all that water is going.

To get rid of grass - I'm no pro at that, but I dig it up with a spade. It's quite easy to remove a top layer about 2 inches deep. This is usually enough to effectively remove grass and roots.A straight edge spade is best, and even better if the end is sharpened a little bit with a file or bench grinder. Not sharp sharp - just a bit better than the average dull spade is quite an improvement.

I have slow bolt silverbeet, as you just take a few leaves off for dinner not needing to dig up whole plant so the plant keeps going producing, and saves space in your fridge.

You could dig the grass and turn it over so not to lose any soil, or even not bother with the digging and put layers of newspaper over to smother it and put compost, sheep pellets on the top and plant into that.Have you considered making raised beds.Good luck and enjoy your garden.

If it is Kikuyu, then dig it out. It's invasive, just covering it up won't kill it.