Where space is at a premium, grow high-yielding fruit and vegetables that get the most out of every scrap of soil by cropping quickly or consistently over a long period. Watch for dwarf and bush varieties, bred to take up less room and often to grow well in containers. Use pots and grow bags and fill them with attractive varieties for a colorful display.
• Bush tomatoes – Great in hanging baskets, these can produce sweet cherry fruit for most of the summer.
• Bush beans – Many types of beans are available as bush varieties that yield heavily in a tiny space.
• Herbs – Both perennials and annuals deserve space for their long picking seasons and good looks.
• Salad greens – Cut-and-come-again salads, like arugula and mizuna, will regrow three times in summer.
• Blueberries – These compact bushes thrive in pots; their berries ripen gradually for picking right through late summer.
Strawberries – They look pretty in pots or at the edge of a border. Plant both Junebearers and everbearers to extend the harvest.
• Summer radishes – Ready to eat 6 weeks after sowing, peppery radish is perfect for filling a gap in your crops.
• Beets – The striking red-veined leaves look beautiful and are as good to eat as the earthy baby roots.
• Swiss chard – Neon-colored stems make this leafy crop a must.
• Zucchini – A single bush can provide more than 20 fruits, along with glorious yellow flowers.
