Hello gardening friends! The year is getting on, and I’m currently planning my fall vegetable garden! Because I know other folks online are doing this (love my gardening buddies on the internet!), I have rounded up some of my favorite ideas and tips for fall vegetable gardens!

I love planting a fall vegetable garden myself (I’ve done this for years!), and I’m excited to share my ideas and recommendations with you!

This blog post is all about fall vegetable garden ideas.

Fall Vegetable Garden Ideas

When going through fall vegetable garden ideas, there are a few tips I’d like to share up front to help you when planning your own fall vegetable garden:

1. First Frost Date: As gardeners, we all get VERY antsy in the spring, waiting for that first frost date to pass. In my own home gardening zone (6B), I have to wait a LOT longer than others, lol. And, just like we look for this date, we need to look to it’s twin — the first frost date! This will help you decide when to start planting your fall and winter vegetable crops.
2. Use of Garden Aids? When thinking about your fall vegetable garden, there are certain products–cold frames, hoop houses, mini greenhouses, etc., that can extend your gardening season. Most of these types of “gardening aids” require investment in terms of time and/or money, so consider what tools and aids you *actually* have time for!
3. Your Energy Levels: While I love a fall vegetable garden, I have to be honest — some years I have energy for it, and some years I do not! Before committing to a fall vegetable garden, I recommend that you ask yourself, “Do I have the energy for this?” For my gardening beginners, I always recommend starting small and building on in future seasons!

Must-Have Products for Fall Vegetable Gardens

As a gardener, I’ve personally bought a number of products that I love–and don’t love as much, lol. Below, I’ve shared a short list of products that I personally and enthusiastically recommend for general gardening and for season extension!

Best Products for Fall Gardening

• Vegetable Gardeners Toolkit (with garden apron!)
• Gardening Clippers
• Hori Hori Gardening Knife
• Knee Mat
• Coast of Maine Organic Compost (best store-bought compost)
• Coast of Maine Organic Raised Bed Mix (best raised bed soil mix)

Gardening Products for Season Extension

• 10pcs Garden Greenhouse Hoops, 19.7″x19.7″
• Tierra Garden 50-5000 Haxnicks Easy Poly Tunnel Garden Cloche
• Tierra Garden 50-5010 Haxnicks Easy Fleece Tunnel Garden Cloche
• Cold Frame Greenhouse
• 4.7 Ft. W x 4.7 Ft. D PVC Walk-In Greenhouse with 8 Sturdy Shelves
• July’s Song Polycarbonate 6 Ft. W X 10 Ft. D Hobby Greenhouse
• Mt. Hood Redwood 6 Ft. W x 8 Ft. D Greenhouse

#1: Fall Vegetable Garden Ideas: List of Fall Vegetables

I love this photo from @.MustLoveHerbs, and her list of fall vegetables to consider planting is very handy! Her text from this post below!

“Winter gardens are delightfully spooky. 👻🎃Their rich green leaves set against a backdrop of fallen leaves, sleeping trees, and summer plants struggling to hold on. The bugs have long gone and soil is wonderfully moist from the waning sun. The chill in the air provides these cold loving plants with the hearty sweetness we all know and love.

We have kale, spinach, parsnips, turnips, peas, radishes, garlic, chard, pansies, and brussels sprouts happily growing in the garden right now!“

Other cold loving veggies include:

• Carrots
• Cabbage
• Lettuce
• Broccoli
• Cauliflower
• Beets
• Onions
• Leak
• Mustard Greens

#2: Fall Vegetable Garden Ideas: Planting Peas

First up on our list of fall vegetable garden ideas, we have Amber from @.gracewalkfarm sharing her plans for a fall vegetable garden:

“I can’t believe it’s time to plant the fall garden, but here I am, planting peas.”

Peas are a quick growing crop you can plant again in the summer for a fall harvest!

#3: Fall Vegetable Garden Ideas: Planting Garlic

Garlic is one of my favorite flavors, and there’s nothing that beats garlic fresh out of the garden! Here, @.burpeegardening shows us how to separate and plant garlic for your fall vegetable garden!

Plant garlic in early fall by breaking the head of garlic into cloves and planting 4-8 inches apart in a row. Lay down your favorite mulch and wait for spring!

If you’re wondering if you can plant the garlic you bought from the grocery store, the answer is technically yes, BUT for best results I recommend buying seed garlic from a garden supply store.

#4: Fall Vegetable Garden Ideas: Fall Broccoli

How joyful does Yen of @.apple_acres_dk look in her fall vegetable garden?

From Yen:

“😅 One very happy and proud broccoli mama 🤸‍♀️😂

👩‍🌾 Do you have a favorite vegetable to grow? One that make you feel oh so accomplished?

🥦 For me that is definitely broccoli and cauliflower 😅
They grow for so long that you start to think it might not even be a broccoli which is planted, and then over just a few weeks the most gorgeous head of broccoli or cauliflower emerges from within the green center 🤩 Nature is just such perfection 😍

👩‍🌾 I have grown so many over the years that one should think I would be a bit more chill about it 😂 But nope 🙃 🫣

🤸‍♀️ Still feeling SO exited 😅

💚 This one could have gone a day more but we are celebrating Election Day today and what better way to celebrate democracy than to enjoy a bunch of home grown veggies – I’m harvesting 2 heads of broccoli, one big salad bowl lettuce, on daikon radish and a few carrots 🫶

💚 Tomorrow I’m filling and planting the new raised bed in the tunnel greenhouse 🤞💚

🤸‍♀️ Busy times – and still need to get those garlic planted – where are you at?“

#5: Fall Vegetable Garden Ideas: Garden Prep

Here we see Rachel of @.rachgrowsveg prepping her beds for her fall vegetable garden, which includes a last harvest of her vegetables, weeding, and preparing the soil!

#6: Fall Vegetable Garden Ideas: Fall Flowers

In this next post, @.gardenbythesound, shares how sometimes a garden can be symbolic of the seasons of our lives:

“The garden fatigue is real this year. Who else is feeling it? 😩 In a fit of… I don’t know… sadness, tiredness, overwhelm, general DGAF-ness, I tore out mostly everything in my back bed on Friday. The tomatoes were near the end of their life. The squash were all done. The anise hyssop was taking over. The celosia was spent… I kept my coneflower, a yet-to-bloom sunflower, and a few zinnias…”

I feel you, @.gardenbythesound! If you have the energy for it, there are plenty of flower varieties you can plant mid-season that will bloom in as little as two months to keep the magic of your garden alive in the fall!

Fall flowers to sow mid-season:

• Borage
• Calendula
• Johnny jump-up
• Lacy phacelia
• Marigold
• Nasturtium
• Sunflower

#7: Fall Vegetable Garden Ideas: Planting Garlic in the Fall

How gorgeous are these harvested garlics from @.tomatosandtequila!?

From Sheena: “I harvested a few test garlics & I am obsessed with them already ✨ I am so glad I remembered to plant them in the fall! And then a mild winter resulted in them sprouting early & being ready earlier.”

Garlic stalks can be harvested in the early spring as “green garlic,” which is a really fun tender and delicate version of the heady garlic we all know and love.

Some varieties put out garlic scapes in the late spring, which you’ll definitely want to harvest and eat!

Finally, harvest the whole plant in the late summer. Be sure to cure your garlic by storing in a dry place and enjoy your harvest throughout the year!

#8: Fall Vegetable Garden Ideas: Fall Bulbs

Here @.gableandfarms has planted flower bulbs in the fall to boom in spring! I love seeing the tender greens of flower bulbs as they poke through the snow in the spring.

From the gardeners: “The majority of our fall bulbs have been planted in the juniper cutting gardens and around the property. Excited for all of the flowers next spring!”

Bulbs to plant in fall:

• Daffodil
• Tulip
• Iris

#9: Fall Vegetable Garden Ideas: Hugelkulture Bed

How cool is this step-by-step guide to hugelkulture from @.wimbleness?! Hugelkulture is the traditional process of creating a mound bed from decaying materials that is used to create a raised bed garden.

“New hugelkulture bed, layer-by-layer, in reverse!

🪨 Stones // a buffer between the mound and the deck/path

🍁 Recently fallen leaves // a mulch for winter

🌱 Greens // Collected from around the garden

🪹 🍂 Homemade compost and leaf mould // to “seed” the mound with locally-adapted microbes

🪹🌾 Upside-down sod & soil // from digging up edges

🪵 Smaller limbs & madrone leaves

🪵 Bigger Limbs // Lilac and madrone limbs that recently fell in a winter storm

🌿 Lilac branches // inserted at spots of pooling; if they wanted to make new shrubs I would be made at it 🤷🏼‍♀️

🧃 Bokashi juice // Liquid fertilizer soaked into cardboard. Also a leveling test to make sure there’s no run off.

📦 Cardboard // Nude, corrugated cardboard laid on top of grass in overlapping reverse shingle pattern.

…

Coming next spring… more compost and then planting!”

#10: Fall Vegetable Garden Ideas: Fall Harvest

Love to see a fall garden being harvested, this one from @.mmeech.

From Michelle: “The harvesting continues even as the fall garden gets moving. We have peas, spinach, lettuce, and beets growing right now. Unfortunately, the bok choy get eaten up by the bugs.”

#11: Fall Vegetable Garden Ideas: Greens

How fun are all of these greens from @.ladybuglinz! She grew her greens in a large outdoor greenhouse, and this is something I may have to try in Boston! The growing season is just so short!

#12: Fall Vegetable Garden Ideas: Cover Crop

This next tip for our fall vegetable garden ideas comes from gardening educator, @.imperfectbalancebyjenn! If you have poor soil, Jen points out that planting a cover crop can be a great move!

From Jenn:

So I did a little Fall Garden maintenance and yes trying another experiment.
•
I met up with Rusty from @.rossseedcompany who was full of all kinds of information for me.

I walked a way with a Wild Mix of Wheat, Austrian Winter Peas, Fridge Triticale, Forage Oats, Crimson Clover, Purple Top Turnip, Daikon Radish, Trophy Rape and 6 Point Chicory all in one 50 pound bag for $32.
•
This my friends will be my Cover Crop… I planted yesterday in a few of my empty beds.

Why Cover Crop gardening? Well as you know we don’t have the best soil here, mostly clay. Though I compost and add it to the beds I still think I need more nutrients. After this grows all Fall I will cut it back, before it seeds and let it compost itself into the beds. I think it maybe a Win…Win… we shall see.

This post was all about fall vegetable garden ideas.

Hi, I’m Leslie, the founder of PunkMed

Hey gardening friend! I’m so glad that you stopped by PunkMed today. I had a great time sharing these fall vegetable garden ideas and tips! If you’re into vegetable gardening, urban homesteading, or living a more sustainable life–stick around! There are a good number of resources on my blog, and I always love to hear from my readers (that’s you!)! Feel free to send me a DM on Instagram or chat with me on TikTok!

What to Read Next:

• Guide to Starting Tomato Seeds
• 21 Excellent Vegetable Garden Ideas
• How to Save Tomato Seeds for Next Year

Starting tomato seeds indoors doesn’t have to be daunting. This complete guide to growing juicy tomatoes from seed will build your confidence and skill as a home gardener in growing one of the most delicious veggies.

I’m a big proponent of the fact there are just certain vegetables that need to grown at home to experience their full deliciousness.

Tomatoes are one of those veggies! There’s nothing better that a sun-warmed tomato straight from the garden on a summer day.

But, because of their warm-weather loving nature (tomatoes are native to Mexico, South America, and Central America) and their relatively long grow time, tomatoes are best started indoors under grow lights in temperate climates.

This gives you a head start, and full control over the temperature, etc., so you don’t expose those baby seedlings to harsh conditions before they’re ready.

Ready?! Let’s grow!

This post all about starting tomato seeds indoors.

Why start tomato seeds indoors?

As discussed above, starting tomato seeds indoors (vs. direct sowing) is pretty much the way to go if you live in a temperate climate.

More generally, seed starting is a beautiful practice that, in my experience, is completely worth it.

Of course, you can always buy seedlings at the nursery. I’m not knocking that–it’s important to support our local small businesses, and I definitely still buy seedlings for certain plants! But, there’s something so special about getting to know a plant from seed to harvest.

Plus, you’ll be able to save money–seeds are cheaper than seedlings and you can save your own seeds for next season, which is literally FREE!

Who should start tomatoes indoors?

Starting seeds will save you money in the long run, but it does take a little investment in the proper equipment up front. Before you start tomatoes indoors, make sure you:

• Are at least serious enough about gardening that you don’t mind spending money on equipment that will last you many seasons
• Have enough room in your home/apartment to start seeds (at least enough space for a 2’x1′ storage shelf)
• Have a space to keep your seedlings away from curious pets

With that in mind, let’s look at the equipment you need to get started growing tomatoes seeds indoors!

When to Start Tomato Seeds

Start tomato seeds indoors four-six weeks before last frost in your area. Look up the date of last frost by your zip code here.

Tomato Seed Starting Equipment

Tomato Seeds

Obviously, the most important ingredient to tomato seed starting is the tomato seeds! If you happen to be reading this at the end of harvest season, read more about how to save tomato seeds for next season. (Hint: they require an extra fermentation step in order to germinate next year!)

Otherwise, if you are buying seeds, there are a few things to consider:

• DETERMINATE VS. INDETERMINATE All tomatoes fall into one of these categories. Determinate tomatoes grow to a fixed size and have a relatively short fruiting period (i.e. fruit will only be available to harvest for a certain period of time.) Indeterminate tomatoes have no fixed size and will continue to produce fruit for a long period of time.
• VARIETY OF TOMATO Tomatoes come in all shapes and sizes: cherry, grape, beefsteak, etc. Base your choice of tomato seeds on what you like to eat and how you plan to use the tomato. If you’re more of a snacker, I would choose a smaller variety like a cherry or grape. Other tomatoes are best for slicing on sandwiches. Still others are best for cooking and canning (one of my favorite varieties in this category is the Amish Paste tomato.)
• BUY LOCAL AND ORGANIC I always recommend buying seeds from local growers vs. big seed companies. That way, you can be assured the specific variety is well-acclimated to your particular climate.

Seed Starting Medium

DO NOT start seeds in your regular soil! There could potentially be pests and pathogens lurking in untreated soil that could easily harm your baby tomatoes.

Give your seeds the best chance at growing healthy and strong by using special seed starting medium. Seed starting medium is specially formulated to germinate and grow seeds.

Seed Tray with Humidity Dome and Flood Tray

Listen, I’m all for avoiding plastic where possible, but believe me I have tried every compostable seed pot and they just DO NOT get the job done!

Instead, I recommend a standard, plastic seed tray with a humidity dome and flood tray without holes.

• HUMIDITY DOME – helps protect the seeds and helps move along the germination process. Cover the seed tray with the humidity dome until the seeds have germinated and then remove.
• FLOOD TRAY – holds the seed starting cells. A flood tray is essential for a practice I recommend called ‘bottom watering.’ Bottom watering basically means instead of watering your seedlings directly, you’ll fill the flood tray with about a 1/4 inch of water, and that water will be wicked up into the soil. This practice encourages root development.

Be gentle with your plastic seed trays and they will last you a few seasons!

Heat Mat

Most seeds like it warm in order to germinate! The optimal germination temperature for tomatoes is 65° to 85°F. I don’t know about you, but that is just a little bit warmer than my apartment in the early spring! (Hi, I’m in Boston!)

This heat mat warms the rooting area 10-20°F above ambient temperature.

Grow Lights

Okay, I hate to be the one to break it to you BUT, unfortunately putting your seedlings by a window is just not going to cut it. They’re not going to get enough light to grow. Believe me, I’ve tried, and they end up being leggy little babies, straining for the sun, and just DO NOT thrive!

You’re going to have to invest in grow lights.

You’ll need a 2 ft light for every tray of seeds.

Best Type of Grow Lights for Seed Starting

I recommend T5 fluorescent or full-spectrum LED 6500K lights. The K stands for Kelvin, which is a measure of the ‘color temperature’ of the light. Generally, lights higher on the Kelvin scale (i.e. white-blue) emulate daylight and are best for vegetative growth. Ignore those pink lights–they’re pretty but NOT the best for seed starting!

The grow lights should ideally come with hooks to hang from above, as well as a pulley system to move the lights up and down.

You’ll want to move the lights up as the tomato plants grow!

I like the SunBlaster LED Strip Light Kit – 36″.

Shelving

Now you are going to need some safe and sturdy shelving to hold your seed starts. I like the basic, heavy-duty storage shelving for seed starting purposes.

The steel wire material will allow you to hang your grow lights safely from the shelf above your seed trays. (Again, ideally your grow lights came with hooks for this purpose.)

The exact sizing will depend on the amount of trays you plant on growing.

Please be safe when using electricity and water in the same area!

How to Start Tomato Seeds Indoors

Okay, now that you’ve got your equipment and you’re ready to grow, here’s how to actually start tomato seeds indoors!

#1 Set Up Shelving Unit/Seed Starting Station

Setting up your seed starting station is going to look different based on your space and the number of trays you’ll be planting. Make sure your space is near an outlet, as you will need to plug in the electronics.

I recommend using heavy-duty steel shelving units in whatever size works best for you. I use the Amazon Basics 4-Shelf Adjustable, Heavy Duty Storage Shelving Unit (36L x 14W x 54H). This allows me to grow on three of the shelves, with grow lights hanging from the shelf above.

Pro tip: set up your seed starting station away from curious pets and small children! You don’t want anyone knocking over trays full of water onto electronics.

#2 Hang Grow Lights

After you’ve got your shelving set up, you’ll want to hang your grow lights.

Ideally you’ve purchased grow lights that come with hanging hooks and clips. I like the SunBlaster LED Strip Light Kit – 36″ for this reason, and because they are the same length as my shelving unit! This model comes with hanging clips, but you’ll need to buy the adjustable hanger separately. (This allows you to adjust how the the lights hang over the plants as they grow.)

You will need at least one two feet light for each standard 10″x20″ tray of seedlings you want to start. I like to double up with two LED lights over each seed tray.

Using the hanging clips and hooks, hang the light strips from the steel wire of the shelf above where you will keep your seed tray(s).

You won’t need to turn the lights on until the seeds have germinated, but it’s good to have your space set up in advance.

#3 Plant Seeds

Okay, now for the fun part–time to actually plant the tomato seeds! I like to do this outside on my front porch so as to not make a huge mess indoors.

Make sure your seed tray and supplies are sanitized if reusing them from last growing season.

Fill each cell with seed starting medium, leaving about a 1/4″ inch at the top.

Poke a 1/4″ hole in the top of the soil with a pen tip or finger, drop your tomato seed in, and sprinkle with grow medium to cover.

Spray gently with water.

#4 Add Heat Mat and Humidity Dome

Alright, now time to set up the optimal conditions for your seed to germinate.

Plug in the humidity mat and set it to the optimal germination temperature for tomato seeds, 65° to 85°F. Keep an eye on the ambient temperature in your house–the heat mat may not need to be on 24/7.

Make sure each of your seeds has been sprayed with water. You’ll want to keep them hydrated throughout the germination process, so keep spraying them with water when the growing medium starts looking a little dry. (We won’t be bottom water with the flood tray quite yet.)

Cover the seed tray with the humidity dome. If it ever looks like it’s getting a little TOO wet in there (and maybe getting moldy) offset the dome a bit to let in some air.

#5 Wait for Germination!

Now we wait! Keep the seed starting medium moist by spraying gently with water whenever you notice it getting a little dry.

Remember: you don’t turn the grow lights on during the germination phase! Those seeds are underground anyways! They just need moisture and warmth!

Tomato seeds should germinate in about 5-6 days if you can keep the soil temperature around 80°F.

#6 Turn on Grow Lights

Once your tomato seed has germinated, it’s time to turn on the grow lights!

In general, seedlings should get 14-16 hours of light a day under LED grow light, and 16-18 hours of light a day under fluorescent lights.

Keep your seedlings 2-4″ away from the grow lights, using the adjustable hooks to raise the lights as the seedlings grow.

#7 Maintenance

Now that your seeds have sprouted, it is time to being bottom watering.

Water your tomato seedlings by keeping the flood tray filled with about 1/4″ of water. The water will be “wicked up” by the growing medium, and encourage your seedlings to grow deeper roots.

You can turn the heat mat off at this point.

#8 Feeding

Tomatoes are heavy feeders and can benefit from a little fertilizers during the seedling stage.

This is optional, but your tomato seedings may benefit from a 50% diluted liquid fertilizer about a week or so before hardening off. Simply add the diluted fertilizer to the flood tray as you would during a watering.

#9 Hardening Off

Hardening off is the process of transitioning your seedlings to the outside world before they are transplanted. You can begin the hardening off process when the tomato seedling have put out 3-5 sets of true leaves (i.e. the leaves that look like tomato leaves, not the first set of baby cotyledon leaves.)

Start the hardening off process on a warm, clear day when the temperatures are above 45°F. Place your seedlings outside in a place where they are protected from wind and direct sunlight. Leave them out for an hour.

Increase time outside by an hour over the course of the next week or so, never leaving your seedlings outside in the harsh wind or rain!

After max two weeks, your seedlings are ready to be transplanted! Great job!

This post was all about starting tomato seeds indoors.

Hi, I’m Leslie, the founder of PunkMed

Hey friend! I’m so glad that you stopped by today. I had a great time sharing my tomato seed starting tips and tricks! If you’re into vegetable gardening, urban homesteading, or living a more sustainable life, stick around! There are a good number of resources on my blog, and I always love to hear from my readers (that’s you!) Feel free to send me a DM on Instagram or chat with me on TikTok!

What to Read Next:

• 15 BEST Tomato Garden Ideas – DIY Hacks & Tips for Beginners
• 21 Excellent Vegetable Garden Ideas
• How to Save Tomato Seeds for Next Year

Looking for backyard living ideas? This list of backyard living spaces is sure to make room for your creativity!

It is a wonderful time to invest in your backyard living space.

I don’t know about you, but after spending what feels like eternity inside (and after a particularly long, cold winter) I am fantasizing about creating my own backyard oasis.

Picture lingering around the fire or outdoor dining table on a deck (or patio!) with a glass of wine with your friends, or snuggling with your sweetie under the stars.

These are the memories we deserve to be making, and moving your gatherings (or just regular meals) to your backyard space is a great way to get outside – especially if you live in an urban area (like me!) and really want to be outside more.

We’ve rounded up the best backyard living space inspiration no matter what your style (boho, rustic, modern, etc.)

Get inspired to make some special memories around in your stunning backyard oasis.

This post is all about backyard living spaces

Hi, I’m Leslie, the founder of PunkMed

Hello backyard living friend! I’m so glad that you stopped by my blog today. I had a blast sharing 9 backyard living ideas with you, from backyard entertainers around the world. If you’re into vegetable gardening, urban homesteading, or living a more sustainable life–stick around! Be sure to join my email list, or come hang out on Instagram! 

How to Choose the Right Type of Backyard Living Space for YOU!

Before we get into the cute backyard dining area and patio decoration inspo pics, we’ll need to cover the different types of backyard spaces and which one may be best for your and your outdoor space.

Now, of course you are constrained by your actual space! But before we get to ideating, it’s helpful to do some prep work first, and ask yourself some specific questions about your goals!

Number of People in Your Backyard Space (Regularly)?

I love a backyard oasis, and the first question we need to ask ourselves is: How many people do you plan on hosting in your backyard living space?

• Is it just going to be you and your honey, plus a few houseguests here and there? 
• Do you want to be the life of the party (and neighborhood) and host regular, large get-togethers?
• Are you looking to create an outdoor dining space, or are you more interested in garden patio design ideas?

Once you have a pretty solid idea of the number of people that will use the space most, it’s time for our next question!

Backyard Space – Seating Area 

If you have the space for it, my vote is to have an outdoor couch that’s comfy to sit on! After spending more than my fair share of time in the uncomfortable faux-wicker patio sets that are pretty popular, having a cozy couch to sit on is a dream come true!

If you’re not looking for an outdoor couch (or loveseat) another option is a hammock!

Backyard Space with Foliage & Greenery (Container Gardening)

No matter what your backyard living space ends up looking like, I definitely think having potted plants intermixed in the seating area is a MUST! You can snag self-watering planters or other large container pots to make it easier to grow vegetables (like tomatoes!) in containers.

With those questions in mind, let’s get to talking about backyard living spaces!

Backyard Deck Design Ideas – Backyard Living

First up on my list of backyard living ideas, we have this GORGEOUS backyard deck by @.marzena.marideko. I love the mix of crisp white linens and throw blankets with the natural wood. The umbrella shade is also a gorgeous touch! I also love the dog bed for the most important member of the family!

If you decide to recreate this look, be sure to get floor cushions, blankets, and other linens for the outdoors.

To recreate this look, I’d snag:

• White Backyard Sun Shade ($200 +)
• Outdoor Fairy Twinkling Lights
• Basket Planter for Small Plants
• White Indoor/Outdoor Blanket
• Outdoor Solar Lantern
• Outdoor Floor Pillows
• Patio Chair Set
• Outdoor Rug
• Black Outdoor Side Tables

Outdoor Patio Ideas – Backyard Spaces 

I am loving the color palette of this outdoor patio by @.shelley_cottage! It looks so soothing and also very livable (nothing is worse than entering a space and being afraid to sit down)!

I love the addition of the container garden (right side of picture), as I think that it is simply a MUST to have some sort of flowers or vegetables (both, ideally!) in an outdoor patio space.

Here’s how I’d recreate this space:

• Outdoor Sectional with Table (in white not gray)
• Outdoor Off White Rug
• Outdoor Candle 
• White Outdoor Throw Pillow
• Tan Outdoor Umbrella
• Wood Trellis
• Set of 3 Outdoor Terracotta Pots
• Outdoor Lantern

Backyard Deck Design & Patio Layout

I love how @.trendenvy has created a beautiful backyard space with a patio AND deck! I love the multiple levels here. She’s also been SO smart with her space, using tall and compact heaters for winter (it gets cold at night in San Francisco) keeping the whole space warm, instead of a smaller heat source on the ground.

I also love how she’s added planters and hanging baskets! I imagine these can be moved out of the way when entertaining, and they create such a great backyard oasis on the patio! What a lovely outdoor space!

Here’s how I’d put this space together:

• Tall Patio Heaters
• White Outdoor Couch
• Planter Boxes
• Set of Two Acapulco Chairs
• Neutral Outdoor Rug
• Hanging Baskets

Backyard Oasis – Firepit Layout Idea

I love a backyard fire pit (my guide to fire pits), and @.happilyeveretter really outdid themselves with theirs! I love the gorgeous garden beds that surround this backyard oasis!

Here’s how I’d recreate this look:

• Cocoon Chairs (Almost egg chairs!)
• Backyard Love Seats
• Urn Planters
• Outdoor String Lights 
• Poles for String Lights
• Rectangular Side Tables
• Tan Outdoor Umbrella

Backyard Oasis – Dome

When I first saw these kinds of backyard structures pop up, I was so intrigued! I love to be outside, and this is almost like a people-sized greenhouse, lol! I’d love to hang out in one of these during the rain or snow in Boston!

Thanks to @.Bacqyard.design for this photo!

Repurposed Greenhouse

This image from @.ashleyg.studio is seriously so inspiring for my urban gardener heart! 

From Ashley: “A little splice of heaven. If I could make my house look like @eastnashgreenhouse I would be a very happy plant parent (my cats probably less so). This plant-house/greenhouse was made completely by hand from repurposed windows and doors. Seriously impressive skills and full of so many amazing plants! One day I’ll do something similar in my backyard but for now it’s nice to appreciate other garden sanctuaries like this one.”

Outdoor Living Space Idea

Finally, I wanted to close out my backyard oasis ideas with these images from Rachel Simon! This is a more traditional style, and I think she did such a great job keeping a design theme throughout. I love the addition of the tabletop fire pit for extra cozy nights!

Rachel was kind enough to send half a dozen photos, and I simply could not pick!

Here’s how I would recreate this backyard space:

• Rustic Farmhouse Wood Finish Propane Fire Pit Table
• Outdoor Wicker Patio Sofa
• Handcrafted Indoor/Outdoor Lantern
• Outdoor Wicker Patio Propane Fire Pit
• Outdoor Swivel Upholstered Wicker Patio Lounge Chair
• Wicker Curved Corner Chair
• Set of Tropical Indoor/Outdoor Pillows
• Outdoor Propane Fire Pit Table with Brown Ledgestone

This post was all about backyard living spaces!

What to Read Next —>

Do you love backyard oases? Here are a few other guides I’ve written that I think you’ll love!

• 21 Sunning Fire Pit Ideas
• 21 Excellent Vegetable Garden Ideas
• DIY Drip Irrigation System for Raised Bed Garden
• 16+ Small Vegetable Garden Ideas for Apartments & Small Backyards

Looking for tomato garden ideas? These DIY tomato garden ideas are sure to inspire your gardening genius.

It is an excellent  time to grow your own tomato garden.

I don’t know about you, but I am ITCHING to get to planting my tomato garden.  Winters in my hometown of Boston are LONG, and it’s time to get out in the dirt and play.

We’ve rounded up the best tomato garden ideas and inspiration, complete with DIY hacks, from tomato trellis ideas, growing tomatoes in pots, to growing tomatoes from seed! I have personally been growing tomatoes for 7 years, from beefsteak tomatoes to cherry tomatoes–and more!

Get inspired to make some special memories in your tomato garden this summer, and get some gorgeous homegrown tomatoes for all of your summer cooking needs!

This post is all about tomato garden ideas.

Hi, I’m Leslie, the founder of PunkMed

Hey friend! I’m so glad that you stopped by today.  I had a blast sharing all of my tomato garden ideas with you today, with lots of fun hacks and tips.  If you’re into vegetable gardening, urban homesteading, or living a more sustainable life, stick around! There are a good number of resources on my blog, and I always love to hear from my readers (that’s you!) Feel free to send me a DM on Instagram or chat with me on TikTok!

How to Choose the Right Type of Tomato Garden for You

Before we get into the cute tomato garden ideas and their respective inspo pics, we’ll need to cover the different types of tomato gardens and which one may be best for your and your outdoor (or indoor!) space.

Growing Tomatoes in Pots

Growing tomatoes in containers is a favorite of many a vegetable garden lover.  I think tomatoes in pots look so cute on a backyard deck or apartment patio!

Plus, growing tomatoes in pots can feel MUCH more manageable for the beginner gardener.  I know my own tomato plants have gone a bit wild in the middle of summer, taking over my garden (whoops!) 

Growing tomatoes in containers can be a great fit for you not only for the size component, but also because we tend to put containers closer to our home, so it’s easier to remember to snag your garden fresh tomatoes for a salad!  There’s no sadness like realizing you didn’t pick your tomato in time!!

On the other hand, growing tomatoes in pots can make keeping the soil moist a challenge. Unlike when directly planting a tomato into the ground or earth, the water can “run through” the container, causing the soil around your tomatoes to dry out.  

Also, if you use too small of a pot your tomato plant can outgrow the container, or fall over because the plant gets too tall.

Luckily, there are many solutions you can buy if you want to grow tomatoes in pots!

How to Water Tomatoes in Pots

To combat the issue of your tomato plants drying out, you can use a self watering container or an “olla,” which is basically a watering clay pot that is buried partly underground in your pot and filled with water. The water slowly seeps from the clay, and over time the tomato’s roots will grow toward the pot, easily accessing the water it needs. Plus, by filling the pot every 3-5 days, “ollas” allow greater time between waterings!

Self-watering pots can be purchased online or in-store (I’ve shared my personal recs further down)!  Many of these pots also come with a support structure, and you can also DIY a support structure for tomato plants.

For these reasons, you may want to look into buying a kit that is specially made for growing full-size tomato plants or get tomato plant seeds that are specially made for containers, like these tomato seeds from one of my favorite seed companies, High Mowing Organic Seeds.

Growing Tomatoes in Planters & Raised Beds

Ok, so sometimes people interchange the word “planters” and “pots,” when it comes to gardening, which can confuse first time gardeners.

While I’m not going to be a grouchy grammarian and yell at people, I do want to point out that planters are different from pots!

Planters are often much larger than pots (usually square), and they hold more earth.  A planter is usually raised up from the ground, and you can often store things under it.

One more thing! A planter and raised garden bed are also different, as a raised garden bed is often on the ground. Planters are great for people who want more room than a pot, but may be putting their planter on a deck, patio or balcony! I think they can be great for people who live in apartments or condos.

Best Finds for Growing Tomatoes in Containers, Planters & Raised Beds

1. 20-Gallon Grow Bags 
2. Tomato Cage (provides support for growing tomatoes)
3. Tomato Barrel Self-Watering Plastic Pot Planter with Trellis
4. Gautreaux Elevated Planter
5. Ataliah Wood Elevated Planter
6. 32″ Tall Round Raised Garden Beds Outdoor For Vegetables
7. Self Watering Vegetable Planter Box with Trellis (I love this option for an apartment balcony!)
8. Cedar Raised Bed Garden Kit 3’x6’x11″
9. Square Cedar Raised Bed Garden Kit 4’x’4’x12”

Growing Tomatoes in Garden Beds

When putting together your tomato garden, you can ALSO “direct sow” your tomato seeds into the ground (in some warm climates, AKA NOT mine!), buy seedlings from your local garden center or grow tomatoes from seed (next section).

Growing tomatoes in garden beds is a great idea if you have a good amount of room in your backyard, have decent soil quality, or if you’re like me and take up a LOT of space in your small garden with tomatoes (I really love tomatoes, ok?!)

Growing tomatoes in garden beds also makes it easier to DIY a tomato trellis, including using dowels, string, rebar, tomato cages, etc.!

However, a drawback here can be preparing your soil.  If you are in a city like me (hello from Boston!), then you are going to need to invest in compost and soil additives to make your soil nutritious for your beloved tomato plants. I love using Coast of Maine Compost, earthworm castings, and organic all purpose fertilizer mix!

Some people may choose to build up the earth in their garden and build a raised garden bed around the earth, or plop down a ready made planter (like a galvanized steel planter).  I like to use kits like these to form a raised bed!  A raised bed often means you can build up the soil easier, and it’s easier to garden, because you’re not bending down as much!

Best Finds for Growing Tomatoes in Garden Beds

• Coast of Maine Compost
• Earthworm Castings
• Organic All Purpose Fertilizer Mix
• Espoma Organic Tomato-Tone Fertilizer
• Tomato Cage (provides support for growing tomatoes)
• Jadarius 64.2” H x 10.2” W Steel Obelisk Trellis (basically fancy tomato cages if you want your tomatoes to be the stars of your garden bed!)
• 72 inch Tomato Stakes

Growing Tomatoes from Seed

Growing tomatoes from seed is a great idea, if you’re willing to put in a little extra effort! Most garden nurseries have at least 4-5 types of tomato seeds they sell.  You can dig deep (pun intended!!) into tomato gardening nerdery and try out different kinds of tomatoes

Growing tomatoes from seeds also has the added benefit of cost saving (after an initial year of investment for supplies), which is great! 

Growing tomatoes from seed may be a good option for you if you want to be able to decide the SPECIFIC types of tomato varieties you want to grow, especially if you live in a climate that can make vegetable gardening difficult. Make sure you are sourcing your seeds from a seed company that grows in your specific climate! These plants will have a genetic advantage, as they are selected for thriving in similar weather conditions.

However, the downside here is that you have to think ahead, and likely start your tomatoes indoors.  If you’re reading this later in the year, you can always purchase ready-to-go tomato seedlings and then then you can test growing tomatoes in different spots (indoors and in different areas of your patio or backyard) to see what works best! Think of it like A/B testing! You can see if you prefer to start with ready-to-go plants or want to grow your tomatoes from seed!

Best Finds for Growing Tomatoes from Seed

• Seed Starter Trays with Dome and Base 
• Coast of Maine Organic Seed Starter (seeds actually need a special medium to germinate, don’t try to use potting mix!)
• Seedling Heat Mat (seeds need to be toasty to germinate!)
• SunBlaster LED Strip Light Kit – 36″
• Amazon Basics 4-Shelf Adjustable Storage Shelving Unit (36L x 14W x 54H) (use a steel shelving unit to store your seed trays and hang your lights safely!)

For more on starting tomatoes from seed, be sure to check out my blog posts below!  That’s a pretty in-depth topic, so in this post we’ll be focusing on growing containers in pots and in garden beds!

• How to Sanitize Seeds & Seed Starting Equipment
• 6 Common Mistakes to Avoid When Starting Seeds

Growing Tomatoes in Pots Ideas

Ok, in this section I’m sharing the BEST tomato garden ideas, specifically for growing tomatoes in pots or other containers (many folks love repurposing never used paint buckets for growing tomatoes!)

Tomatoes in the Driveway!

In his book, Atomic Habits, James Clear talks about “habit stacking” where you take something you do regularly, and you “stack” a habit on top of it.  

Here, I think Lindsay has done a GENIUS version of this.  By putting her pots on the side of her house (where she parks) she sees them everyday, remembering to water them and harvest her tomatoes!

Different Types of Pots for Tomatoes

How impressive is this suite of tomatoes in pots (and a few other plants)?!  Phoebe has a tower (great for strawberries!), self-watering pots and a tomato planter with supports.  Genius!

DIY Tomatoes in Pots Idea

In our next photo, Kacey shows us tomato pots made into a planter, using wood! This is such a genius DIY hack. Putting tomatoes up high like this can help keep them away from rabbits and the like. I love the genius use of window boxes!  

Growing Tomatoes in Garden Beds

Ok, in this section I’m sharing the BEST tomato garden ideas, specifically for growing tomatoes in garden beds.

Aesthetic Tomato Cages

How gorgeous is this tomato growing idea from @.theeverhopefulgardener?  I aspire to be this aesthetic in my garden!  Notice how she has set up her tomatoes in a planter (we love galvanized steel) with black tomato cages on them? These supports are critical for growing tomatoes in garden beds.

Stacks on Stacks of Tomato Cages!

For my fellow tomato lovers, you can also dedicate a WHOLE raised bed to tomatoes. Maybe mix in a few other plants (nasturtium, garlic, chives, and dill come to mind) to try to prevent aphids from attacking your garden, AKA “trap crops.”  

Tomato Netting

One of the hard parts about growing tomatoes in garden beds is keeping out predators!  I think aviary netting can be a great option if you’re worried about woodland creatures or birds!  Here, Sandy set up netting over tomato plants to keep the birds away!

Direct Sow Tomato Seeds

If you’re into starting seeds, but you don’t have a lot of space in your home (or little kiddos or cats who knock over your seed trays), then you can try this tomato growing hack from @.floreksflockandfarm! They put disposable plastic cups over their seedlings (with ventilation)! Giving each plant a mini greenhouse!

Tomato Cages in RED

I love that this tomato cage is one of those “old school” style of cages that I grew up with, in a sort of cone shape.  I love that it’s been coated to make it last longer, and make it more clear where the cage is!

DIY Wood Tomato Cage

Another option to support your tomato garden is to create a triangular shape like this DIY wood tomato cage!  This makes more sense for tomatoes that vine (in my opinion, as they can crawl up the structure on all sides.

DIY Tomato Trellis

How cool is this “cattle panel” trellis from @.thewhittygardener!  For a setup like this you will probably have to “tie” your tomatoes to the trellis, so they know where to go!

Red Solo Cups for Tomato Plants

Here, @.grayfoxgardens gives  a great idea for growing tomatoes in garden beds using red solo cups to start them and then transplant them! Genius!  This kind of method also makes it much easier to “plop” the cup (with plant!) down to space them appropriately along the tomato support!

A few more tomato garden resources

Before you go, I wanted to share 3 of my favorite gardening books to help you with your tomato garden. I have personally found these booksto be incredibly helpful!

• Raised-Bed Gardening for Beginners: Everything You Need to Know to Start and Sustain a Thriving Garden
• All New Square Foot Gardening
• Weedless Gardening

This post was all about tomato garden ideas.

What to Read Next:

• 21 Excellent Vegetable Garden Ideas
• How to Save Tomato Seeds for Next Year
• 21+ Gifts for Eco-Friendly People

Looking for small backyard vegetable garden ideas? These garden ideas for small spaces are sure to grow (pun intended!) your creativity.

There has never been a better time to invest in a small backyard vegetable garden!

I don’t know about you, but after seeing produce prices go wild in the last year, I am even MORE interested in growing my own vegetables in my backyard!

Picturing putting together a salad using vegetables from my own garden is a dream come true!  And the added bonus of seeing vegetables grow and thrive?! Even better!

These are the memories we deserve to be making, and the perfect backyard vegetable garden can make it happen!

We’ve rounded up the best backyard vegetable garden  inspiration no matter what your space (apartment, small backyard, side yard, concrete patio or deck, etc.)

Get inspired to make some special memories, and grow your self-sufficiency, in your own small backyard vegetable garden!

This post is all about small backyard vegetable garden ideas.

How to Choose the Right Type of Backyard Vegetable Garden Ideas for You

Before we get into the cute small backyard vegetable garden inspo pics, we’ll need to cover the different types of small vegetable gardens and which one may be best for your and your outdoor space.

Apartment Vegetable Garden Tips

If you’re looking for vegetable garden ideas for your apartment balcony or patio, I have tips for you!

Container gardens, self-watering planters, or window boxes can all be great options depending on your space! Another great tip for small areas is to add vertical space, with trellises for climbing plants, like cucumbers or sugar snap peas!

Overall, you just need to be mindful of how much SUN your apartment patio or balcony gets.  You may want to keep a sun journal to see how many hours of sun your space gets.  Depending on that amount, you can then decide on your vegetables (some veggie plants need full sun for at least 6 hours, and some prefer the shade.)

Best Finds for Small Vegetable Gardens in an Apartment

1. Large Terracotta Planter
2. 20-Gallon Grow Bags (these are perfect small-space containers for tomatoes, etc.)
3. Apartment Window Boxes
4. Self-Watering Planter – Square Foot Garden on Wheels
5. Raised Garden Bed Planter with Trellis (perfect for big tomato varieties!)
6. Hydroponic Growing System – Vertical Tower
7. Gardening Clippers
8. Coast of Maine Organic Raised Bed Mix
9. Coast of Maine Compost

Small Backyard Vegetable Garden Tips

Living in a metropolitan city (I’m in Boston, Massachusetts), I am OBSESSED with urban gardening or urban farming.  Having a small backyard doesn’t mean you can’t garden, but you do need to be strategic with your space.

Anyone in nearly any space can easily begin their vegetable gardening journey in containers. There are all types of containers for gardening: pots, self-watering planters, window boxes, all the way to bigger raised bed gardens. With a little creativity, nearly any vessel can grow vegetables. Learn more about how to DIY a container garden for any space.

However, If you’re lucky enough to have a yard that gets good sunlight, I would recommend adding raised bed gardens. 

Raised bed gardens are great for urban/suburban growers because they go on top of the soil in your yard, but are filled with healthy soil and compost (I recommend Coast of Maine Organic Raised Bed Mix and Coast of Maine Compost.) City soil may be pretty poor, if not contaminated with runoff from roads, lead, etc. Raised bed gardening in the city ensures the healthiest plants and builds your soil from the top-down!

There are some raised beds that are completely off the ground, but we’re not talking about that here if you have some soil to work with! Placing your raised bed directly on top of the soil also allows worms and beneficial insects to make their way into your garden.

For people who are starting their FIRST EVER small backyard vegetable garden, (congrats!) I recommend that you be sure to find seeds that are made for your climate using a simple Google search. While the seed displays at big box home improvement stores are tempting, I’ve found better success in buying seeds that come from plants raised in my zone.

Don’t freak out or get overwhelmed!  You can find these seeds with a simple google search! For folks in my zone (Zone 6B), I highly recommend seeds from:

• High Mowing Organic Seeds
• Hudson Valley Seed Co.
• Johnny’s Selected Seeds

Best Finds for Small Backyard Vegetable Gardens 

1. Cedar Raised Bed Garden Kit 3’x6’x11″
2. Square Cedar Raised Bed Garden Kit 4’x’4’x12”
3. Vegetable Gardeners Toolkit (with garden apron!)
4. Gardening Clippers
5. Hori Hori Gardening Knife
6. Knee Mat
7. Tomato Cage (provides support for growing tomatoes)
8. Garden Stakes (for “crawlers” like beans, some cucumber varieties, etc.)
9. Coast of Maine Organic Compost (best store-bought compost)
10. Coast of Maine Organic Raised Bed Mix (best raised bed soil mix)

In my experience, the Coast of Maine products are really excellent! I use those personally in my small vegetable garden.

Small Patio Vegetable Garden Tips (Decks, Patios, etc)!

If you have a small patio or deck, you may be very tempted to set up a garden – and for good reason!

If you’re in this kind of space, I think you could easily add in raised beds (or even large self-watering planters, depending on deck size), or go with containers (large pots).

Overall, I would encourage you to think VERTICALLY!  Trellises and arbors can really add so much ambience and fun to your outdoor space, and growing vertically can give you more produce.  I personally think that having your garden in your backyard living area is a great idea, as you can spot issues or more easily harvest things as you hang out in the space!

Best Finds for Small Vegetable Gardens on a Backyard Patio (or Deck!)

• Set of Faux Whiskey Barrels for Container Gardening
• 20-Gallon Grow Bags 
• Self-Watering Pot for Vegetables
• Self Watering Vegetable Planter Box with Trellis (I love this option for an apartment balcony!)
• Raised Planter Box with Wheels

Alright, now that I’ve shared my tips and warnings based on your small backyard vegetable garden space, let’s get to the INSPO!

Vertical Gardening & Air Gardening for Small Backyard Vegetable Garden

I’ll admit it, I raised my eyebrows when I saw companies start offering air gardening tools and full on vertical gardens (that look like they were used on Star Trek)!

But a number of people are very successful with their hydroponic gardens, vertical gardens and air gardens!  I personally think that these gardens can be EXCELLENT for people in apartments!

Here, we have an inspiring photo from @.AireVePots, showing a vertical air garden in s a small space.

Next, we have this vertical garden from @.seekthemeec on Instagram!  This bad boy looks like it would take up at least half of an apartment patio or balcony, but I think it would be worth it!

Small Apartment Vegetable Garden Ideas

Window boxes can be super helpful when gardening in an apartment that’s above the ground floorl, provided they fit over your balcony railing!  Here, @.17m2garden from Lyon, France, shows us a beautiful apartment patio garden!

Another idea for a small garden on an apartment balcony comes to us from @.fortheloveoffoliage!  You can see how they used an outdoor shelving unit, and what looks like a console table or entry table to tetris together this beautiful space!

Upcycling Materials for Small Backyard Vegetable Garden

As a self-proclaimed sustainability NERD, I love when I see people repurposing items for the garden!  AS a gardener, I really try to invest heavily in building up the soil nutrients (mulch, compost, etc.) and be a bit more cheap on other materials if possible, lol!

In this photo, our friends at @.beleeftuin took off the hinges off a sideboard and put planters inside! This is a great gardening idea to reuse found materials, and I love that you can put things on top.  This is a great idea for plants that need partial shade, or even could work for more windy areas.

Similar to the previous idea, @.my_concrete_garden has come up with an ingenious repurposing for flower baskets, growing snow peas (that have trailing vines) from a pot up high, so the snow peas can “climb down”!  Love this genius hack!

I’ve seen a number of plant stands in my time, and I love this use of a ladder! I think this could be a great place to harden off your vegetables, keeping them close to the house or apartment while looking cute and intentional. 

Concrete blocks can be VERY useful in a garden, from edging beds to acting as a stand for container pots to supporting shelving! Here, @.misshoneypie shows us a pretty cool and scrappy way to grow plants in a small space!

Terracotta Pots – Small Backyard Vegetable Garden Idea

Next, let’s talk about how INCREDIBLE terracotta pots are for small backyard gardens! I love using terracotta pots for not only their aesthetic, but also because terracotta is a porous material that lets plant roots breathe. If you’ve grown plants in other kinds of containers, then you have likely experienced the challenges of root rot and drainage.  Terracotta can really combat that!

Here Erica Holland shows us an adorable herb garden in her small space! So cute!

While terracotta is gorgeous, I’m also a fan of the DIY “two bucket” self-watering container system I’ve seen on TikTok to raise vegetables! Here, @.learngrowedseries shows a genius self-watering method for their broccoli plants!

Small Backyard Vegetable Garden Ideas

If you’re looking for room to grow more vegetables, have you considered… the side of your house?  Here @.arcsodium shows us a BEAUTIFUL side garden with lots of options. I love their use of trellis fencing on the right hand side of the photo, as sugar snap peas, melons, and other plants can climb up it! Genius!

Another great small backyard vegetable garden idea is to use containers, like our friends at @.snazzygarden did here!  This is a really great option if you have kids that like to play in the yard, as you can move pots as needed!  This also makes it easier to move plants if they’re getting too much sun, etc.

If you rent and have a yard, this is also a nice idea, as you can take the pots easily with you when/if you move!

I am such a fan of the look of galvanized steel beds, and these can be great for small spaces (and save your back). When getting a galvanized steel garden bed, make sure the steel has been treated for your garden. Just welding or riveting together metal does not a good garden bed make (we need to watch out for nasty chemicals)!

We loved this photo from @.thekiwihome in  Dallas, Texas, showing their broccoli THRIVING in a raised garden bed made out of galvanized steel.

I couldn’t show just ONE vertical garden in this post, as these can be incredible space savers (and look pretty cool).  Here, @.jfrezon shows a pretty futuristic strawberry tower!

Small Vegetable Garden – Backyard Patio or Deck

What to Read Next —>

Did you enjoy my roundup of different ideas and tips for small vegetable garden ideas?  I love that!

Below, I’ve shared a few other posts of mine that I think you’d find helpful!

• 21 Excellent Vegetable Garden Ideas
• DIY Drip Irrigation System for Raised Bed Gardens
• 21+ Stunning Garden Fire Pit Ideas
• 9 Essential Gardening Tools for Beginners

Hi, I’m Leslie, the founder of PunkMed

Hello gardening friend! I’m so glad that you stopped by my blog today.  I had a blast sharing 16 small vegetable garden ideas with you, from gardeners around the world.  If you’re into vegetable gardening, urban homesteading, or living a more sustainable life–stick around! Be sure to join my email list, or come hang out on Instagram! 

Also, there are a good number of resources on my blog, and I always love to hear from my readers (that’s you!) Feel free to send your gardening questions via email or my contact form, I’m always happy to help new and experienced vegetable gardeners!

Looking for vegetable garden inspiration? These vegetable garden ideas are sure to grow (pun intended!) your creativity.

There has never been a better year to invest in a vegetable garden in your outdoor space.

I don’t know about you, friend, but after being cooped up all winter in Boston, Massachusetts (my hometown!), as well as the rising prices of produce at the grocery store….

I’m ready to deep dive and learn even MORE about ideas for starting a vegetable garden.

Picturing hanging out in the vegetable garden with a cool glass of lemonade (or wine at night!) with your friends and loved ones sounds quite fun, but first you’ll need to configure a vegetable garden to fit your space! Maybe they’ll help with the weeding (probably not!), but vegetable gardens can be a great source of joy and conversation. There’s nothing quite like telling a guest to go “Snag some tomatoes from the garden!” for the salad you’re about to prepare!

These are the wonderful memories we deserve to make, and the perfect vegetable garden can make it happen!

We’ve rounded up the best vegetable garden inspiration no matter what your approach (raised beds, no dig beds, etc.)

Get inspired to make some special memories around stunning vegetable gardens.

This post is all about vegetable garden ideas.

How to Choose the Right Type of Vegetable Garden for You

Before we get going with the cute vegetable garden pics, we’ll need to cover the different types of vegetable gardens and which one may be best for you and your outdoor space.

Container Vegetable Gardens

Container vegetable gardens are quite popular with the apartment, townhome and condominium crowd! A container vegetable garden uses large pots, self watering planters, and other containers to grow vegetables on an apartment balcony, townhome patio, etc.

No Dig Vegetable Beds

A “No Dig” vegetable bed is where you apply compost on TOP of your existing soil (see my guide to kitchen compost caddies), at regular intervals. Many “No Dig” gardeners liken this type of vegetable garden to building a sort of lasagna of compost, layering different types of organic matter (manure, wood chips, dead leaves from the fall, etc) on top of each other. The helpful organisms and critters in the soil do the rest. 

This is a great option for most gardeners with access to their own patch of soil, but won’t protect you from contaminants in your soil. This is why I recommend that everyone doing an in-ground vegetable garden get a soil test!

Raised Vegetable Gardening

A raised vegetable garden is one of the most popular choices, as  you can use cedar wood or stone to build up a “bed” for your garden, and fill it with rich soil and compost.  A raised vegetable garden makes care a bit easier (a taller garden is easier on your back!), and combines the pros of the two types of gardens above!

Must Haves for a Vegetable Garden in 2023

• Vegetable Gardeners Toolkit (with garden apron!)
• Gardening Clippers
• Hori Hori Gardening Knife
• Knee Mat
• Tomato Cage (provides support for growing tomatoes)
• Garden Stakes (for “crawlers” like beans, some cucumber varieties, etc.)
• 20-Gallon Grow Bags (these are perfect small-space containers for tomatoes, etc.)
• Coast of Maine Organic Compost (best store-bought compost)
• Coast of Maine Organic Raised Bed Mix (best raised bed soil mix)

Here are more more of my must-have gardening tools.

Below, I’ve shared vegetable garden ideas from gardeners around the world (literally!), who have generously shared their garden pics and tips with us!

Let’s get to it!

Vegetable Garden Ideas

When it comes to vegetable garden ideas, many people are looking for ideas around layout and design. I find it SUPER helpful to scroll through social media to get ideas for vegetable garden layout and design ideas.

Because I’m an urban homesteader here in Boston, I don’t have a ton of space (like my friends over at @.buttenshawbackyardfarm below)!  But I love to plan and sketch out vegetable garden layout ideas for an eventual larger space.

And, @.buttershawbackyard farm has vegetable garden ideas for folks with limited space! From Nat: “If you have a steep garden, then terracing is a great solution to increase your growing space.  Adding arbors and arches really helps maximize space by growing vertically. I also use our fire-pit area over the summer months as extra growing space.”

Grow Into Your Vegetable Garden Design!

Here, Tania of @.countree_life is seen building out more raised beds for her vegetable garden.  In the post, Tania shares that they’ve been adding to their garden and adding gravel to the footpaths to make it look more formal, which I think is so smart!  

A common mistake I see for beginner gardeners is taking too much on early on. It’s much better to design your garden over a few years or seasons, and see how things go!

Beautiful Aerial Shots – Rows of Lettuce

We just had to include this image from our friends at @.hovelsrudhagen!  BRB, gonna go find a drone to take an aerial shot of my garden! Those neat little rows are #VegetableGardenGoals!

Vegetable Garden Ideas – Permaculture Garden

This next vegetable garden idea comes to us from Liz of Byther Farms, a pretty rad permaculture garden in Carmarthenshire, in Wales!  

What is permaculture gardening?

Permaculture gardening focuses on keeping the ecosystem around your garden in mind as you build up the soil of your garden. I think of permaculture gardening as “playing the long game” in gardening. Here, Liz has her gorgeous beds in the ground, with various vegetables in early March.

If you’re looking into permaculture gardening, or growing vegetables in your garden all year (!!), then you may want to take a look at Liz’s book, The Seasoned Gardener: Exploring the rhythm of the gardening year!

Vegetable Garden Ideas – Gated Vegetable Gardens

When talking about vegetable garden ideas, you know I have to talk about gated vegetable gardens! If you’re in an area with a lot of wildlife (bunnies, deer, etc.), or your dog likes to sneak broccoli from your garden (this happens to a friend of mine!), then raised vegetable garden beds with a gate or door can be a great way to keep your plants (more) safe.

Plus, it gives a garden a sort of Secret Garden vibe!

Some folks choose to build their raised garden with a door completely from scratch (honestly, more power to you!), while others choose to use a kit!  

My Tip: When looking for a vegetable garden with a gate or door, be sure to check on any treatments for the wood! Some folks who are DIY’ing a built garden can run into trouble repurposing materials. Using pallets from shipping or freight or chemically treated wood will likely impact your soil, and your veggies you worked so hard to grow!  Please only get your wood or garden kits from trusted sources!

Reusing materials is so so important (I’m a big fan of this!), but when it comes to the chemicals used to preserve wood, we do NOT want those anywhere near our food!! 

If you’re intrigued in this look, here are a few raised cedar garden kits with doors or gates:

• Outdoor Living Today Raised Cedar Garden Bed – 8 x 8 ft.
• Square Raised Garden with Deer Fence Kit
• Cedar Garden in a Box with Fence
• Garden in a Box with Deer Fence (Large)

Raised Vegetable Garden Ideas – 22” High (Deter Rabbits & Bunnies)

First up with vegetable garden ideas is this raised vegetable garden from our gardening pals over at @.BoerKitchenGarden!  Notice how their raised beds are a bit higher than what we can typically see, and this is to prevent BUNNIES! Genius!

Taller beds like this can be very nice for folks out there who are on the taller side (I’m 5’7” and my husband is 6’3”), saving your back.

Similarly, our friends at @.wildhopegardens have done a taller raised bed here. Gorgeous! In this photo, they shared that they’re growing, “Lettuce, cucumbers, carrots, beets, some herbs and rhubarb!”

Having half a dozen raised vegetable gardens like this also means you can get creative with metal arbors, putting one end in a different bed.  Growing vertically can add a LOT of space to your vegetable garden.

Raised Vegetable Garden Bed with Gate

How rad is this vegetable garden idea for an enclosed and gated raised bed garden? Below, I’ve shared an image of Lindsay’s garden (from @.garden_with_lindsay, a vegetable gardener in Zone 8B of Oregon).  Here, Lindsay’s showing off some gorgeous peppers, Lindsay has so many great tips for vegetable gardeners in the PNW – I love her tips!

Vegetable Garden with Gate

Our friends over at @.sisters.inthe.garden, have a beautiful garden in 7A of Northern Utah!  Their garden gives me serious nostalgia and gardencore vibes!

Vegetable Garden Ideas – Gravel Between Walkways

One of the best vegetable garden ideas out there (for folks with multiple beds) is using gravel between the beds! Some gardeners prefer to put raised beds in their garden, and then line the pathways with gravel.  There are a few reasons for this, including:

• Gravel can keep the path more even, preventing ruts that trap wheelbarrows
• Gravel can drain better than soil, making it easy to water and plant at the same time 
• Gravel can make it easier to spot weeds, providing more of a contrast

We thought this garden from our friends @.peonyandpotager is just simply gorgeous, with a beautiful layout!  I love that there’s a center piece in the middle.  

Vegetable Garden Ideas – Ground Beds with Domed Cage (Fencing)

Okay, let’s talk more practical vegetable garden ideas! If you live somewhere with really great soil (or you’re up to the challenge of making great soil over time!), then you can use fencing and protective cover to go *over* your vegetable garden, to protect it from predators (think birds, squirrels and other animals that aren’t going to be deterred by a fence!) 

It’s also nice, because you can stand up in it! In my personal experience, you get a domed cage that’s a few feet (or meters!) high, then you’re going to be doing a lot of crouching and bending (no thanks!), or have to move the cage entirely to access your garden bed.

Tbh, this is a level up from what I’m currently doing to keep squirrels out of my urban garden (which is a battle!) I currently just throw aviary netting over my raised beds when they begin to fruit, but it can be a hassle!

How cool is this vegetable garden from @.allotmentplot.54 on Instagram?! I love the neat little rows of plants, and the arched fence over the garden does double duty – it protects the plants inside, and allows for vine or “crawler” vegetables to use it as a sort of trellis. Genius!

(FYI, in the UK, an ”allotment plot” is similar to a community garden here in the US. This is a great system for folks who live in apartments or don’t have their own space to garden!)

There are a variety of these domed cages, and I’ve shared links to a few options below!

• @.allotmentplot54 got their domed cage from Gardening Naturally, here’s a link to their domed cages for folks in the UK!

For folks in the US, here are some domed cage options:

• Domed Vegetable Plant Cage
• Fruit Cage
• Long Garden Dome (fencing material needs to be added)

Vegetable Garden Ideas – Domed Caged Arches for Greenhouse

Some gardeners swap out their fencing and put over special plastic, making their domed cage a greenhouse!

This can be a great idea if you’re short on space, and want to use a greenhouse for seed starts or other growing projects that need warmer temperatures. Here, our friends at @.gratefulgardeningcompany have 230 tomato seedlings (35 varieties), plus a bunch of other vegetables! Genius!

If you’re a crafty DIY person you could totally built a custom greenhouse, but for those that want an easy greenhouse-in-a-box here are some options, with price ranging low to high:

• Ohuhu 4.8 x 2.5 x 6.4’ Greenhouse for Outdoors with Mesh Side Windows, 3 Tiers 4 Shelves Small Walk-In Greenhouse
• 6.4’ Tall Walk-In Greenhouse with 8 Sturdy Shelves
• Outsunny 8′ x 6′  Walk-in Polycarbonate Greenhouse with Roof Vent for Ventilation & Rain Gutter
• July’s Song 6 Ft. W X 10 Ft. D Hobby Greenhouse
• Mt. Hood 6 Ft. W x 8 Ft. D Greenhouse
• Sunshine Gardenhouse 8 Ft. W x 12 Ft. D Greenhouse

Vegetable Garden Ideas – Raised Bed Hoop House

I think this next vegetable garden idea is super practical! If you love the idea of having a dome over your vegetable garden, but you don’t want to set up a whole contraption, then a raised bed hoop house can be a stellar idea!

A hoop house is super useful.  Some folks, like @.the_vegproject below) use netting over their hoops to protect the plants from wildlife, while still allowing airflow.  If you decide to garden in the colder months, then you can trade out the netting for frost blanket, using the hoop structure to support it. Genius!  Here at PunkMed, we love solutions that work for different seasons!

Similarly, we love how our friend Karolina of @.karolinalansmansgarden used BRICKS to weigh down her hoop houses.  So smart! Makes it a bit harder for small creatures to nudge the hoop house around (or the wind to carry it away).

Hoop house supplies:

• 10pcs Garden Greenhouse Hoops, 19.7″x19.7″
• Tierra Garden 50-5000 Haxnicks Easy Poly Tunnel Garden Cloche
• Tierra Garden 50-5010 Haxnicks Easy Fleece Tunnel Garden Cloche
• Lanmont Plant Covers Freeze Protection, 7ft x 50ft

Vegetable Garden Ideas – Galvanized Raised Garden Beds

I love the look of this next vegetable garden idea! Galvanized steel raised beds can be an option if you’re looking for vegetable garden ideas, as they do pretty well in outdoor weather!  Their round edges can also be nice, especially for people who are tired of hitting their shins on the corner of their raised beds made out of cedar (it me).

I love these small round galvanized steel garden beds for folks looking to test using galvanized raised beds in their vegetable garden, but here are some options: 

• 10 inch tall galvanized steel vegetable garden idea
• 1 ft high galvanized steel vegetable garden beds
• 2 ft tall galvanized steel vegetable garden bed idea
• 2 ft 10 inches tall (almost 3 ft) galvanized steel vegetable garden beds

Vegetable Garden Ideas: Raised Vegetable Gardens in Steel Beds

Next up on my list of vegetable garden ideas, I was so excited to see Alayna of Standing Pine Acres. Here, Alayna is caring for her vegetable garden in New Jersey, and I love the rich colors of her garden (look at that gorgeous soil!).

Alayna is also using a foldable garden bench, which is so smart! These garden benches can make it much easier to garden! You can flip it over to use as a sort of knee pad! So smart!

Heart Shaped Galvanized Steel Garden Bed

How fun is this heart shaped garden bed from @.conmanosverdes on Instagram! This is such a fun new idea for folks who love raised garden beds made out of galvanized steel.

Notice how the gardener put in the plant tags (that come with the plants) to label each one? So smart!  You can hand write the tags on blank ones you start from seed, or just slide in the ones from the nursery!

Update on my heart garden bed. It’s now housing a few varieties of tomatoes, peppers, lettuce, radicchio, Swiss chard, spinach, kohlrabi and kale.

Vegetable Garden Ideas – Trellis Frames for Squash, Peas & Cucumbers

Friends, I had SUCH a fun time looking for photos to share some of the very best vegetable garden ideas out there, and I am SO excited to share these photos from @.newenglandhomegardens!

Judi (the gardener), is a garden designer and coach, and her IG feed is just gorgeous. I loved how she shares snapshots from her garden. Here, she came home to find acorn squash ready to eat, right from her garden!

Here, Judi created a sort of triangle, or a-frame, using (what I think) is galvanized steel materials, allowing plants to grow up and over. I thought this was such a smart vegetable gardening idea, because Judi can also go *underneath* the plants, making them easier to harvest! Genius!

• Vegetable A-Frame (6 feet tall)
• 57.9 Inch Tall Vegetable A-frame (just under 5 feet tall)
• 34 Inch Tall Vegetable A-frame (just under 3 feet)

Vegetable Garden Ideas – Fencing & Chicken Wire for Plants

Here you can see that My Little Hobby Farm (@.mylittlehobbyfarm on Instagram) has used chicken wire-like caging to border their raised beds. That is so smart! Acts as a bit of a barrier (and deterrent), while also being a possible support for plants. What a gorgeous garden!

Vegetable Garden Ideas – Weed Barrier & Plant Cages

Weed barrier can be SUPER helpful, especially if you’re a new gardener. Some folks like to use recycled cardboard as a recycled weed cover option (straw and mulch can also work.)

Here, our friends over at @.acergardens use a weed cover that has helpful little holes for vegetable plants to grow through, and they’ve added cages to help the plant grow.

Now, I know that the word “cage” can seem weird for gardening.  But a cage is really just a helpful mini-trellis, meant to help support the plant as it grows. I use cages to grow tomatoes at my urban homestead in Boston!

A tomato or vegetable plant cage can last you for YEARS, as long as you remember to take care of it!  Cages can rust easily in the snow over the winter, so I always make sure to bring mine in.

When it comes to choosing the right height of cage for your plant, check the seed packet or the tag in your plant that comes from the nursery.  I like to be safe when purchasing a vegetable cage, and get one that’s a minimum of 4 feet (unless you’re growing on a patio or growing smaller varieties!) as plants often grow LARGE here at my place, lol. I don’t want them to run out of space!

Historically, I’ve used metal cages (with no coating), which have worked well!  I’m intrigued by the new vegetable cages that have coating, helping to prevent the cage from the elements.

Here are a few plant cages to check out for your vegetable garden:

• Four Pack of Tomato Cages – 4 Feet Tall 
• Vegetable Cages – 59 inches (just under 6 feet)

Vegetable Garden Ideas – Raised Beds with Bricks!

While I think that raised cedar garden beds are gorgeous, the wood DOES breakdown over time. If you plan on using your beds for years (decades!) to come, then doing raised beds with brick can be a great option. In the photo below, Nicole (of @.our_1_acre_life) beautifully shows the fun (and muddy!) process of building a raised vegetable garden bed using bricks.

Vegetable Garden Ideas – Backyard Greenhouse

Okay, what gardener *hasn’t* dreamed of having their own greenhouse?! I stumbled across @.my_allotment_story on Instagram, and oh my gosh her garden is so inspiring! I love this image of her greenhouse where she grows tomatoes.

In the post, Charlotte shares that she made it a point that year of planting tomatoes she actually wanted to eat (a super helpful gardening tip), saying, “I don’t like cherry tomatoes and it’s the variety I have grown the most since I got the allotment. This year I decided to grow varieties of tomatoes that are best for cooking with, which has turned out to be a very good decision for me as I have actually eaten them!”

Vegetable Garden Ideas – Bug Hotels

Next up, we have this pretty rad vegetable garden idea, from @.StephenHisted on Instagram! Many new vegetable gardeners may be a bit horrified at the idea of drawing in bugs to their garden, but “bug hotels” like this one can create little habitats for the “good bugs” and pollinators that are needed to make your garden grow.

If you decide to undertake a “Bug Hotel” for your garden, be sure to schedule reminders (I like to use my Google Calendar!) to check them, as pests can take up residence as well!

You can DIY your “bug hotels” like Stephen has done here, or check out these places to snag a bug hotel:

• Bee Houses (as mentioned on the Joe Gardener podcast)
• Leafcutter Bee House
• Ladybug House

This post was all about vegetable garden ideas.

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Hi, I’m Leslie, the founder of PunkMed

Hey friend! I’m so glad that you stopped by today.  I had a blast sharing over 20 (!!) vegetable garden ideas with you today, from gardeners around the world.  If you’re into vegetable gardening, urban homesteading, or living a more sustainable life–stick around! There are a good number of resources on my blog, and I always love to hear from my readers (that’s you!) Feel free to send me a DM on Instagram or chat with me on TikTok!