No Excuses The BEST Places to Plant Vegetables (No Matter Your Space)

A lot of people often think they need a huge plot of land or some specific, elaborate setup to grow food, but that’s just not true. You can literally start growing food in anything that can hold soil.

 I don’t care if you're in an apartment, a townhouse, or if you only have a small yard; you can grow food.

Depending on where you’re at and what your situation is, the approach will look different, so let me give you a bunch of options to get growing. Here are The BEST Places to Plant Vegetables.

Option 1: Direct Sew (Simple and Cheapest)

This is going to be the cheapest and simplest method you can do. Direct sew is just plain and simple: you till the ground, make rows, and plant your seeds right into the dirt you have before your feet. You don't need fabric or added soil.

You can use a tiller or do it manually with a garden tool, like a hoe or a pickaxe. This method goes way back in history; it’s how our ancestors grew food, whether they used a plow with an ox or just hand tools. It’s the simplest, cheapest option, but it is only available if you have the space, like a standard-sized backyard.

Option 2: Raised Garden Beds (Control and Aesthetics)

If you don't have a big yard or you want more control, check out raised beds. You can build these out of wood, like 2x4s, 2x6s, or even wooden pallets. We even had a circular water trough that had rusted out at the bottom, and we knocked the bottom out, put soil in it, and started planting.

One of the best things about raised bed gardening is the excellent drainage, and more importantly, you can literally control the soil. When you direct sew, your soil type is usually what it is, like that red clay down in middle Georgia. But with raised beds, you can make your own mixture by adding coconut husk, manure, black cow, or whatever you need to grow what you want.

If you live in a neighborhood with a strict HOA, you might want an aesthetically pleasing setup. Check out brands like VGO garden beds. They look professional, offer a guarantee to last at least 15 to 20 years, and you don’t have to worry about the HOA coming after you because it looks ugly.

Option 3 & 4: Buckets and Totes (The Limited-Space Lifesavers)

If you have limited space, buckets and totes are going to be your best bet. You can go to Walmart, Lowe’s, or Harbor Freight and buy buckets for a good price, maybe $3 to $5. Fill them up with soil and start growing tomatoes, lettuce, potatoes, or peppers. Just make sure you drill holes in the bottom of the bucket to allow for drainage!

The cons are that buckets limit how much you can grow, and the soil will dry out quicker, meaning you’ll need to water more frequently.

A better alternative to the typical bucket is an old tote or bin. This could be an old laundry bin you aren't using, or you can buy brand-new, heavy-duty ones. A tote will give you more space than a bucket, allowing you to grow more food while still getting away with not having a lot of surface area. Just like with raised beds, when you’re not directly sewing, you can control the soil mixture and add amendments to make it more airy or drainable.

Option 5: Grow Towers (Going Vertical)

Let’s say you don’t have a lot of space for totes, and buckets take up too much room because you’d need multiple of them. You can garden vertically using grow towers. These are aesthetically pleasing and allow you to grow multiple things simultaneously, like peppers, tomatoes, lettuce, and spinach. Going vertical is a great way to grow a variety of things at once.

Honorable Mentions

We’ve also seen some creative ways to grow:

• Tires that you aren't using anymore.

• Plastic barrels (usually blue or white) that you can cut in half and lay on their sides.

• Grow bags. You can plant pretty much anything in them, but they are great for growing a lot of potatoes.

The Bottom Line: No Excuses

Here is the overall point: There is no excuse not to grow anything! Go out there, get some soil, plant a seed, and start growing some food.

Now, out of all these methods, which one is the best? I’m going to be honest with you: The best is whatever suits your lifestyle. We all have different goals. If you want a simple kitchen garden that looks nice, maybe go get some vertical grow towers. If you live in an HOA, maybe a professional, aesthetically pleasing VGO garden bed is the right choice for you. The best method is the one you choose that works for your lifestyle right now.

We all have the same 24 hours. Even if your living situation is unique, there is no excuse not to grow food. If you can’t use any of these ideas because you truly lack space, go join a community garden, or ask a relative if you can plant food in their backyard. Where there is a will, there is a way.

We need to start growing food because if we don't know how to feed ourselves and provide basic necessities, we are at the mercy of the powers that be.

I’m going to leave y’all with this, say it along with me if you know what I’m going to say: He who has the power to feed you also has the power to starve you.

Join the Set Apart Tribe and, together, let’s take control of our food. The community is designed to help you start small, build skills, and grow into your own definition of self-sufficiency with support and accountability.

Membership Benefits:

• Free Tier 1 Facebook group- Be part of a like-minded community sharing, praying, and growing together in real-time.

• The Set Apart Tribe ($15/mo) – for Early YouTube access, exclusive overflow content, by- weekly Q&As’ monthly giveaways and 5% merch discount.

• Growth Circle ($200/mo) – Receive All Tribe benefits,vBi-monthly group coaching (2-hour sessions), Digital product library and 20% merch discount

• Legacy Level ($600/mo)– Get All Growth Circle benefits, Two 1-on-1 monthly coaching calls 40% merch discount.

And while you’re at it, don’t forget to subscribe to our newsletter (for updates + free monthly T-shirt giveaway) and follow us on YouTube and Instagram to see the daily realities of self-sufficient living.