Jenna's small space with big harvests

Who says you need a big garden to grow food? Jenna has reimagined her garden in Hamilton, transforming a compact space into a productive, high-efficiency growing area. Check out how she's made the most of every square metre with top tips for cool-season gardening.

Name: Jenna, vege gardening and lush lawn obsessed! I’ve been gardening for 20 years and not planning on stopping anytime soon. I love nurturing the garden with yummy products and bringing the worms into the garden.

Location: Hamilton

Garden size: Four beds totaling 4.3m2

Follow me: @jennagardens

From spacious to compact: how Jenna created a high-efficiency garden

After nearly nine years in Christchurch, I’ve returned to Hamilton and changed from decent sized vege beds to a compact, high-efficiency space. Having less room to work with, I’ve had to rethink everything, from storage to plant choices and garden bed types to make every square metre count. I installed kit-set self-watering beds directly onto the pavers and I was able to create a productive garden I was eating from in just five weeks. To bring the space together, I stained the pavers (yes, you can buy paver stain!) giving the space a modern look. Next on the list is installing a shade sail, which will provide relief in summer and double as frost protection in winter, extending my growing season.

Autumn and winter plans: thoughtful planting for the cooler months

I start planting in April and stop once the coldest part of winter hits. You have to be purposeful in a small space - plant what you need and know what you want to harvest at specific times. For example, I leave a third of the beds empty for planting garlic in June. I also leave strategic gaps in the soil for succession planting to make the most of the space. I’ll be planting lettuce between the brassicas since lettuce matures faster and I can keep harvesting while the brassicas continue to grow.

The best hack - try scattering Tui Spinach Hybrid No.7 F1 seeds directly onto your garden and lightly cover them with a bit of soil.Treat it as a cut-and-come-again plant - this way, you’ll have tender, flavourful leaves that are much yummier than the thicker baby spinach.

For frost protection, you can make your own cloches by covering metal waste bins with frost protection fabric. It will help your seedlings establish in the cooler temperatures. Also, consider switching up your lettuce varieties - oakleaf lettuce thrives in the cooler months.