A Productive PATIO

Tiny fruit, vegetable and herb plants help gardeners maximize any sort of growing space

- ERICA BROWNE GRIVAS

Imagine biting into a sun-warmed tomato, freshly plucked from a mature plant just inches tall. The rise of compact edible plants-everything from eight-inch tomatoes to three-foot berry bushes and columnar apple treesoffers gardeners a way to grow delicious, fresh produce in almost any space. Thriving on windowsills and patios, these pint-sized powerhouses make growing food easier and more accessible while reducing our carbon footprint and fostering biodiversity.

As cities become denser and growing space is more precious, we're asking our plants and gardens to work harder. In addition, 43 percent of Americans are growing some of their food at home, according to the National Gardening Association, and in a recent Axiom Garden Survey, new or novice gardeners ranked vegetable gardening or growing new vegetables among their top three projects.

"Demand has increased over the years," confirms Isabel Branstrom, Vegetable Product Development Manager for PanAmerican Seed. "People continue to want the satisfaction of growing their own food and sharing it with families or friends, but living spaces and yards are getting smaller.

Some people are downsizing into townhouses, condos or apartments in urban and suburban spaces. With less space, gardeners need plants that are manageable but also taste great and yield well." In addition, the rising "silver tsunami" demographic, led by aging Baby Boomers, highlights a need in both urban and rural settings for compact edible plants that gardeners can easily cultivate on tabletops and patios or in window baskets, says Diane Blazek, Executive Director of the National Garden Bureau and its All-American Selections plant trials.