Disclosure: This post contains my GreenStalk Ambassador link. If you make a purchase using my link, you will receive $10 off and I will receive store credit (at no additional cost to you). Opinions shared are mine.

Usually in mid-May, I’m just starting the garden. We usually start by putting out tomato plants and zucchini seeds around Mother’s Day. This year, I gave early-spring planting a whirl. In March started seeds in the new-to-me Aerogarden and it worked a treat! After the seeds started, I tucked some of them into my GreenStalk and the composting Garden Tower. They’ve grown so well that we’ve enjoyed many salads in the past two months, and we’ve shared with friends. You can grow lettuce just about anywhere!

Last year I had hanging baskets and planters filled mostly with flowers. This summer I’m devoting the on-deck planters and grow bags to edibles. The flowers are pretty, but I’d rather invest time and money in things we can eat. The large planters continue to work really well for lettuce greens. As you can see, the bok choy is already bolting from the heat. Time to break out the heat-tolerant green seeds.

I am going to use some of my fabric grow bags to replant lettuce. They are so easy to move around; they can easily be relocated to a shadier spot. I’m also going to try growing ground cherries in the grow bags. This is my first year trying them. I’m hoping that they’ll be a fun fruit to make jam with!

I liked my Aerogarden Bounty so much that I started looking for a second one. The Wave petunia seeds I started in February have come to life, and they’re lovely. You could easily put some pretty lettuces in hanging baskets, though, if you’re short on ground level growing space.

The Aerogarden replacement plugs can get pricey when using often; however, it’s worth it for the extraordinary root system the hydroponic system develops. Just look at the watermelon seedling I grew in it — check out those roots!

This time I got an Aerogarden Harvest to add to my indoor garden. These will continue to get a workout at my house throughout the summer season, then I’ll put some greens and herbs in them to have on the counter for the winter months.

The Earthboxes are full again. I used them to grow radishes and spinach in March. The Chinese cabbage got HUGE in them, and is now going to seed. I’ve got sweet peas and garlic in some of the Earthboxes now. As they’re emptied, the space is filled with tomatoes and zucchini. I have used these for greens in the past, but I’ve found a better solution for this summer.

Last summer my mother in law gave me a stackable planter (similar to this one from DollarTree) that I filled with strawberry plants. The top level did okay, but the plants in the side pots did not survive. I think the pots were too shallow…but they’re perfect for greens. So I put a few lettuce seedlings in the pockets. They’re thriving! I plan to start more this week.

We’ve been enjoying salads even more frequently, and none of these options even use my raised bed space. If you enjoy having fresh salads, or you want to save money by growing your own food, consider one of these ideas.