Rooted in Rentals

Rooted in Rentals: My Gardening Journey So Far

If you’ve ever felt the itch to grow your own food but thought, “I’m just renting, can I even have a garden?” you’re in good company. I’ve been there, staring at a tiny patch of grass behind a rental property, wondering if it was worth the effort. Spoiler alert: it absolutely is.

Hey, farm friends, I’m Rachel, and I’m here to tell you that you don’t need to own acreage to grow fresh veggies or enjoy juicy strawberries straight from the plant. I’ve been gardening in rentals for over 25 years, and along the way, I’ve learned to turn even the smallest, quirkiest spaces into productive mini-farms. Trust me, if I can make it work, so can you.

Humble Beginnings

Growing up on a rural farm in Oregon, I learned from my grandparents about growing food. Unfortunately, my parents had no interest in gardening or tending land, and my grandparents were forced to sell the farm when I was just eleven years old. Not knowing how this move into town would change my life forever, I became sick. Throughout my childhood from then on, I struggled with migraines, chronic fatigue, and sleep issues. We went from growing the majority of our food on the farm to buying most of it from grocery shelves. Everything came in a box or a bag, and it was making me sick.

After struggling for a few years to grow what we could on the much smaller city lot, I moved out on my own. My journey into gardening wasn’t glamorous. It started with a mismatched collection of pots from a garage sale leftover free pile and the cheapest bag of dirt that leaked all over my back as I walked it home to the tiny balcony on my studio apartment. I didn’t know much about soil quality, companion planting, or even how to tell when peppers were ripe. But I had a dream of providing myself with fresh, homegrown food, and that dream was enough to get me started.

That first summer, I grew cherry tomatoes, strawberries the size of peas, herbs, and a few scraggly cucumbers. Were they perfect? Not even close. But when I bit into my first homegrown tomato, it was all worth it. It wasn’t long before I was hooked, and gardening became more than a hobby; it became a way of life.

Challenges of Rental Gardening

Let’s be honest: gardening as a renter comes with unique challenges. Landlords almost always have rules about not digging up lawns or planting new trees. You might feel hesitant to invest time and money into a space that “isn’t really yours.” And then there’s the ever-present possibility of being forced to move and leaving your garden behind.

But here’s the thing: every single challenge is an opportunity to get creative. Raised beds, container gardens, and portable trellises have become my best friends. I’ve even learned to embrace the beauty of temporary solutions, a skill that’s served me well both in gardening and in life.

Did you know: if you grow a few Mammoth sunflowers, you can use their stalks as trellises the next year?! Oh yeah, we’re that kind of resourceful!

When you’re growing food in a rental space, you have to change your mindset. Don’t look at growing food like an investment in someone else’s property. Back when I rented my first duplex in college, people would ask me all the time, “Why are you spending so much time on someone else’s yard?” What they didn’t understand was, it’s not the yard I’m concerned with. The food that I was able to grow there didn’t make me sick the way grocery store food did. And that, to me, was worth all the time I could muster! Think of it this way: what you’re really doing is practicing your craft on rented land until your homestead dreams become a reality. Look at every crop as a possession. It’s yours after all, your work and patience brought it to life. Seasonal crops like lettuce or carrots can be grown in garden beds, but trees, shrubs, and herbs should be grown in pots or bags so you can take them with you when you move.

Why It’s Worth It

Gardening has taught me patience, resilience, and the joy of small victories. It’s also given my family a deeper connection to our food and a sense of pride in what we can grow with our own hands. Even if you’re working with a balcony, a driveway, a converted garage, or a rented backyard, the rewards far outweigh the challenges. You just have to get creative, use what you’ve got, and don’t buy the newest “it” thing that you saw on Instagram.

Every tomato, every pepper, and every basil leaf is a testament to the fact that you can thrive wherever you’re planted. And I’m here to show you how.

Let’s Grow Together

This blog is my way of sharing what I’ve learned and encouraging others to dive into rental-friendly gardening. Whether you’re just starting out or looking for fresh ideas, I’m excited to help you on your journey.

So, what’s stopping you? Grab a pot, some soil, and a packet of seeds. Let’s turn that rental into a growing oasis, one plant at a time.