Written By Lara Wadsworth

There are many ways that people online claim to maximize garden space, including everything from container gardening to square-foot gardening. There are books galore written about how to get the most out of each square foot of a garden or a farm. Of all the books I’ve read, blogs I’ve come across, and methods I have tried, the one that I believe combines all the best aspects of each and truly maximizes your available garden space is the French Intensive Method of gardening. It is also known simply as “Intensive Gardening.” The idea was developed in France due to the population density of their cities and towns, when it was more common to grow food for oneself. While the main tenets of this method are nothing new, it is their combination that truly gives it the name “intensive”.

What is the French Intensive Gardening Method?

The French Intensive Method (FIM) is recognized by the main tenants of companion planting to maximize yields, abandoning row systems in order to interplant as closely as possible, utilize vertical gardening, specially curated garden beds, constantly succession planting throughout the growing season, a focus on soil health, avoiding plants with low yields and high space requirements, and lastly, using as much knowledge about plants as possible in order to make the right selections for a successful and attractive garden.

Companion Planting

The French intensive Gardening Method heavily utilizes companion planting. Monocrops (growing large quantities of the same plant) are no more once you try out this method! This means that conducting research on which plants grow well in proximity to others is critical. Choose a few plants that you know you want in your garden, and then research what other plants pair well with them in order to use every bit of space available. For example, let's say I definitely want tomatoes in my garden. I would do research and then plant marigolds, onions, hot peppers, and basil. This combination of plants efficiently uses space, nutrients, light, and time!

Ditching Traditional Rows

It is time to ditch row planting! While this might seem foreign to you, think about how much bare soil is wasted between rows. That is where all of your weeds are popping up too! While you can plant a row of tomatoes, ignore the suggested row spacing on the seed packet and instead plant them all according to the suggested plant spacing. We want to pack this garden FULL of plants. So, plant them close enough together so that at maturity, the leaves of all the plants just barely brush up against each other.

For many plants, this means thinning as they mature. For example, if you want to grow any kind of leafy green, broadcast sow the seeds. Then, when they all come up close together, slowly thin them away day by day so that the ones that are left have enough space to reach their full size. Don’t worry, those plants are not wasted as you can eat the young harvests all along the way. In contrast, row planting does not require thinning, but also takes up more space than necessary while young. This ultimately leaves you with a smaller harvest than you are capable of.

Bed Design & Layout

One of the ways the French Intensive method justifies using no rows is by advocating for raised beds. It is not necessarily the media-worthy wood or steel raised beds you see in magazines and on Instagram, but simply planting beds that are only 2-4 feet across and as long as you want them. They don’t even have to be raised. They just have to be the correct width for convenient access. This ensures that you can weed and tend the entire bed without having to step into the soil and compact it. This method preserves soil texture and integrity, further allowing you to use every single inch for planting food rather than collecting weeds.

Biodiversity Matters

Another big aspect of the Intensive Method is incorporating a range of plants to encourage the benefits of biodiversity. As I mentioned above, monoculture is out the window! Monoculture crops are harsh on the environment and do not produce as much per square foot as the French Intensive Method does! The more variety that exists throughout a garden, the better. Biodiversity increases pest resistance, encourages vital pollinator activity, reduces weeds, and preserves soil health.

Vertical Gardening

A common strategy for maximizing space includes vertical gardening. Of course the Intensive Method is going to agree! Wherever possible, use trellises, cages, strings, and other supports to let plants grow upwards rather than out. Where a vining bean plant might take up 4-5 square feet if left to sprawl, a vertically oriented plant will only take up a few square inches with the right trellis, and will likely produce more throughout the season. This results in a big payoff when it comes to yield-to-space ratios. If you are also planting fruit trees, you may want to consider espalier pruning as well. This is a method of fruit tree pruning that shapes the trees to be almost entirely flat against a wall or structure. This way, you can grow apples from far less space than if the tree were traditionally pruned.

Knowledge of Plant Needs

One of the reasons that the French Intensive Method is so intense is that it requires quite a lot of knowledge about how plants interplay, what their needs are, and how timing plays into all of that. The idea is to gain as much knowledge as possible and then make a plan based on this knowledge. For example, determine which plants are fast-growing, as you will want to place them next to slow growers. Similarly, identify which plants require the most nutrients (heavy feeders) and place them next to plants with lower nutrient needs. And, possibly most importantly, understand how large each plant is likely to be at maturity and how long it takes to reach that size. Place them in an orientation that totally engulfs the garden soil for as much of the season as possible.

Succession Planting

To complement the above information, succession planting is crucial for maximizing yields. This means that for most plants, seeds should be planted at intervals. This creates a delayed harvest, so rather than harvesting all your green beans in one week and then needing to can or preserve them, you can enjoy a fresh harvest a little at a time over the course of several weeks. This method also allows for various plants to dominate the garden at different times. Throughout the season, the garden can morph and change into what is appropriate for the time.

Soil Health Comes First

The French Intensive Method places a strong emphasis on soil health. It is recommended to get one or more soil tests throughout the season to monitor nutrient levels. Plan to at least do one at the beginning of the season! In addition to being aware of your soil's needs, compost should be applied heavily and regularly. In addition to any other organic amendments you may use, do not skimp on the compost. Compost is vital for soil health. It improves soil structure, raises nutrient levels, and improves drainage while also promoting proper water retention. It is the magical, miracle amendment. If you don’t, or can’t, compost on your own, many stores also sell compost in bags, similar to potting soil.

Plants to Avoid

Lastly, when choosing plants to put in your garden, avoid selections that take up a lot of space or have relatively low yield-to-space ratios. For example, corn, melons, and winter squash are all typically avoided in the FIM. They tend to take up a lot of space and nutrients, yet produce proportionally lower yields. Instead, focus on plants such as tomatoes, green bunching onions, leaf lettuce, turnip (greens + roots), summer squash, bush varieties of winter squash, edible podded peas, onion storage bulbs, beans (pole, bush), beets, carrots, cucumbers, peppers, broccoli, head lettuce, and swiss chard. With a little planning, you can take full advantage of all of these plants!

Lara Wadsworth, True Leaf Market Writer

I am a native of Southwestern Michigan, where I currently reside. I love all things plants! After completing a Bachelor's Degree in Horticulture, I found a dream work-from-home job that allows me to share my passion. Now, I spend my days writing for TLM, playing with my dog, eating delicious food with my husband, and plotting my next landscape or gardening move. I believe everyone should get down and dirty in the soil now and then. Happy Gardening!