Start Small: One Pot, One Plant, One Step Toward Growing Your Own Food
You don’t need a big backyard to start growing your own food
We often imagine that growing our own food means having a big backyard, a shed full of tools, and hours to spare. The truth? You don’t need any of that. You just need one pot, one plant, and the willingness to begin.
That’s how every gardener starts, with a seed, a bit of curiosity, and the quiet hope that something green will grow.
The Pumpkin That Started It All
I grew my first plant when I was seven years old.
It was a pumpkin seed, planted in an old ice-cream container, filled with what could generously be called “crappy dirt.” We lived in a block of flats where everything was concrete, but I decided to try anyway.
And to everyone’s surprise, it grew.
That little container sat on the cement, catching bits of sunlight, and the pumpkin seed germinated. My mum was building a house at the time (in the 1980s), and when the plant grew big enough, we took it to the new block, just sandy soil and dreams back then, and planted it where the veggie garden would one day be.
Mum used fly-screen strips to barricade the area and left a note for the builders:
“My seven-year-old daughter is growing a pumpkin vine.”
When we came back the next week, the builders had built us a small veggie patch and were helping to look after it. Each time we visited, the vine had crept further and further. Some branches were over ten metres long. Bees buzzed happily through the flowers, pollinating each new bloom. Eventually, Mum brought home the first pumpkin, and I was hooked.
I had planted a seed, and it had grown into food.
To this day, when life feels heavy or depression creeps in, I think about that pumpkin. I remember the dirt, the patience, the surprise of new life. When we want to change our lives, we have to plant the seed for that change. Nothing grows if we don’t begin.
Start Where You Are (Even on Concrete)
You don’t need a big yard to grow food. A sunny balcony, a front step, or a windowsill is enough. Even a recycled ice-cream container will do — it worked for me!
If you have a small courtyard or only a concrete space, aquaponics can be an amazing option. I’ve got a YouTube video (see below) that shows how I built a tiny 1 m × 1.5 m courtyard system right on cement. Fish and plants form a perfect partnership; the fish waste feeds the plants, the plants clean the water, and you get fresh herbs and greens and even bigger veggies like broccoli, cauliflower and tomatoes. Plus, when you move, you can take it all with you.
Check out how I built my 1m x 1.5m courtyard system:
Curious about whether aquaponics is right for you?
My free Urban Aquaponics eBook is designed to help you explore the basics, understand how aquaponics works in small spaces, and decide whether it fits your lifestyle, without pressure or overwhelm.
If you’re feeling inspired to start small and see where it leads, this is a gentle place to begin.
One Small Step Becomes a Habit
The beauty of starting small is that it teaches you how to grow confidence as well as food. When you nurture one plant, you learn to notice its needs, the tilt of its leaves, the colour of new growth, and the quiet satisfaction of seeing it flourish.
And once you realise you can grow one thing, something shifts. You start looking at your lunch and thinking, I could grow that. Before long, you’re checking seedlings at the nursery and wondering if there’s still room for another pot (there always is).
We forget in life that everything is a learned skill, including gardening.
Growing Food Grows Families Too
When kids help grow food, they don’t just learn where food comes from; they learn patience, care, and responsibility. They also eat more veggies! There’s something about eating a tomato you grew yourself that makes it taste better, even if you eat it in the garden.
Even the simplest family rituals, checking the pots in the morning, seeing which flowers have opened, and sharing the first harvest, become moments of connection. Those moments matter more than the size of the harvest.
For Renters and Busy Families
Container gardens, recycled tubs, or small aquaponic systems are perfect for renters or anyone with limited time. You don’t need to dig or own land, just light, water, and curiosity.
And if you do have fish in your system, don’t waste the solid waste! It’s rich in nutrients and works beautifully in the garden or compost heap. Nature loves a good recycling loop.
Why Starting Small Matters
Starting small gives you space to learn, experiment, and celebrate small wins. Every gardener has killed a plant (or five). It’s part of the process. The goal isn’t perfection, it’s participation.
Growing food at home isn’t just about filling your fridge. It’s about remembering that change, in our gardens and in ourselves, always begins with planting a seed.
So start small. Start today.
One pot, one plant, one hopeful step toward something new.
You never know, your little seed might just change your life, too.
Learn More About Aquaponics
Check out the COURSES page to learn how you can get started with aquaponics now. Click HERE.
Want to get your Eyes and Hands on the FREE Online Aquaponics Essentials Course?
This is a great free resource to really understand how aquaponics is a sustainable ecosystem that will grow your organic food is a productive way.
You learn how all the 'parts' make up the 'whole', and helps to give you the foundations of understanding aquaponics.
Sign up HERE
Check out My YouTube Channel 'Candy The Aquaponics Lady'
Aquaponics is an ecosystem, and with anything it takes time to learn how it works. So, sit back and binge watch my 'how to' playlist and the 'Water Quality Made Simple' Playlist, and learn the next steps in your aquaponics system as you create the ecosystem.
Here are the next 2 videos I recommend you watching to create your ecosystem ~ before you add any fish
How Aquaponics Works as an Ecosystem
Why Aquaponics is the best, and most sustainable form of gardening in small spaces
Learn More About Aquaponics
Check out the COURSES page to learn how you can get started with aquaponics now. Click HERE.
Want to get your Eyes and Hands on the FREE Online Aquaponics Essentials Course?
This is a great free resource to really understand how aquaponics is a sustainable ecosystem that will grow your organic food is a productive way.
You learn how all the 'parts' make up the 'whole', and helps to give you the foundations of understanding aquaponics.
Sign up HERE
Want to help out and Feed my Fish?? (They don't drink coffee)
Candy Alexander is a dedicated aquaponics enthusiast with a wealth of formal training in aquaculture. Over the past 15 years, Candy has been deeply immersed in both commercial and backyard aquaponics, honing her skills and expertise in this sustainable farming method.
Candy's passion lies in making aquaponics accessible to everyone. With a mission to simplify aquaponics, she believes that anyone can embark on this sustainable journey.
She encourages those new to aquaponics to "kick the tires" without a significant financial investment. Her guidance focuses on helping people start their aquaponics journey with small-scale systems, ensuring a low barrier to entry for newcomers.
Candy shares practical tips, step-by-step guides, and personal stories to inspire and guide readers on their aquaponics adventure. Whether you're a seasoned farmer or a curious beginner, Candy Alexander is your go-to source for simplifying aquaponics and fostering a sustainable gardening experience.
