I live in a small apartment in urban California and want to start growing my own food to become more self-sufficient and reduce my reliance on fast food and grocery stores. My goal is to cut out store-bought and restaurant food from at least 80% of my diet.
Given my limited space, what are some easy-to-grow, highly nutritious plants that I can start with? I’m also interested in transitioning to a vegetarian lifestyle gradually. Which high-protein plants can I grow in a small space?
Additionally, if anyone has experience with this, are there any tips or things I should be aware of?
I’m also looking to connect with like-minded individuals to start a local gardening community and expand it further.
Lastly, I have a low budget, so any cost-effective gardening tips would be greatly appreciated. Thank you!
You might find Guerrilla Gardening interesting to explore.
Do you have access to a flat roof where you live?
I don’t have access to the roof, and it’s a standard angled roof. However, I’ll definitely look into guerrilla gardening. 
Lettuce, kale, and spinach are super easy to grow in small containers on a patio. Tomatoes and beans do well on a trellis. And an avocado tree!
I’m in WI and have an indoor herb garden going (right now just thyme, basil, cilantro, and oregano).
ETA: you can look into vertical planters, too. I have a Greenstalk and it worked well for me last summer. I had lettuce, sage, jalapenos, mint, and some flowers in mine.
I just started a few herbs like coriander basil and rosemary and have rooted a few cloves of garlic as well as went out and bought a few packets of seeds that I just sowed in a few containers today like onions, peppers of multiple varieties, lettuce and still have others left over that I still need to plant.
The vertical planters are a great idea! They work well even on a tiny balcony.
Hey, I’m new here to WI, and have never grown anything before. Any tips on what I can plant around this time, and how to raise and care for the small garden which will be outside on my patio?