GET THE LAY OF THE LAND

Ideally, you want to find a spot that gets six-eight hours of sunlight a day. You can grow in shady spots, but the options will be limited. Leafy greens, herbs and some varieties of flowers, like impatiens and begonias, do well in the shade. But if you want to grow an array of flowers or edibles like tomatoes, cucumbers or strawberries, you're going to need sun, and lots of it. (Morning light will be kinder to your crop than hot afternoon light, so keep that in mind, too.)

If you plan to garden on a rooftop or balcony, consider the weight capacity. A dozen 12-inch containers full of potting soil and water can add considerable strain to a space that might not be designed to carry the load.

“What are your plans for the space?” said Jibreel Cooper, community program manager for the Brooklyn Botanic Garden. “If you want to keep it generally open, maybe you want to look into hanging plants or trellising. Sweet peas and cucumbers can be trellised and grow vertically. They take up less space.”

If you do not have a large enough yard, don't be deterred; a window box makes a terrific spot to grow herbs. Kris Bordessa, the author of “Attainable Sustainable: The Lost Art of Self-Reliant Living,” once lined her driveway with large fabric planters, reclaiming the hot asphalt slab. “It was an instant garden,” she said.

If a neighbor has unused outdoor space, consider asking if they would let you cultivate it in exchange for a share of the crop. (Full disclosure: My little driveway plot is on property that actually belongs to my neighbor, whom I pay in tomatoes for the privilege of using the otherwise fallow land.)

“It's just as simple as saying hello,” said Nina Browne, community field manager for the Brooklyn Botanic Garden. “You can begin to have conversations about working together.” having something completely peter out on you.”