The 10 Best Crops to Grow in 5 Square Feet or Less
Maximize your tiny growing space with high-ROI crops. These 10 plants give the best return on limited apartment square footage, ranked by harvest value per space used.
The High-ROI Philosophy
When you have 5 square feet of growing space, you cannot afford to waste it on low-yield crops. Every inch needs to earn its place.
This is not about growing everything - it is about growing the right things. The crops that give you the most food value for the space they occupy.
I rank crops by their "Space ROI" - a combination of:
- Harvest value (grocery store equivalent cost)
- Space used (square inches of footprint)
- Time to harvest
- Ongoing yield (one-time vs. continuous harvest)
Here are the top 10 performers for small-space apartment growing.
1. Microgreens (ROI Score: 10/10)
Space needed: 2-4 square feet
Time to harvest: 7-14 days
Light needed: Low (grows well under LEDs)
Microgreens are the undisputed champions of small-space growing. In one 10x20 inch tray, you can grow $15-20 worth of greens in under two weeks.
Why They Win
- Fastest turnaround of any crop
- Stack trays vertically for insane density
- Grow year-round with basic LED lights
- Zero pest issues (harvested before pests arrive)
Best Varieties
- Radish (ready in 7 days, spicy kick)
- Sunflower (meaty, satisfying, 10-12 days)
- Pea shoots (sweet, crunchy, 12-14 days)
- Broccoli (mild, nutritious, 10-12 days)
The Math
4 trays in rotation = fresh microgreens every 3-4 days. Grocery cost equivalent: $60+/month. Your cost: maybe $10 in seeds and supplies.
2. Cut-and-Come-Again Lettuce (ROI Score: 9/10)
Space needed: 1-2 square feet
Time to harvest: 21-30 days (first harvest), then ongoing
Light needed: Medium
Loose-leaf lettuce varieties can be harvested repeatedly. Cut the outer leaves, leave the center, and they regrow.
Why They Win
- One planting produces for months
- Grows in medium light conditions
- Fast first harvest
- Expensive at grocery store ($3-5/head)
Best Varieties
- Salad Bowl (green and red versions)
- Black-Seeded Simpson
- Oak Leaf
- Buttercrunch
The System
Plant 3-4 containers in rotation. By the time you have harvested the fourth, the first has regrown. Perpetual salad from 2 square feet.
3. Fresh Herbs (ROI Score: 9/10)
Space needed: 1-2 square feet
Time to harvest: 21-30 days
Light needed: Medium to high
Fresh herbs are expensive at the store ($3-4 for a small package) and most goes to waste. Growing your own means harvesting exactly what you need.
Top Performers
- Basil (most valuable per harvest)
- Cilantro (harvest leaves and use stems)
- Parsley (extremely productive)
- Mint (almost impossible to kill)
- Chives (perennial, regrows forever)
The Setup
One windowsill can hold 4-6 herb containers. Annual value: easily $100+ in grocery savings.
4. Green Onions / Scallions (ROI Score: 8/10)
Space needed: 0.5 square feet
Time to harvest: Immediate (from scraps) or 60 days from seed
Light needed: Low to medium
The easiest entry point to apartment growing. Save the root ends from store-bought green onions, put them in water, and they regrow.
Why They Win
- Nearly zero effort
- Continuous harvest from single purchase
- Grows in low light
- Used constantly in cooking
Pro Move
Graduate from water to soil for better flavor and longer-lasting plants. One small pot can provide green onions indefinitely.
5. Cherry Tomatoes (ROI Score: 7/10)
Space needed: 2-4 square feet per plant
Time to harvest: 60-80 days
Light needed: High (6+ hours direct or strong grow lights)
Cherry tomatoes are one of the few fruiting crops worth growing indoors. Dwarf varieties stay compact and produce abundantly.
Best Dwarf Varieties
- Tiny Tim (8-12 inches tall)
- Red Robin (6-8 inches tall)
- Micro Tom (smallest, 5-8 inches)
- Window Box Roma (compact but productive)
The Catch
They need serious light. South-facing window minimum, or dedicated grow lights. Worth it if you have the light - not worth fighting for if you do not.
6. Spinach (ROI Score: 7/10)
Space needed: 1 square foot
Time to harvest: 30-45 days
Light needed: Low to medium
Spinach tolerates low light better than most greens, making it perfect for darker apartments.
Why It Works
- Cool-season crop (likes apartment temperatures)
- Tolerates partial shade
- Cut and come again harvest
- Nutrient dense
Indoor Advantage
Spinach bolts (goes to seed) in heat. Your climate-controlled apartment prevents this, giving longer harvest windows.
7. Radishes (ROI Score: 7/10)
Space needed: 1 square foot
Time to harvest: 25-35 days
Light needed: Medium
The fastest root vegetable you can grow. From seed to salad in under a month.
Why Include Them
- Proof that you can grow "real" vegetables
- Satisfying to pull from the soil
- Leaves are edible too (bonus greens)
- Quick rotation means constant production
Best Varieties
- Cherry Belle (classic, 22 days)
- French Breakfast (mild, 25 days)
- Easter Egg (multicolor, 28 days)
8. Peppers (ROI Score: 6/10)
Space needed: 1-2 square feet per plant
Time to harvest: 70-90 days
Light needed: High
Hot peppers especially are worth the space. One plant can produce dozens of peppers over months.
Best Indoor Varieties
- Thai chili (prolific, compact)
- Habanero (high value per pepper)
- Jalapeno (reliable producer)
- Ornamental varieties (edible and decorative)
The Long Game
Peppers are slow to start but produce for years if you keep them alive. One well-maintained pepper plant can provide for seasons.
9. Mushrooms (ROI Score: 6/10)
Space needed: 1-2 square feet
Time to harvest: 7-21 days (from kit)
Light needed: None
Different from everything else on this list, but high-value production from zero-light spaces.
The Apartment Advantage
Mushrooms need dark, humid conditions - exactly what a bathroom or closet provides. Your liability becomes an asset.
Getting Started
Start with oyster mushroom kits. Graduate to buying spawn and making your own substrate once you understand the process.
10. Sprouts (ROI Score: 8/10)
Space needed: 0 square feet (countertop jar)
Time to harvest: 3-5 days
Light needed: None
Not exactly growing in the traditional sense, but sprouts provide fresh greens faster than anything else.
The Process
Seeds in jar. Rinse twice daily. Harvest in 3-5 days. Total time investment: 2 minutes per day.
Best Varieties
- Mung beans (classic, neutral flavor)
- Alfalfa (mild, familiar)
- Broccoli (nutritional powerhouse)
- Radish (spicy kick)
Your 5 Square Foot Garden Plan
If you only have 5 square feet, here is how to use it:
2 sq ft: Microgreen trays (stacked = 4+ trays)
1 sq ft: Cut-and-come-again lettuce (2 containers in rotation)
1 sq ft: Herb containers (3-4 varieties)
0.5 sq ft: Green onion regrowth pot
0.5 sq ft: Radish succession planting
This setup can realistically produce:
- Weekly microgreen harvests
- Salad greens every few days
- Fresh herbs on demand
- Continuous green onions
- Radishes every month
Annual grocery value: $300-500+. From 5 square feet.
For complete crop selection guides including light requirements, container sizes, and succession planting schedules, see the Selecting Your Crops chapter in Sky-High Harvest.