Douglas Groenveld lives in a concrete jungle in the heart of Makiki but has transformed every inch of available outdoor space on the property into an edible garden.

Sweet potatoes, cucumbers, daikon, spinach, kale, chard, bok choy, broccoli, tomatoes, lilikoi and kumquats crowd the odd spaces where an old clothesline serves as a lattice for lima beans.

When Groenveld, 34, first moved into his Prospect Street apartment, the barren ground was filled with rubbish and discarded tires. So about four months ago he decided to carve out small plots for flowers, vegetables, fruits and herbs. With limited space, he uses buckets and other containers to grow sweet potatoes and many of his other plants.

"I start everything by seed," he said.

Although Groenveld’s garden may appear to be laid out haphazardly, he planted with purpose.

"This pigeon pea plant attracts ladybugs, which eat aphids," he pointed out.

The garden also includes medicinal plants, such as aloe vera and comfrey, which are used to treat skin wounds and reduce inflammation from sprains and other injuries.

Groenveld’s parents emigrated to the United States from the Netherlands, and "we always had a big garden," said Groenveld, whose last name translates to "green field."

"I like to be outdoors and like to get my hands dirty."

He spends a couple of hours a week tending to his garden, harvesting as needed for stir-fry dishes, salads or some homemade holy basil tea.

"I water everything once a day, and when it rains I don’t worry much about it," he said.

He works at Green Rows Farm in Wai­ma­nalo, and between the two locations Groenveld grows about 90 percent of his food.

"I might raise chickens one day," he said. "I’m definitely into the sustainability aspect."

Groenveld maintains a compost pile with earthworms that turn vegetable waste into a rich soil additive. The gardener built his own irrigation system using a hose found in the trash. "It’s definitely a reclaimed treasure," he said.

When asked to name a favorite plant, Groenveld hesitated. "I like them all," he said. "I made some really good kale chips the other day."

Groenveld was raised in Michigan and moved to Hawaii about four years ago. He said he worked as a graphic designer for the "Hawaii Five-0" and "Off the Map" TV series but enjoyed gardening so much that he started Hale Fresh, a garden-scape and design company.

For more information, find Hale Fresh on Facebook, call 221-4475 or email Halefresh@gmail.com.