Why bother? First of all, growing your own vegetables is the best way of ensuring a fresh, safe and pesticide-free food supply. Second, any sort of green space is an oasis in the urban environment and links us back to nature. Lastly, you will gain a much better appreciation of how food grows, especially organic food, when you try to grow your own.
All that is required to start your own urban garden is:
- A container
- Soil mix
- Organic fertilizer
- Seeds or seedlings
Any sort of container is acceptable whether it be plastic, terracotta, wood, or ceramic, as long as drainage holes are provided. Small annuals, herbs & vegetables can grow in containers less than 1 gallon in size while larger vegetables like tomatoes and cucumbers will require at least 3-gallon containers. The larger the container, the less watering you'll have to do.
The success of your garden will depend quite a bit on the soil mix and fertilizer you choose to grow your plants in. Since few urban gardeners have access to soil, commercially prepared potting mixes are a good starting point. To enhance the mix so that it provides enough food for your garden and holds water much longer, supplement the mix with compost, worm castings, or whatever organic fertilizer you have access to. Mix in your fertilizer so that it makes up about 20% of your potting mix.
Lastly, choose the types of vegetables that will maximize your garden space. Climbing vegetables like peas, cucumbers, tomatoes, and pole beans will make use of vertical space very efficiently. Salad crops like lettuce, mesclun, arugula & spinach can be grown very close together and picked for baby greens. Herbs such as basil, thyme, oregano, cilantro, mint, and chives are also ideal for containers. In addition, certain flowers like violets, calendula, & marigolds are both edible and ornamental.
Regardless of the size of your space, plant something edible this year. You'll be surprised at how easy it is and how much pleasure it will bring you. Plus, nothing beats the flavour of fresh-picked, homegrown produce!
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