Food Gardening In Small Spaces

 

If you live in an apartment, studio, condo, and only have quite limited space to grow your food plants, don’t despair. There are numerous solutions to gardening in small spaces. Space can be at a premium, especially these days when apartments and condos are so popular. A simple solution for those wanting to grow at least a few basic herbs and vegetables is to grow in containers. Maybe, you don’t have the time to maintain a large vegetable garden, or you have a physical condition that prevents you from bending down or using the usual gardening tools. Whatever the reason, container gardening can be a great way to produce some of your organic food needs. You will be pleasantly surprised to learn how many plants will grow quite happily in containers, provided you give them what they need. And in return, you will get wonderful organic food, filled with life energy. And that’s one of the most wonderful things about organic gardening – being able to pick something that you know has grown with no chemicals and eat it within 1 – 20 minutes. It’s something nutritionists and the like don’t seem to consider – the value of the life energy from that plant becomes part of your life energy when you eat it. It’s little wonder that there are so many health issues these days. People end up eating more and more processed foods that are unrecognizable from their original form. But that’s a whole other topic...

While container gardening may have its limitations, there are some great benefits.        

• You have the advantage of being able to bring containers indoors through the coldest      part of winter, prolonging the season.
• Your pots/containers can create a focal point on a balcony or patio area, adding interest, color, or foliage.
• Planters can be made from just about any type of container that holds soil and allow adequate drainage.
• Potting mediums are easy to work with as they are the correct pH.
• Weeds are much less likely to become a problem.         
• Less likely to be attacked by snails, slugs, insects, or soil borne diseases.
• The tiniest space – even a windowsill can be used to produce some fresh herbs.

Soil

You need to purchase premium potting mix for growing in containers. Don’t be tempted to use soil from the garden in your pots as it will become compact and heavy, not allowing water to drain well. A premium potting medium is a must. It is lighter and so provides excellent drainage. You will need to provide all your plant nutrients as most potting mixes do not come with organic fertilizer. Remember that more is not better when it comes to applying fertilizer. Too much fertilizer in contact with your plant’s roots will burn them. Always follow the directions on packaged fertilizers. There are many organic fertilizers available to choose from, so look for blends suited to the type of plant you are growing, whether leafy, flowering or vegetables, etc. Container plants need watering more frequently than normal garden plants, and as a result, the water leaches away fertilizers. So, container-grown plants benefit from liquid feeds on a regular basis throughout their growing season. You can purchase organic liquid fertilizers if you don’t have room or time to make your own. Use them for foliar feeding and drenching the soil around your plants.

Watering

Because container plants are above ground the sun and wind will dry potting soils out quicker than plants grown in the ground. During summer you will need to take care that your pots do not dry out. Water containers when the soil dries out to a depth of 1-2cm (1/2 inch). Apply water with a soft flow to be gentle on your plants and the soil. In really hot weather you should re-water about 30 minutes after your initial watering. This is beneficial in containers as plants cannot always take up the water quickly. It is important to make sure that your containers have adequate drainage or your plants will suffer and ultimately die if the roots are permanently sitting in water. If your containers sit on the ground, bottom holes may not drain readily. If they are on a patio or are just off the ground, there should be no problem with bottom holes. If you’re not sure, make side holes or sit the pot in up off the ground on bricks or pavers. Pieces from an old broken clay pot or fly-wire placed over the drainage holes will keep the potting mix from packing around the holes and reducing drainage, as well as keeping it in the pot. You can add some mulch (Pea straw) to larger pots in summer to help prevent them from drying out.

Choosing the Right Plants

When you’re growing in containers you will need to look for varieties that are the most suitable for growing in small areas. Many herbs make excellent container specimens. Try growing several together in one pot that like similar conditions. As for vegetables, you could start with some of the smaller vegetables such as radishes, lettuce, onions, capsicum or Chillies, eggplant, short varieties of carrots, bush beans e.t.c.

Container planting is ideal to try out some companion planting techniques. You’ll have better success if your plant combinations are happy ones! You can even grow tomatoes in pots. Look for smaller varieties such as cherry tomatoes or bush tomatoes that don’t require staking. If you plant in three weekly successions, you may be able to achieve continuous production of some plants, such as lettuce and radishes. Strawberries grow well in containers, particularly hanging baskets if they are not allowed to dry out.

Location

Choose a position for your container plants where they get about six hours of sunlight each day, preferably morning sun rather than afternoon sun. You may also need to protect your plants from falling over in strong winds. If you have many pots they might provide some protection for each other. Place the tallest plants along walls or trellises. And if you do have a trellis you can also try some climbing plants providing there is enough support. You might like to grow a passion fruit if you have a sunny wall. Or what about snow peas or sugar snap peas? If space is really at a premium then you do really need to think about growing vertically. There are dwarf varieties of many fruit trees now that will happily grow in a good-sized pot. You could espalier your fruit tree along a trellis if you have one. Get creative. Hanging baskets could give you extra plant space for strawberries, cherry tomatoes, or a basket brimming with herbs. Many conventional gardeners find themselves with more than just a few plants growing in containers. I wouldn’t think of any other way to grow mints as they are just impossible if they escape into the garden. And how many people have the space for a full-grown bay tree, when they only use a few leaves each week?

Tips for Container Growing

-         Use a premium potting mix
-         Add a slow-release organic fertilizer when you pot up your container.
-      Also, add water crystals to help keep the soil moist re-pot your plants each spring to encourage vigorous growth (add slow-release fertilizer every spring when you re-pot) DO NOT OVERWATER – allow the soil surface to dry out between watering And DO NOT ALLOW TO TOTALLY DRY OUT.
-         Keep new growth trimmed to promote bushiness
-        Choose a sunny position at least 4-6 hours a day. Yes, container plants take a little extra care, but we are well rewarded with our bounties.
-         Try growing a few pots together. They look great and they provide a suitable micro-climate for each other. Good luck with yours! 
    If you enjoyed reading this, kindly download my handbook to get more understanding on what you need to garden better.

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