Just take a walk in the city or in the outlying districts to see that the urban vegetable garden is very fashionable. He also has nothing to be ashamed of the vegetable garden that we are used to seeing in the countryside, all things considered. The lack of space is not an obstacle to growing vegetables, fruits and aromatic plants. Each family or shared space is optimized. Here are some tips to follow to create a productive urban vegetable garden.
The advantages of the urban vegetable garden
More and more people who do not have a garden want to grow their own fruits, vegetables and herbs. It must be said that owning a vegetable garden involves many advantages.
- Favor short circuits,
- make savings,
- Being in tune with nature,
- Taste your own organic, varied and seasonal vegetables,
- Have ultra-fresh products on a daily basis since they are harvested at the time of consumption,
- Practice through gardening a fun activity that all family members can share.
Icing on the cake, cultivating your vegetable garden is good for morale and everyone can get started.
The ideal location for the urban vegetable garden
Observing the space to be dedicated to gardening is crucial because it is essential to properly place your urban vegetable garden.
The plants which will be cultivated there must benefit from a sufficient sunlight and one high luminosity to grow and be productive. We therefore choose a place exposed to the sun for at least 5 hours a day. It is also necessary to think that it is sufficiently ventilated without being in full draft. We avoid as much as possible to enclose it because the air could not circulate between the plants. The water vapor produced by plant respiration must be able to evaporate. This is essential to limit the risks of cryptogamic diseases.
Create an urban vegetable garden in a limited space
Anyone can grow their vegetables using the least small space available. More and more passionate amateur gardeners who want to taste the good products of their garden are using subterfuge to compensate for the smallness of their piece of land, and it also works for those who have no land at all.
From the vertical garden inspired by the Gardens of Babylon to the square vegetable garden and the green wall, everything is possible. We transform our balcony into a vegetable garden, but also our terrace, the windowsills and, if we are lucky enough to have one, the roof terrace which is an interesting space to invest without hesitation. Whatever the solution offered to us, we do not let it pass because these are so many cultivable square meters which can thus be valued.
Anything that is reusable is welcome to create your urban garden. Pallet, old zinc gutter, wooden stepladder or ladder, watering can from another age, pots and tubs in earthenware, ceramic, zinc, plastic, wooden wheelbarrow, hessian bags, tin cans, cinder block , crate, barrel, tire, colanders and outdated metal pans probably a little dented but who cares… all the recycled ideas deserve to be exploited because it is possible to create an ultra-trendy, very original plant wall or vertical vegetable garden at a lower cost. As a result, we offer a second life to various objects which thus escape the waste disposal. It is a responsible gesture since we reduce waste.
We play the card deco while working on the shape of the containers and on the colour since all it takes is a lick of paint to transform these objects picked up here and there. They can accommodate seeds, vegetable and fruit plants, aromatic herbs, flowering plants, and therefore allow you to create a vegetable garden where you least expect it.
Ideal plants to grow in an urban vegetable garden
If you are not lucky enough to have a small garden, it is best to carefully select the plants to grow on your balcony or on the windowsills. Preference is given to plants that have no don’t need a lot of spaceto those who grow tall for a vertical vegetable garden, to species that produce over a long period or even to fruits and vegetables that can be harvested quickly because they mature quickly. We can therefore, for example, cultivate in an urban vegetable garden:
- various salads : best suited for growing in a vegetable garden in the city (balcony, terrace, courtyard) provided it is partially shaded, are lamb’s lettuce, cut lettuce, arugula. You can also sow mesclun seeds in ribbons to enjoy a judicious mix of varieties.
- Cucumber : it must be trellised and placed in the sun.
- Cherry tomato : installed sheltered from the wind and in a sunny area, the cherry tomato is perfect for growing in pots on a balcony. We are thinking of installing tutors.
- baby carrot : in addition to being hasty, this almost round mini carrot that takes up little space is very tasty and tender. It appeals to young and old. The “Marché de Paris” baby carrot is a sensational old variety for growing in a window box exposed to the sun. It is eaten 12 weeks after sowing, which can be staggered to shift the harvest.
- pole bean : a do-it-yourself trellis is enough to climb pole beans. This not only optimizes space but also makes harvesting much easier and more comfortable. In addition, it is very decorative.
- Aubergine : it needs sun and a deep pot (60 cm minimum). No need for a lot of space since this plant grows in height.
- Radish : perfect in an urban vegetable garden, the 18-day-old Radish is a variety that grows very quickly since, as its name suggests, it takes less than 3 weeks after sowing to go to harvest. It is a pink radish with a very tasty white tip, elongated in shape, and whose flesh of an immaculate whiteness is very crunchy. Be careful to water it enough. If it lacks water or is watered irregularly, it becomes hard and pungent.
- Pepper : to grow peppers without a garden, all you need is a 60 cm deep pot, a small space in the sun and without any drafts. A stake may be necessary to prevent the stems from bending under the weight of the fruit.
- Spinach : little demanding in care, it grows quickly and is satisfied with a small semi-shaded space.
- Zucchini Ronde de Nicean uncommon variety that may possibly be suitable for a limited space if not too many other vegetables are grown elsewhere.
- Strawberry : these are the climbing varieties that are best suited to urban vegetable gardens. They can be grown in suspensions for a hanging effect or in pots to let their runners climb along a low wall, a wall, a railing or a trellis.
- Blueberry : ideal for growing in very large, very deep pots that are placed in partial shade or even in the shade, the blueberry tolerates the sun provided it is not scorching.
- Citrus such as orange tree, lemon tree, mandarin tree…: these are shrubs which deserve a place of choice in an urban vegetable garden but it is necessary to be able to shelter them from frost from the beginning of autumn and winter them until spring except in the Mediterranean regions. Among the citrus fruits best suited to growing in pots, the kumquat takes the top step of the podium.
- aromatic plants : parsley, rosemary, dill, thyme, mint, chives, bay leaf, coriander, basil, lemon verbena, savory, oregano, sage, tarragon… What wonders it is possible to grow in town just as you do in the countryside ! A few pots hung and we create an aromatic wall. This still requires a specific watering system and thoughtful installation. In addition, some aromatic plants are not so easy to grow. So we start by trying our hand with the less demanding ones.
Gourmet, olfactory, decorative, profitable, the urban vegetable garden offers all sorts of solutions to meet the needs of a family.
Finally, we can also create a urban vegetable garden without soil thanks to the culture hors-sol or cultivation in hydroponics, the only substrate being water (to be renewed daily). Rich in mineral elements, it is enough on its own since it allows plants to develop their root system, grow and produce.
Hydroponics is essential for gain some ground, but also to produce autonomous plants, little exposed to parasites. Without any pesticides, thanks to soilless cultivation, you can enjoy good yields. However, it is necessary to have specific equipment in order to heat and artificially light the plants. It is a cultivation method that may be suitable for people with very little space and no means of growing outdoors. Except that without sun, the taste quality of fruits and vegetables is far from perfect.