Should you find yourself charging around the heart of a city centre with career deadlines to make, a strict gym routine to adhere to and not much else, the last thing on your mind is doing a spot of gardening.
Not only are there time and spacial constraints, but you probably don’t believe that gardening is for you. Well, inner-city gardening amongst 20 – 30 year olds is now on the rise, so what’s stopping you from joining this green finger revolution?
From saving money and living longer to beating stress and healthier eating, the potential benefits of gardening are massive. If that’s not enough motivation, our beginners guide to urban gardening is here to help you.
How Do I Start My Urban Garden?
Whether you have a large roof top, a reasonable sized balcony or perhaps just a spare windowsill, it’s fundamental to make the most of the space that you have available. If you’re opting for traditional garden pots and planters, it’s important to think about how much weight your urban garden can hold and how much space they’ll take up.
You could always create a ‘false floor’ by raising planters slightly off the ground to avoid reliance on the building’s structure, or you could easily recycle some plastic containers that you might have lying around.
It’s also important to grow vertically. So, hanging baskets alongside an array of suspended windows boxes will certainly look unique and save space in the process.
We recommend utilising the remaining space with an assortment of garden décor and accessories or some carefully selected garden furniture. To keep things natural, stick to a specific theme, odd numbers and just a small number of colours. Don’t overdo it, your outdoor space is probably limited at the best of times.
Solar lighting will not only look great during a night-time, but it’s also extremely functional and energy efficient too. Stylish, fold-away garden bistro sets are perfect if you’re wanting a place to sit and watch the city go by.
What Should I Grow?
With regards to growing plants in an urban environment, it’s good to think practical and small. If you’re just starting out, kitchen friendly herbs will be ideal. If your confidence starts to grow, how about a collection of colourful flowers? Sweat peas, pansies and petunias will certainly inject a splash of energy and life into any modern metropolis.
Although you may need to a invest a lot of time, effort and energy into growing your own selection of fruit and vegetables, you’ll be amazed at how much money you can save by doing so. Begin with a variety of berries then work your way up to the hardcore parsnips, tomatoes and carrots.
Where Should I Grow It?
Clearly, light is a significant factor to the success of any garden, especially when that garden is situated in an urban environment. It’s good news if you’ve found yourself with a south facing spot, but if your sunlight is limited, you should just pick out a small selection of ‘best growers’ that don’t require too much natural light. For example, African Violets, Pothos, lettuce, peas and cauliflower will certainly be suitable.
Is There Anything Else I Should Consider?
It’s important to remember that soil inside containers will often dry out, leading to a lack of available nutrients for any growing plants.
To help prevent this, we recommend using soilless compost that will retain more of these vital nutrients, as well as a regular dosage of high-quality plant care products. Additionally, containers that have a good amount of drainage options will also help to prevent the occurrence of root rot and poor performing plants.
