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Urban horticultural techniques

How to make the most of your growing space



Modern society has given us many things, but it has not given any of us spacious, rural housing. Most of us live in a tightly packed urban environment with no place to grow anything ... or so we think!


I was in this state of mind when I first started gardening. In fact, the first plants I grew were bush cucumbers that were grown hydroponically because I thought there was no light in my little townhouse. Oh, how wrong I was.


If you live in an apartment with a small balcony, a townhouse, or a small single-family home, there are plenty of ways to grow your own food. All you have to do is adjust your horticultural technique based on the unique growing environment you are in, and this is what we are going to discuss.


Explore your location

No two living spaces are created equal, so there are no two growing spaces. Look at your space through the lens of a plant:


How much access is there to light, and from what direction is it coming?


If you are in the northern hemisphere the south-facing balconies, windows or front yards are best because your plants will enjoy full sun all day long. All will not be lost if you do not access the light to the south. There are plenty of shade-tolerant edible foods you can still grow.



Take care of trees, buildings, or structures that block light throughout the day. To get a deeper understanding of your landscape, I encourage you to observe how light and shadows fall on your property one day. On top of that, see if there are any "hot spots" where reflections from nearby buildings divert unnatural light.


Choose your growing method


There are five methods I recommend for most urban growing spaces. After you have surveyed your location and determined access to sun, square views, and suitable growing conditions, it is up to you to choose the method that you most consider suitable for your urban space. Here are some of the ways I have tried and made real use of every method of growing my urban home.


Raised beds


If you're lucky enough to have enough space to put down even a 2 'x 4' tall bed, you are in business! Make sure it is at least 6 "tall and made of the unrefined wood. Considering the longevity, I prefer redwood cedar over other trees. Of course, long-lasting wood can be a bit expensive.


If you want to make the building process easier, you can also choose a pre-made kit, and there are plenty of aesthetic options that have some practical advantages, such as being raised to a standing height. I personally love gardening in very high beds. Being 6'4 "tall, I want to save my back when I get older!


Containers


There are an almost endless variety of containers you can grow, depending on the plants you want to grow, your aesthetic tastes, and your location. As for container products, each item has its own pros and cons:



Terra Cotta. Cheap and effective, but brittle and loses water faster than other products.


Tree. DIY is easy to do but will rot and fade over time.


Plastic. Durable, but requires drainage and eventually becomes brittle due to UV exposure.


I personally grow it in terracotta pots and this year the “secret weapon” I love is ... Grow Pack. They are portable, foldable, lightweight bags that you can easily carry. Their porosity is a common mistake that water does not stagnate in any of my container plants! I am growing to about 150 square feet. Growing place, i.e. I am always moving plants, I try to squeeze as much as I can, so plucking a few grow bags with their handles and shaking them is a common occurrence in my garden.


Vertical garden



Again, in urban areas, this means using every inch you have as a breeder. One of the easiest ways to make the most of vertical space is to use hanging baskets and grow food items such as strawberries or growing vines like peas and tomatoes downwards. It looks weird ... but it works! Way to make sure your hanging basket can support the weight of a fully-loaded tomato plant Now, I use Gardner's supply company Jordin's Rose Arc to "connect" the two raised beds. I have a loofah pumpkin climbing on one side and two unsteady cherry tomatoes climbing on the other. I am so excited for the day when these two plants will “meet” each other!


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