Urban garden in pots: what to plant and how to grow vegetables

Vegetables require similar care to ornamental plants. but, besides being pretty, they are eaten. That is why they are proliferating urban gardens in pots. There are many reasons to start growing your own vegetables at home:

With the garden, in addition to producing food, it seeks to recover contact with nature and experience the satisfaction of harvesting and eating what one has cared for with their hands. Allows for a small amount of fresh food grown without pesticides and fertilized organically.Is an activity within the reach of anyone, all you need is an outdoor space where to put some pots: balconies, terraces, patios and even a window sill can be used. Observing the cycle of life pacifies the spirit, contact with nature relaxes and helps to see problems in their proper measure.It is an activity suitable for people of all ages. the orchard is a game for children: they love to put their hands in the earth, water the plants, harvest the fruits and, of course, eat them. They learn good eating habits and that fruits and vegetables are not born on supermarket shelves but need care to develop. If they are in charge of watering the garden, they will learn to be responsible and will feel proud to collaborate.

What is needed to set up a garden at home? What is better to plant in pots? How to cultivate to obtain good results? We explain it to you below.

Pots and planters to grow vegetables at home

The flowerpots They should be as big as possible. although some vegetables such as lettuce or onions can grow well in small pots as long as they do not lack water.

In general, look for containers with a depth between 20 and 40 cm so that the roots can develop well.

The best results are obtained with large pots or planters, since they maintain more constant humidity and the roots overheat less.

The white pots are ideal for summer since they keep the roots cooler while those of black colorwhich absorb the heat of the sun, are more suitable for the cold months.

With a little imagination you can recycle many containers to use as flower pots: water jugs, old bathtubs, plasticized cloth bags from the supermarket… All that is needed is to carry out some holes in the bottom for easy drainage.

The pots should be filled with fertile soil; are normally used mixtures of peat or coconut fiber with fertilizers such as manure, earthworm humus or bird guano. These mixes of substrates are especially suitable for planting in containers as they are high in nutrients and have a high water-holding capacity, which reduces the need for watering and ensures that the vegetables have all the food they require.

Containers and cultivation tables

The cultivation tables They allow sowing a wide variety of vegetables in a small space. Even the elderly or people with mobility problems they can work on them.

These tables are filled with a mixture of very nutritious substrates, normally composed of coconut fiber and vermicompost (the humus that worms produce when digesting organic matter and one of the most complete ecological fertilizers).

Discover the advantages of having a garden at home in the following video.

The three ingredients for a successful urban garden

The secret to achieving rapid growth is that the plants do not lack any of the three elements they need: water, light and nutrients.

Sun

It is the basic element, without it there is no growth. In general, south orientation is preferred because the more daily hours of sun the terrace has, the better the plants will grow. The fruits, especially tomatoes and peppers, produce very little if they do not have abundant insolation.

But If the balcony faces north, there is no need to be discouraged. Although they grow more slowly, it is also possible to grow vegetables. The vegetables that best survive on terraces with few hours of sun are usually the leaves and the roots: Spinach, celery, cabbage, cauliflower, Brussels sprouts, lettuce, turnip, leek, radish, chard, endive, broad beans, peas, strawberries and many aromatic such as parsley, cilantro, mint, basil and oregano.

Irrigation

Is he main care that an orchard needsespecially when the plants grow in pots, where the amount of moisture available is much less than on the ground.

in spring and autumnunless it rains, the plants need watering every two or three days, while in summer watering should be daily.

A good idea is to install a drip irrigation system and connect it to the tap using a programmer Turn on the water for a while each day. Plants regularly receive what they need, water is saved and freedom is gained.

Fertilizers

There is little soil in a pot and, unless we have prepared a substrate that is extremely rich in nutrients, it will probably be necessary to add some fertilizer during the growing cycle.

The solid organic fertilizerssuch as manure, guano, compost or vermicompost, they are usually mixed with the substrate when filling the pots. If it is necessary to add more during growth, they are simply spread on the ground and the irrigation water takes care of carrying the nutrients to the roots.

The liquid fertilizers are added dissolved in the irrigation water and its effect is faster although of shorter duration.

Healthy, well-fed plants show deep green leaves but when the nutrients are scarce, the green color becomes lighter, and can reach, if the deficiency is prolonged, even yellow.

Keep an eye on the color of the plants and increase the frequency of fertilization if the leaves lighten too much.

What is better, seeds or seedlings?

Today, with the proliferation of urban gardens, most garden stores sell vegetable seedlings, which avoids having to sow from seed. Seedlings are purchased ready to be transplanted and start growingwhich shortens the duration of the process by one or two months.

Still there is some vegetables that are still grown from seed: carrots, radishes, turnips, sunflowers, beets… Of course, if you want to grow an unusual variety, you will have to resort to seeds, since seed vendors usually only have the most common ones.

What to plant in an urban garden: the easiest vegetables to harvest

Radishes are harvested just one month after planting.. For his little size they can be grown alongside slow growing vegetables such as carrots or tomatoes as they will be harvested before space is required.Lettuces grow fast in good weather. and planting seedlings are harvested between one and two months later.Arugula is another fast growing plant. and its nutty flavor, much more noticeable freshly harvestedIt gives a different touch to any dish. Scattered on a freshly baked pizza it is simply spectacular.Carrots are grown from seed, it is enough to spread them on the moist soil and cover them lightly. They need little fertilizer and take advantage of nutrients that they can stay after harvesting another vegetable.Can potatoes be planted in pots?although getting a good production is not easy, since it is a crop with very high nutrient needs: it is convenient that the substrate contains, at least, a third of manure or earthworm humus. In any case, they are very easy to grow from any potato that has sprouted.The tomatoes. Few vegetables are as tasty as a freshly picked ripe tomato. For many growers, harvesting tomatoes is their greatest desire. It is not the easiest vegetable to grow and usually needs preventive treatments against fungi.especially powdery mildew and downy mildew.
The most usual ecological treatment consists of spray the plants with cupric sulfate, a natural fungicide based on copper and sulfur that prevents the attack of both species of fungi. Bell peppers, eggplant, potatoes and zucchini also benefit with the application of sulfur and copper.Some climbing vegetables such as cucumbers, beans or peas need supports. Tomatoes too, although you have to tie them to the stakes because they don’t get tangled on their own.Zucchini is one of the most grateful vegetables provided you have a large pot. When it grows in fertile and abundant soil, it can produce a zucchini every two or three days throughout the summer.Sunflowers grow easily and the children love the toasted pipes.

How to take advantage of the space in a home garden?

The main limitation of urban gardens is usually space, unless there is a large roof terrace. Most people only have a balcony or a small terrace.

It is difficult for a balcony garden to cover the weekly needs of vegetables, even though its products are the star of many dishes. In order to increase production, it is necessary to sharpen the ingenuity

To achieve the maximum production of vegetables, it is advisable to make good use of the environment and give up growing slower-growing vegetables or those that require more space.

While Some radishes take a month to grow. and lettuce, chard, cabbage and peas for about two months, tomatoes, peppers and aubergines need at least three months to start producing. Dried onions require almost five months but those that are consumed fresh are ready after two and a half months.

share pot

Different vegetables can be grown together on growing tables, planters and large planters to save space, although mixing varieties that compete for the same nutrients should be avoided.

If we classify the vegetables according to the part that is consumed, we would have to combine root, leaf, fruit and flower plants, since they need different nutrients and do not compete too much. What to avoid is planting two vegetables of the same type together.

Replenish

Among slow-growing vegetables such as cabbage, fast plants such as lettuce or radishes can be planted that take advantage of the free spaces while the sprouts are growing.

Every time a plant is harvested, a new one is planted again. in the gap, so that the terrace can continuously provide vegetables.

Two levels

Some plants like tomatoes, peas, cucumbers or strawberries can be grown in hanging pots letting stems and fruits hang freely. This system allows you to grow a larger number of plants in the same space, some at ground level and others above.

Fill your balcony with aromatic plants

Many aromatic plants need abundant sun and can withstand heat very well. summer even with little irrigation: sage, lavender, thyme, marjoram, oregano, rosemary.

others like mint, parsley, basil, cilantro and chives They will grow better with a little more water and even in semi-shade.

The laurel is a larger shrub and you need a bigger pot but it lasts many years and can be pruned to control its growth.

To know more…

If you have decided to start your own garden…