With more of us becoming conscious of what we eat and where it come from, more people living in urban areas are planting gardens. Whether you live in a house or an apartment there is always room for growing your own vegetables. Think indoors and vertical if need be.
Here are some urban gardening tips to help you with your planting.
1. Plant in Winter, Transplant in Spring
Contrary to popular belief, gardening can be a year round hobby. By starting to plant your crops — whether herbs, vegetables, or fruits— indoors during the cold winter months, you’re giving them an increased likelihood of making it to adulthood when planted outside.
For those of you who started with seeds indoors during the winter, now (spring) is the time to transplant seedlings.
2. Pay Attention to Soil Temperature
Soil temperature has a direct correlation with germination, so it is important to keep plants that have a similar temperature threshold in the same area. Cauliflower, celery, and cucumbers are all great planting companions with a soil temperature sweet spot of 65-70 degrees Fahrenheit.
3. Use Technology to Plan Ahead
Want to design the perfect outdoor garden? By using Google Earth’s free satellite imagery, you can easily plan your garden layout for free.
Live in an apartment? Google Sketchup is a great free computer aided design (CAD) tool that can allow you to design an indoor garden, as well.
4. Don’t Fall Victim to Drought
With water conservation top-of-mind for all gardeners, drought-resistant plants and vegetables make the perfect addition to any garden, especially in those drier months. Beets, carrots, onions, parsnips, pumpkins, and summer squash are all varieties of drought-tolerant veggies.
Another smart tip for the drought-conscious: installing a drip irrigation system that connects to your washing machine or a rain barrel can save up to 80 percent more water than a traditional irrigation system by watering plants at their roots where water is less likely to evaporate. This system also allows farmers and gardeners to schedule watering cycles for later in the day, when the weather is cooler.
Thanks to doityourself.com for this helpful tips.
Growing your own garden, not only gives you safer food to eat, you can have fun doing it.
Going vertical with you garden will help you grow more in less space. Go Here is a some tips on building a vertical garden
