Lockdown Day 22: Start Your Little Kitchen Garden
Nothing can give more pleasure than having vegetables grown by your own hands, warm from the sun and freshly plucked.
If you are fond of gardening but your present house doesn’t have ample space for vegetable gardening, you can opt for container vegetable gardening. It is most suitable for people living in urban areas like apartments.
Container vegetable gardening is a fun and joyful activity to indulge in. It is not time consuming; you don’t need to do back-breaking work of weeding and amending soil, and it can be done by anyone with proper care and information. Container vegetable gardening can be done in small spaces like a window sill, balcony or doorstep with traditional pots, hanging baskets, window boxes or little planters.
However, your efforts can become futile if your plants don’t grow or produce. Here are few basic tips which will help you with your container gardening and give you a good start.
Selection of Place
Selecting a proper spot for your plants is very important. Almost all vegetables require minimum of six hours of direct sun every day. So make sure the location you choose is ideal so that your plants get proper sunlight. Air circulation in the area should also be sufficient. However, if you live in a hot place, you may need to shade your plants for sometime in the day to prevent it from drying.
Choosing Containers
There are various types of containers available for growing vegetables. Almost anything can be used as a container as long as it is of good size and has proper drainage. There are pots of clay, wood, plastic and metal which are suitable for gardening. Decorative pots which have no holes are not appropriate for planting.
Size: The pot should not be small, as a bigger pot will contain more soil and thus will be able to hold more water and for longer time. You will have to water less time.
Drainage: Proper drainage prevents your plant from drowning. The pot should have one large hole or several small holes to let excess water flow out. You can make holes on your own by using a drilling machine, if required.
Picking the Right Plants
Both edible and ornamental plants can be grown in container gardening. Various edible plants can be grown like herbs, fruits and vegetables. Herbs are usually bunched; so it can be easily grown in a small space. You can try herbs like basil, thyme, parsley, mint and rosemary. Vegetables like tomato, lettuce, pepper, bush zucchini, peas and spinach can also be easily grown in containers.
Selection of plants should be based on the climatic conditions of your zone, space available and your requirement.
Soil and Fertilizers
Using garden soil is not recommended for container gardening as garden soil may import weeds in your container. It is essential to use quality potting soil for growing vegetables. The potting mix should be light-weighted. You can use soil less mix as they are light-weight and readily available in the market.
Fertilizers are the food for a plant which is must for its growth. If your soil mix already has fertilizers, you don’t need to feed it for 8-10 weeks. Thereafter, fertilize your plants once in every 2 weeks. Diluted fish emulsion or compost tea are some fertilizers that can be used while watering the plants.
Watering
Plants need water to grow. Watering your plant daily is essential. Some plants need to be watered once and some require watering twice a day. If you don’t water, your plants may dry up and die. However, we don’t have to drown the plant with water. Water is needed to keep the soil moist. Keep a check on the container once or twice a day.
General Care
Some care is required to be taken to keep your plants healthy and attractive. Check your plants daily to see any sign of disease. Dried up and tattered leaves and flowers should be removed regularly. If there are any insects, pests or mites in plants, take proper and timely action to remove them.
