Urban Farming: The Growing Trend
We live in a fast expanding world, where the population is on an exponential rise and the existing land and resources are being diminished due to over-exploitation. Commercialisation of space has taken a toll on global agriculture, and with the increasing number of mouths to feed, it is becoming difficult to maintain the basic food needs. To overcome a facet of this difficulty, the world needs to embrace the idea of urban farming. This notion is already gaining foothold in many countries.
The possibility of growing the required food where we live has brought about positive changes to the lives of Indians too. Urban farming provides food near our homes, thus eliminating the need for long distance transportation. Also, the freshest vegetables and fruits are at our disposal, and we can have them seasonal. There are many ways to do urban farming in a town of high-rise buildings. Below you will find a few of them.
Rooftop/Patio Gardens
The concrete jungle of metro cities and high rise buildings don’t afford space for a proper garden. But even an apartment life can be managed to include a small and secure place for your leafy companions. Smartly designing the available spaces like rooftops or patio allows us to transform it into a beautiful and lush area perfect for relaxing. While transforming an available space, take care to preserve the originality and maximize it so that the view is enhanced.
Terrace Kitchen Gardens
People usually think terrace gardens are an expensive deal. But that is not the case; the trick is to start small and then expand your garden. Terrace gardens are a great idea to grow your own vegetables and plants, especially if you live in a high-rise building with no yard space. These days many people in metro cities opt for terrace gardens as a way to grow their own food and also as a place to sit and relax, away from the noise and dust.
You can grow any type of plants or vegetables like tomato, ladies finger, brinjal, spinach, raw banana etc. depending upon how much space is available on your terrace. Here are some tips to prepare your terrace garden.
- First water proof the terrace flooring to prevent leaks and also to reduce the heat level of your plant.
- Hybrid seeds are best suited for terrace gardens and are easily available from nurseries.
- Prepare your own manure using kitchen wastes. It is cost effective and also an ideal way to manage waste.
- Use plastic buckets or bags for the greenery. This also helps take off some weight from your terrace floor.
- Water the plants twice a day and take care not to overwater vegetables.
- If you plant creepers, then tie them up to something like a stick for support.
Vertical Gardens
Vertical gardening is a great idea if you have very little space to offer- like balcony or a small portion / wall of sit out area. Plants that grow in vertical gardens are mostly creepers and vines which can give bountiful returns too.
The greatest advantage of vertical gardening is that there are fewer pests and weeds to deal with than in a normal garden. Plants grown vertically can breathe more and the air circulation within the foliage, giving rise to stronger plants and better fruits.
For vines and climbers, netting and stringed frames like pole frames are helpful to grow faster. Another way to accommodate plants vertically is to hang baskets, recycled bags, spice racks, stacked pots etc. Racks stacked vertically can accommodate vertically challenged plants like herbs and strawberries.
