Remember all the great things about being able to grow your own food? If not, head on over to Part One of my Guide to Growing Your Own Food posts. In this next installment, I’ll share with you guys some tips about choosing where and how to garden in an urban setting and as well as some how to’s when growing vegetables in either cold or tropic climates.
Cold Climate Gardening
If you live in cold climate, invest in a glass house to protect your plants from the frost. You can also use dark mulch to keep the soil warmer during winter. Hedges, stone walls and trellises are also great ways to shield your garden from cold wind. Here are some frost resistant veggies you can plant:
- French beans
- Beetroot
- Broccoli
- Brussells
- Cabbage
- Cauliflower
- Peas
- Spring Onions
- Silverbeet
- White Turnip
- Brussells
- Carrot
Tropical Climate Gardening
The best thing to do when gardening in a warmer climate, is to plant vegetables that like the rise in temperature. Plants that are common in the US won’t thrive when planted in a tropical setting. Here is a list of some vegetables you can switch to when faced with moving to a warmer climate.
- Asian Greens
- Bell Peppers
- Cassava (starchy tubers)
- Ceylon Spinach
- Cucumbers
- Eggplant (aubergine)
- Okra
- Pumpkins
- Radish
- Squash
- Sweet Corn
- Tomatoes
- Water Chestnuts
- Zucchini
You don’t really need that much space to have your own garden. For those who live in apartments, you don’t even need a patch of land. Vegetables are quite resilient and can grow comfortably in containers. As long as your plants can get enough sunlight, water and soil, then they are good to go.
1. Find a spot that gets 6-8 hours of sunlight a day.
2. Shallow-rooted vegetables need only about 8 inches of soil while deep-rooted ones need around 12 inches. Grab some terra cotta pots, wooden boxes or even window boxes are great for these.
3. Make sure containers have a drain and can support the plant as it grows. Use well-draining potting mix with a little fertilizer.
4. Do not choose translucent/transparent containers as the sun can easily dry out roots.