Urban gardening is the type of gardening that will be required in an urban survival situation. Even in these tough economic times, with food prices soaring, city dwellers are turning to container gardening and square-foot gardening as a means of supplementing their grocery bill. With a little forethought and planning even someone living in a tiny apartment can have a little garden of survival foods.
One of the easiest plants to grow in a container, typically a 5-gallon bucket, is the lovely tomato plant. Whether you like the Beefsteak tomatoes or the small cherry tomatoes, they can easily be grown on a small balcony or patio. Place rocks in the bottom of a 5-gallon bucket that has several drainage holes, and then fill with a mixture of potting soil and sand. Continue...
Showing posts with label container gardening. Show all posts
Showing posts with label container gardening. Show all posts
Thursday, March 5, 2009
Monday, April 28, 2008
Container Gardening
The last time I put in a garden was about 8 years ago. It was only about an 8’ x 8’ square enclosed by chicken wire that I planted with cherry tomatoes, broccoli, eggplant and potatoes. I was only able to harvest tomatoes (bunches of ‘em), a few eggplant and broccoli.
This year, knowing I was going to be moving to a real home instead of an apartment, yet acknowledging that there’s no way I can crawl around on the ground in a real garden, I decided to do container gardening. So last Saturday, I found a bunch of little buckets (a fast-food promotional kid’s meal) at the thrift store. I also purchased potting soil, seed starter soil and plant food.
In tiny seed-starters pots, (12 tiny pots per set) I planted broccoli, lettuce, summer squash, cucumbers, green beans, eggplant, bell peppers and spinach. One week later, I have scrawny little broccoli and lettuce reaching for the sky. Just yesterday two summer squash pushed their way out of the soil. Today a cucumber has appeared. So far no beans, spinach, eggplants or peppers have appeared, making me wonder if I did something wrong.
At the same time that I planted the other things I also planted tomato seeds in six of the kid’s meal buckets. Three days ago about four of the pots were showing signs of life.
If I can manage to keep these alive until I move in four weeks, I’ll have the start of a good garden. I know that I’ll have to probably repot many of them at least twice before I move. Once I get to my new home, I’ll repot them in large containers and have a container garden.
Hopefully by the end of the summer I’ll be harvesting a bunch of my homegrown produce. I’ll dehydrate what I can and possibly even freeze some. Hopefully I’ll grow enough that I can give away or trade. At least I’ll have grown foods that can help hunger survival.
This year, knowing I was going to be moving to a real home instead of an apartment, yet acknowledging that there’s no way I can crawl around on the ground in a real garden, I decided to do container gardening. So last Saturday, I found a bunch of little buckets (a fast-food promotional kid’s meal) at the thrift store. I also purchased potting soil, seed starter soil and plant food.
In tiny seed-starters pots, (12 tiny pots per set) I planted broccoli, lettuce, summer squash, cucumbers, green beans, eggplant, bell peppers and spinach. One week later, I have scrawny little broccoli and lettuce reaching for the sky. Just yesterday two summer squash pushed their way out of the soil. Today a cucumber has appeared. So far no beans, spinach, eggplants or peppers have appeared, making me wonder if I did something wrong.
At the same time that I planted the other things I also planted tomato seeds in six of the kid’s meal buckets. Three days ago about four of the pots were showing signs of life.
If I can manage to keep these alive until I move in four weeks, I’ll have the start of a good garden. I know that I’ll have to probably repot many of them at least twice before I move. Once I get to my new home, I’ll repot them in large containers and have a container garden.
Hopefully by the end of the summer I’ll be harvesting a bunch of my homegrown produce. I’ll dehydrate what I can and possibly even freeze some. Hopefully I’ll grow enough that I can give away or trade. At least I’ll have grown foods that can help hunger survival.
Wednesday, April 16, 2008
Edible Plants
Edible plants are the only type of plants I’m really interested in gardening. And, in fact, with growing water shortages, I would imagine that many home gardeners who have grown both flowers and vegetables, will eventually leave the flowers behind and focus solely on vegetables.
I’ve been reading this week about container gardening and self-watering containers. For me these show a lot of potential, as I don’t have the equipment necessary to till the ground. Also weeding containers gardens is practically, if not totally, non-existent. In addition, there’s the added advantage of not having to crawl around on the ground.
With the economy like it is, every person with a bit of a yard, a porch or patio can grow a few fruits and vegetables to put on their table. For those who insist on growing a few flowers, then you can do a bit of camouflage gardening, by growing vegetables in between your flowers. If you plant the right combinations, your neighbors only notice the lovely flowers, unaware that you are actually producing food right in front of them.
If you really want to hide your food production efforts, plant your yard with wild edibles like dandelions. While they see you outside muttering about getting rid of the dandelions, they don’t have to know that you’re actually harvesting a nice bit of salad greens and buds to cook in that evening’s stew!
I’ve been reading this week about container gardening and self-watering containers. For me these show a lot of potential, as I don’t have the equipment necessary to till the ground. Also weeding containers gardens is practically, if not totally, non-existent. In addition, there’s the added advantage of not having to crawl around on the ground.
With the economy like it is, every person with a bit of a yard, a porch or patio can grow a few fruits and vegetables to put on their table. For those who insist on growing a few flowers, then you can do a bit of camouflage gardening, by growing vegetables in between your flowers. If you plant the right combinations, your neighbors only notice the lovely flowers, unaware that you are actually producing food right in front of them.
If you really want to hide your food production efforts, plant your yard with wild edibles like dandelions. While they see you outside muttering about getting rid of the dandelions, they don’t have to know that you’re actually harvesting a nice bit of salad greens and buds to cook in that evening’s stew!
Wednesday, April 2, 2008
Survival gardens
It’s the end of March and in some areas of the country people are already putting in their survival gardens. If you live in the southern part of the US you’ve probably already got at least a few items in the ground. If you’re up north you may be waiting to see if the snow and freezing weather is finished for the year (you hope).
Even if you live in an apartment, you can create a garden. Container gardening is one of the ways that many people are able to grow tomatoes, peppers and even cucumbers while living in an apartment. A few containers on the balcony or patio can grow enough produce to supplement your grocery bill. In these times of financial insecurity, every one could benefit by growing some edibles.
Click here for more information. http://www.survival-homestead.com/hunger-survival.html
Even if you live in an apartment, you can create a garden. Container gardening is one of the ways that many people are able to grow tomatoes, peppers and even cucumbers while living in an apartment. A few containers on the balcony or patio can grow enough produce to supplement your grocery bill. In these times of financial insecurity, every one could benefit by growing some edibles.
Click here for more information. http://www.survival-homestead.com/hunger-survival.html
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