A Patio Vegetable Garden, Easy to Establish and Enjoy
A Patio Vegetable Garden, Easy to Establish and Enjoy
Recently my mom moved into apartment living and found herself living above her beloved earth. Not even this has prevented her from growing a regular supply of fresh vegetables, just as she did in our family home. Now she grows vegetables on her small patio and has more than she can eat.
These are her tips for anyone thinking of establishing a patio vegetable garden.
Select an apartment with a patio facing the right direction to attract as much sun as possible. If your patio faces the wrong direction you are unlikely to enjoy the best success growing vegetables. If you have no choice about your patio's position, move your vegetable pots regularly so that they are exposed to the maximum sunlight available. If your patio is largely shaded, find another well positioned spot on your apartment’s grounds and suggest the establishment of a communal garden.
Start with vegetables that you enjoy and that are easy to grow. Mom loves tomatoes, lettuce, peppers, spinach and beans but started with tomatoes and spinach. Review your success after the first season and the consider extending the variety of vegetables you plant the following year.
Select pots large enough to accommodate your mature vegetable plants. Investigate how large each vegetable will grow to give it the best chance to reach its growth potential and its highest yield.
Make sure that your pots that are mobile enough to move to get the best access to the sun. This is one of the real advantages of a patio vegetable garden. Position pots according to the sunlight requirements of each vegetable.
Always invest in the best soil. Along with access to extended sunlight, this is a fundamental requirement for a patio vegetable garden, in fact any garden. This is the same advice mom gives land-based vegetable gardeners. Patio garden soil is financially advantageous too as you need less of it! Include plenty of compost in each pot.
Make sure that your pots are well drained. Mom places pieces of broken terra cotta pots on the base of her pots for the best drainage. Small rocks serve the same function.
Water your vegetables regularly as pots tend to dry out easily. Allow enough room above the soil in the pot to hold water before it drains down.
Invest in the best organic fertilizers, some slow release, others with a more immediate effect. These perpetuate healthy soil despite the regular watering necessary for pot based vegetables.
Invest in sturdy trellises or poles for vegetables that climb.
If you’re a retired gardener with limited space or if you're a busy urban dweller with limited time but a hankering for fresh vegetables, you’ll find that these tips will help you establish a healthy patio vegetable garden that will be the envy of all your neighbors!
Warm regards
Antonio Fontanes
For theteam@MightyDigitalDownloads.com
Transforming Lives, One Person at a Time
Antonio Fontanes is a well seasoned vegetable grower from a family of experienced gardeners. Want to learn more about how to grow great veggies? Go to my website vegetablegardens4U
Tags: vegetable gardens
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