While we mostly deal with people who have whole farms to plant, with today's urbanization it is important to realize that urban gardening and growing is possible too. Whether you're in an apartment or your house is just inside of a city, it is still possible to grow your own fresh produce. However, starting a urban garden can be somewhat daunting, so we've assembled the top five tips for starting an urban garden.
1) Evaluate your gardening space: Do you get sun exposure? Is there access to a sufficient water supply? Is there heavy traffic nearby? All of these factors can lead to success or failure in urban gardening and so it is crucial that you scope out what sort of space you'll be working with and plant accordingly. If you don't get much sun pick plants that thrive in the shade, if you don't have a hose nearby only plan enough to water with your watering can, and try to plant far away from traffic as it can cause wind and pollution that are harmful to plants.
2) Find plants that work for your space limitations: One of the big factors in urban gardening is pot or plot, how much space do you have? If you only have enough room for potted plants, make sure your plan accordingly and get plants that can flourish in pots. Some vegetables and herbs do well in pots, but some need the space to spread. Make sure you know whether yours can thrive or if it needs a bigger space.
3) Evaluate your skills and your time commitment: If you are new to gardening, perhaps it's better to go with a low maintenance, easy to grow plant. There are lists all over the web about easy things to grow as a beginner, even vegetables. If you're a gardening pro, but you don't have a ton of time to garden a lower maintenance plant is probably for you as well.
4) Know your plants before you start: Some plants like to dry between waterings, while others need constant watering to survive. Determining what your plant needs in the way of water and sun can lead to a thriving garden.
5) Make sure your landlord/city is okay with it first: creating your own garden is a great plan, but if your upset landlord kicks you out because of your green habit then it isn't something you should be doing. Make sure that your landlord and your city is okay with it, and check if you need a permit to grow in your city.
If you follow all of these tips you'll be on your way to your own urban garden!
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