Blog

Urban Gardening for Beginners

By Emily Peagram
18th May 2023

If you think you can’t grow your own because you don’t own an allotment or large garden, think again. Many city- dwellers are reaping the benefits of home- grown produce in their small spaces. Before choosing crops, assess the site and ask yourself a few questions. How much light does the area receive? How much time will you be able to dedicate to this hobby? What types of edibles are you most interested in growing? Your answers will enable you to choose the right plants for your lifestyle.

SAVE TIME
There are some essential tools you will need no matter what you decide to grow, so it’s best to be organised before you begin. This equipment list includes gloves, a hand spade and fork, secateurs, twine, a watering can, labels and containers. If you have a busy routine, there are many fast-growing plants that you can harvest quickly. Soaked seeds can be placed in a sprouting bag at room temperature, providing edibles such as beansprouts for salads and stir fries in no time. Soak your seeds for 12 hours, then rinse every 12 hours until they sprout, and eat straight away or store in the fridge. Starting small can build your confidence if you’ve never grown your own before. Consider cultivating herbs and microgreens such as pea shoots, mizuna and sunflower shoots, before moving on to bigger fruits and veg.

IDEAS TO SAVE SPACE
With limited space, containers provide great opportunities to showcase crops in a variety of positions and light conditions. Cherry tomatoes and strawberries are ideal for growing in hanging baskets in sunny spots. Chilli plants are fun to cultivate in pots in a sheltered place such as a greenhouse or polytunnel, or try a window box filled with herbs such as coriander, basil and dill that thrive in shade.

Crops in tubs also need irrigating more regularly than a crop in the ground. Water every day when it is particularly hot, otherwise every few days is fine. Terracotta pots inject a bit of personality into your space, and retain heat very well. However, plastic containers retain more water, and it is worth remembering that the bigger the pot, the less moisture it needs. At the end of the season, empty containers used to grow edibles as the nutrients will be depleted in the soil, and scrub the pots to prevent the spread of any potential diseases.