The benefits of a balcony kitchen garden
Do you fantasize about having a kitchen garden on your balcony? If the idea of having a refreshing green space in your home always sounded fascinating but you had no idea how to realize it, then if you have a balcony or a terrace, you can turn into a charming garden planted with celery, dill and other edible greens. Apartment living can be enriched with a balcony garden which keeps you close to nature. Growing fruits, herbs and veggies at home is also quite satisfying. It doesn’t matter if your balcony is small or big, with some ingenuity and hard work, you can create the kitchen garden of your dreams.
Tips to design your balcony kitchen garden
So here are a few easy ways that would enable you to kickstart your balcony kitchen garden.
1. The Pivotal Element to Ponder over is the Ideal Space
The very first or the basic step is to base climatic zone and microclimate features, namely light, area and position to select the best location. A kitchen garden does not have to be physically located next to the kitchen itself; rather, it can be placed on any other balcony in the house. In case of multistory apartments, they also have several balconies and plants cannot be placed in all, so careful selection of the most appropriate balcony can be essential in placing a kitchen garden. Some associations or apartment complex may have restrictions with regards to plants in the balcony. Consider the light level your balcony receives and adjust the orientation of your garden accordingly.
2. Understanding the Best Light Exposure
Light is a very important component setting up for a kitchen garden. Standing on your balcony, observe the level of sunlight you receive. Different plants have different requirements in terms of the amount of sunlight; vegetables, for instance, need an average of 8 to 10 hours of daylight, while most herbs only need 2 to 4 hours of direct sunlight.
Choose a location that receives sunlight for the longest period during the day. If sunlight is not sufficient, consider growing low-light plants. Tomatoes, peppers, squash, and cucumbers require full sun; on the other hand, beets, cabbage, carrots, and peas are partial shade vegetables.
3. Framing Your Garden Design
Having tools at your disposal, it is up to you to choose how you want to set up your garden according to the space available. In a small balcony, you may consider installing a vertical wall garden which will assist in conserving the ground area. Another alternative is to place colorful railing basket planters to make it more pleasing and space efficient. There is also a good option of using sturdy metal flower stands available in the market to efficiently organize your flower pots.
4. Selecting Plants and Potting Options
Start with easy to grow plants first, such as mint, basil, curry leaves, lemongrass, spinach, tomatoes, peppers, eggplant, and lettuce. Once your garden is set up, you can expand more plant species depending on the sunlight part of the year. When starting to sow seeds, do not overcrowd pots with too many plants planted inside one pot.
Plants can be grown in Earthen or terracotta pots which are quite easily available. For a change, however, consider exotic ceramic planters with unique forms and hues. On the other hand, reusing plastic or glass jars is a good way of cutting waste and protecting the environment. Also, make sure your pots have a depth of about six inches minimum and good drainage for excess water outflows for the roots to develop properly.
5. Choose The Right Soil Mix
When the plants to be cultivated have been chosen, then the right soil mix has to be prepared. Consider purchasing ready to use potting mixes or other soil combinations that include compost and cocopeat. Organic fertilizers or compost must be applied every month to replenish the soil nutrients. A good mass of soil would be one that is able to hold water but isn’t too dense. Try to avoid excessive watering since the plants will rot in a short time.
Start With Gardening Wherever You Planned For
Now it’s time for you to become a smart gardener and grow your own fresh organic vegetables for other plants. Isn’t it exciting to gather vegetables from your own garden and prepare a refreshing spinach salad? Or sprinkle those fresh herbs in a soup? Kitchen gardening implies that you don’t have to look out for organic vegetable stores and pay extra bucks for non chemical vegetables. Also gardening is a soothing plan which will keep you happy always.
So why put it off? Begin working on the garden of your dreams today!
Author – Dream Location
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