Urban Farming: Growing a Garden in Small Spaces
Urban farming is a term that refers to growing any herbs or vegetables (and sometimes even animals) in a city or urban environment. Small spaces don’t mean that you can’t grow some kind of produce or plant for your own use. From window boxes to raised beds, as well as up cycled items like 2-liter bottles and gutters or PVC pipes, there are myriad ways to incorporate growing your own food into your life. And it’s a fantastic way to teach your children about growth cycles and develop a deeper understanding of all the work that goes into feeding our bodies.No matter how small your space, there are ways to grow fresh herbs or produce plants.
1. Grow tomatoes along a chain link fence, weaving the plant through the links. You can do the same with cucumbers and squash as they are also “vining” vegetables.
2. Cut the bottom of a 2-liter off, screw the lid back on and drill a hole in it. Secure it with two lengths of string on either side of the open end and fill with planting soil. Now you have a hanging herb garden for a window. Hang them from a balcony or fire escape and you can grow things like carrots, peas, green beans, or lettuces. Bonus: Let your children decorate the 2-liters for a personal touch!
3. Don’t forget the vertical spaces. If you have a sunny wall, you can have a garden. Using old rain gutters or lengths of PVC pipe, you can hang a garden down a wall. Plant anything that doesn’t need a deep root, like herbs or lettuces.
4. And don’t forget the space under your stairs. Anywhere that you get sunlight can be a place to grow something.
