People are finding unique ways to grow their own food. Cathy Isom tells us about surprising places and spaces where gardens seem to be popping up more and more these days.
From: One Green Planet
5 Places (That Ain’t in the Ground) to Grow Vegetables
by Jonathon Engels, One Green Planet writer
Image source: Eva Blue/Flickr
Gardening, it seems, is evolving. What used to be defined by retirees in the countryside, floppy hats, and clogs, is now rolling with a hipper, sleeker look than ever, and amazingly, gardens are popping up in our cityscapes. Of course, within the urban setting, acreage — hell, square footage — comes at a premium, so it’s not always in the ground that the veggies are growing.
New cultivators are expanding their (and our) horizons by realizing that food can be grown in many more places than the ground, and in many more settings than the country. And, in fact, what many of the growers are coming to terms with is that cities don’t just have the potential to produce a lot of their own food, but they have good cause to: it helps the planet.
But, where exactly is all this food growing? Well, that’s an easy answer.
1. The Roof
Rooftop gardens are becoming a common thing. They are happening in New York. They are happening in Montreal. In Paris, they’ve even become law: new rooftops must be used for solar panels or growing food. And, it makes perfect sense. It’s the sunny place in town, and they are often left mostly void of anything useful. Raised garden beds can be installed with lightweight soil, a bit of mulch, and voila.
It does take some effort to get the ball rolling on these things — checking rental regulations, investigating the building’s structural capabilities, and acquiring the material necessary — but for those inclined, it could equate to a huge swath of growing space in the city. Or, maybe it’s just a couple simple raised beds for a few fresh vegetables. That’s still something.
2. The Balcony or Patio
If the rooftop isn’t a viable option, or even if it is, an apartment balcony or house patio can produce a splendid variety of edibles, and for many of us it would change the balcony from being a seldom visited part of the apartment (that is most certainly included in the rent) into a bustling money-saver. A spot full of greenery and vegetables is much more appealing than one with two plastic chairs separated by a grubby table.
All that’s necessary here are some containers to grow in, maybe even shelves or a trellis for those who want to take advantage of the vertical space, and some lightweight potting mix. Plants pots can be hung from the railing. Vines can dangle from the balcony ceiling (or above the patio). It’s a great spot for some salad veggies, fresh peas, and green beans, or even some tomatoes and eggplants, a grape or kiwi vine perhaps.
3. The Windowsill
With the exception of some extraordinarily unfortunate abodes (I have lived in a basement, too), most apartments have windows somewhere, and where there are windows, there will likely be windowsills upon which small objects can be placed. One of the great things about most windows, and even some relatively horrible ones, is that they do provide access to natural light, even indoors.
Most plants just so happen to love the sun, and thus, put in a container upon a windowsill, they might thrive. This technique works especially well for kitchen windows, which are often near the sink, a place from which we have easy access to water, something else plants love. Windowsills are great places for growing fresh herbs but can also work for other small veggies like radishes or greens.
Jonathon Engels, a long-time vegetarian turned vegan, is currently on a trip from Guatemala to Patagonia, volunteering on organic farms all the way down. In Costa Rica, he officially gave up cheese after actually milking a goat, only to discover—happy life or not—the goat kind of hated it. He blogs—Jonathon Engels: A Life Abroad—about his experiences and maintains a website—The NGO List—benefiting grassroots NGOs and international volunteers.