How to Grow Vegetables Without a Garden
How to Grow Vegetables Without a Garden
So many people love the idea of being able to grow their own vegetables at home, but due to not having access to a garden or allotment, they do not think it possible. Millions live in cities around the globe and dream of having a garden to be able to raise up plants. Some even don’t have balconies, making it seemingly difficult to be able to grow anything.
Fortunately, many have successfully grown veg in very limited space and have shared their secrets to success, and due to lockdown there are enormous amounts of people stuck indoors and in need to something to do, so why not grow your own veg?
How to grow vegetables indoors
There are many vegetables you can grow indoors quite easily. You don’t need a lot of equipment and tools; you can use items that are commonly found throughout a home.
The first thing you’ll definitely need is compost. This can be found in most supermarkets in the UK and at a very reasonable price.
The next item to hunt for are containers or pots to grow your veg in. When you buy fruit in the shops such as grapes, strawberries, blueberries and so on, you’ll generally see them in those rectangular clear plastic containers. These are great for growing veggies, herbs, and other plants as they already come with drainage holes. Make sure you have something to catch the water that drains from your pots such as a tray.
Now you have that set up, you will of course need something to grow. Again, seedlings can be found in most supermarkets, but if you really can’t get hold of those, don’t threat as there are many other options available. Many veggies and fruits you buy already come with seeds such as tomatoes and peppers, even avocados and mangos, but these will need a degree of heat to be able to grow. You can also plant carrot and onion heads directly into the soil and regrow them. How amazing nature is! See this article about re-growing vegetable scraps for more information on that.
Now that you have all you need to grow your vegetables, you can start!
First, fill the containers with your all-purpose compost, and gently press it down. Use your finger to make rows of lines to sow your seeds. When placing the seeds into the soil, don’t add too many and don’t put them too close together, so that when they grow, they won’t have to compete for space. Now you can slightly cover them over and pat them down, and gently water them.
Now, when it comes to water, it is easy to overwater it and drench the soil, you really don’t want to do this. You also don’t want the soil to lose its moisture and dry out, so water daily. Last thing you need to do is think about their position. Putting them in a warm spot will increase their metabolism therefore their germination and growth, so the warmer the spot, the faster they grow, if they’re too cold, they won’t actually start to sprout, placing them on a south-facing windowsill will ensure this, you can even wrap them with cling film and poke a few holes in the top, almost as if you’re creating a mini greenhouse.
And now we wait! You can expect some shoots in a week or two.
What vegetables can you grow indoors?
Carrots for example are extremely trouble-free to grow indoors. There are a plethora of containers available online, they don’t have to be specifically for vegetables, you can convert them to be plant-friendly at home. Also, using containers and loose soil means that carrots do not have to have the difficulty of growing in rocky earth outside, making it easier for the carrot to take root and flourish. Carrots do not need a great deal of space to be able to successfully mature, and they do not take as long to do so as many other vegetables do.
As carrots are root vegetables, they do require quite a bit of space for their roots to reach down to, so getting a longer container is best. They are easy to start and keep healthy, you just have to be mindful of keeping them well-watered and giving them good drainage, by putting small stones or pebbles at the base of the soil in the pot for example.
Tomatoes are tropical perennials, so they are best in warmer conditions, thriving in the hot summers. For year-round tomatoes, it’s a good idea to start a new plant at the end of every summer. In the right conditions, tomato plants can grow very quickly, and if they have a good amount of space and resources, they can reach incredible sizes. Tomatoes need a great deal of sunlight, preferably 9-10 hours a day so that they can have the best chance of producing fruit, there are quite a few things to take into consideration however, such as fertilising, pollinating, and supporting as the plant later become top-heavy with all its fruit, so make sure you do your homework in order to successfully grow tomatoes.
Other plants to grow indoors include scallions, garlic greens, peppers/hot peppers, lettuces, and more salad greens and microgreens (herbs, basil, kale, swiss chard, beets, radishes)
The benefits of growing veggies at home
Growing your very own veg is such a rewarding and satisfying process. Not only that, but the results are healthy, nutritious, fresh food for you and your family. Eating vegetables and fruits that have been able to ripen on the plant instead of picked unripe and shipped thousands of miles from another country is far greater. On top of that, you can fill your home with beautiful green plants and their colourful produce, bringing a feeling of peace and harmony into your home. We were created to grow our very own food, so it only makes sense that we get so many benefits from doing so.