5 Tips for Organic Gardening Without a Garden
I’ve always loved the idea of gardening. At the first sight of Spring, I start planing for a garden with ambitious goals. Organic arugula, cherry tomatoes, basil, cilantro, squash, and jalapenos… the list goes on. But, like many things in my life, my ambition usually gets the best of me and I overdo it. I have such great hopes for my tiny patio and only to end up with a rotten, dying garden by mid-summer. This is easy to avoid with a few simple steps. Here are the tricks I’ve learned over the years to making delicious, organic veggies on my patio:
1. Identify where you plan to grow your plants.
You can grow all kinds of plants in planters and pots: tomatoes, lettuce, cucumbers… you name it. They don’t require vast amounts of space, just some sunlight and a planter box or pot. Most vegetables require at least 6 hours of sun per day. For patios with roofs, this means that you need to have planters hanging over the balcony. For patios exposed to the sun, you can opt for standing planters, pots, or even my mother’s favorite: waist-high elevated garden beds (these are great for ergonomics!).
2. Start with good soil.
Soil is what defines the quality of your produce and its mineral content. So if you do anything right, do this! It’s often difficult to find soil that is organic and without additives. I would recommend Sunshine Rainforest Blend, Organic Mechanics Potting Soil, or Happy Frong Potting Soil as your base. Often you can find at least one of these soils at your local Whole Foods store. To make it easy to sprout seeds, you may also want to purchase a seed starter blend. In my garden, I use Espoma Seed Starter Blend. You can calculate how much soil you need for your planters & pots using this calculator. In short, you need 20 quarts of soil per cubic foot (12"x12"x12") of space.
3. Source Non-GMO seeds or Organic plants
Unless you’re buying your plants at Whole Foods, Trader Joe’s, or another natural food store, pre-sprouted plants are often planted in soil filled with those same synthetics and fillers mentioned above. Whole Foods and Trader Joe’s often have limited selection of sprouted plants. Instead, I opt for starting from seed. It’s always neat to watch a plant grow from a tiny sprout to a beautiful strong plant. It’s actually quite easy to source non-GMO, heirloom, and organic seeds. There are a number of good options on Amazon, in fact, you can buy whole sets of seeds with multiple plant types together for pretty cheap.
4. Don’t overcrowd.
After purchasing your soil and planters, it’s time to plant. Begin by loosening the soil and planting it gently. You don’t want the soil too compact or it will be difficult for the roots of plants to grow. Once the soil is set, place the seeds on the bed. It is always tempting to put your plants too close together. After all you have limited space and want to maximize your yield. However, this is one of those cases where less is more. Overcrowding your plants depletes the minerals from your soil, spreads disease (like rot) and makes your garden more likely to be occupied by pests. Read the instructions on each seed package or plant you’ve purchased and spread accordingly. Then finally, spread a 1" layer of your seed starter soil blend on top. Water the plants & watch them grow.
5. Stay on the defense.
At least once a season, most gardens will face some form of challenge whether it is disease of pest. Watch for signs and look for the natural solution on google. For example, caterpillars are often a pest eating the leaves of greens. My favorite solution for caterpillars are cheap trichogramma wasps. Yes, wasps! Before you navigate away, these are wasps so small you’ll never see them or know they exist, but they lay their eggs in moth eggs, destroying the moth eggs before they ever become caterpillars. A super cheap, natural, pesticide-free solution to these pests. Another common issue is rot, which is caused by a calcium deficiency, which can be fixed by supplementing the soil with milk or egg shells. The point is, for most garden woes, there is usually an easy, cheap natural solution. It’s just important to catch it early so you can fix the problem.
Keep with it.
A green thumb doesn’t always come naturally (it definitely didn’t for me). But with some practice and working in these 5helpful tips, you’ll get the hang of it in no time. Not only will you have a beautiful garden just in time for summer, but it may even save you a few trips to the grocery store.
Do you have any comments, tips or best practices to add? Add them in the comments below!
