Growing one’s own food is a remarkably rewarding endeavour, with some motivated by the potential for unrivalled flavours while others seek to reduce their carbon footprint. Regardless of the reason you plant your first seed, gardens are a fantastic utility for those looking to produce their own foods. Even a balcony space can be transformed into an area ideal for growing a small amount of fruit and vegetables.
While all that is needed is access to soil, water, and sunlight, there are a number of ways in which a garden space can be more conducive, making the seasons easier to navigate and the reward even more nutritious. To show you how, we’re sharing five ways to improve your garden’s growing capability.
Raised Beds
Weeds are defined as plants that appear in an unwanted place, potentially also harming other plants. For those seeking to grow their own foods, this is an ongoing risk, as is planted foods spreading into unwanted locations.
Raised beds are a superb way of mitigating this problem, limiting the accessibility weeds have to a vegetable patch while also neatly regimenting growing locations. They also offer a particular advantage over pests too and critters can be more easily deterred with raised beds than they can otherwise.
Compost System
Creating one’s own compost has a number of benefits, and is one of the best ways a home can reduce its carbon footprint, reducing the effects of food waste. For those seeking to grow their own foods, however, it is invaluable. By making one’s own compost, households are giving themselves access to a resource of nutrients for their soil, helping to improve what is grown in both flavour and nutritional value.
Outbuildings
Neighbourhoods are becoming host to an increasing number of outbuildings, such as log cabins and summer houses. This aesthetic is also practical, mimicking allotment spaces, not only offering residents a place to store their own belongings and produce but also creating a pleasant space within which to relax and observe one’s garden, even on a cold day.
Rainwater Collection
Collecting rainwater was once seen as a niche fad, celebrated largely by the extremely eco-minded. Now, however, and in the wake of more frequent hosepipe bans, collecting rainwater is simply a logical endeavour for those with a garden, helping growers to save money on caring for their plants and reducing the impact they have on local reservoirs and lakes.
Vertical Design
Gardens may often feel limited by their horizontal space, especially for those limited to balconies. However, vertical garden design is increasingly popular and very useful. Planters can easily be stacked atop each other, increasing the potential room for growing substantially.
Additionally, vertical gardens have also been proven to be ecologically advantageous too, requiring less water and producing far more ingredients in a smaller space. As such, even those with a large outdoor area beside their home may still wish to adopt vertical designs for their home’s own efficiency.