People assume that maintaining a vegetable garden in the city is something that’s unthinkable, but if you stay in a apartment flat with a balcony or a veranda, you can build a small vegetable garden of your own. Although this might seem like a difficult proposition, it can be achieved with minimal effort and good planning.

There are a number of factors that will play an important role when you try and start your own vegetable garden, including:

• The type of containers you use
• The vegetables that you’re planning to grow
• The space available for growing these vegetables

Choosing the Right Vegetables

With a little creativity and research, you can set up a fresh herb and vegetable garden with simple vegetables like tomatoes, radishes, cucumbers and eggplants. Also, you can consider growing herbs like curry leaf, mint and coriander plants. Although potatoes and onions are also easy to grow, the space available in a housing society flat will not be enough for these plants.

Choosing the Right Containers

Choosing the right container for growing vegetables is essential. Small containers are sufficient for growing plants like chilly or curry leaf. Capsicum and cucumber plants may require more space and you will have to buy bigger pots for these. Window boxes can be purchased as they are convenient and they also look attractive.

You can go earthen by purchasing terracotta or stone pots. The only disadvantage of using these pots is that moving or shifting them may be difficult as they can be quite bulky and heavy.

Wooden pots for growing vegetables may look aesthetic but they’ll emit a foul smell after continued use, so it’s better to avoid these. Always place plastic saucers beneath the pots so that excessive water does not spill out.

The Guide to Growing Vegetables

Tomato seeds or bitter gourd seeds can be purchased and sown in the container. The soil that is used for growing vegetables should be clean, free of pollutants and moisture retaining. Compost can be added to the soil for increasing its fertility and organic kitchen waste can also be added to the soil.

Plants require moisture, and for this reason, watering your vegetable garden regularly is important. Excessive watering may lead your plants to rot, so you need to pour the right quantity of water every single time.

Organic fertilisers should be your preferred choice when compared to chemical ones. If you are planting tomatoes, then try and grow a garlic plant close by so that insects and pests can be kept at bay. This method of ‘companion gardening’ will help in giving you better produce.

Seasonal vegetables need to be sown during the months of April, May and June as this is the ideal season for planting. Over exposure to sunlight may hamper the growth of your plants, so make sure that you don’t place them directly under sunlight in your balcony. Choosing high quality seeds will ensure that your plants grow more quickly and the vegetables that you get will be fresh.

Ensure that you read up on proper watering techniques and what each plant uniquely requires so that you don’t face too many issues when you set up an indoor vegetable garden.

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