Having a kitchen garden does not mean that you have to live on acres and acres of land to be successful. A kitchen garden can grow anywhere indoors or out.
A kitchen garden is a little garden that is used to grow food that you will use in your kitchen. A lot of people grow only herbs in their kitchen garden while some people grow greens and other vegetables.
The point is that you can grow a kitchen garden no matter where you live or how limited your space is. Growing even a small portion of what you eat is one of the easiest ways to make your personal contribution to the environment.
Urban Gardens
City living certainly has some perks but usually one of those perks is not a backyard so you will have to make do with the space that you do have. Think windowsill, counter top, areas to hang baskets, etc. There is plenty of room for you to grow many different things right in your apartment, and with a little ingenuity, you will have a bumper crop to be proud of soon.
You can grow herbs from hanging baskets that are secured around windows. Some choices that do well in baskets or containers are rosemary, basil, tarragon, mint, and parsley. As long as these plants have light, water and soil there is no way to fail. You can even grow some species of lettuce in window sill containers. You can grow tomato[e]s and strawberries in baskets.
Country Living
If you reside in the suburbs or in a rural area you can grow everything that you eat. You will be shocked at how much produce you can grow in a very small space. Vertical planting can give space above and below. You can grow beans, watermelon, cantaloupe, cucumbers vertically while tomato, lettuce and other low growing plants grow right underneath.
Use your space wisely and plant what you know you are going to use. Grow what you and your family want to eat. Grow herbs you normally would buy to cook with, most will freeze well or you can dry them out and jar them.
Start Indoors
In either case, whether you live in the city or in a rural setting, you can get your kitchen garden started indoors. Starting plants from seeds is not only much more economical but it is also healthier. When you buy seedlings from the garden center you can just about guarantee that they have been treated with chemicals.
One of the best ways to start seeds is in used egg packages. Simply fill the little egg holders in the carton with soil (the cardboard ones work best) and drop a couple of seeds in. Water and cover with plastic wrap and sit on the windowsill. Check every couple of days to make sure the dirt is damp and before you know it, your seedlings will emerge.
Nothing beats a kitchen garden. You get fresh ingredients and you do your part to keep your Carbon footprint down!
Originally found here
Picture originally found here
