I’ve always dreamt of owning a house one day and having a backyard full of vegetables that I could pick from to make dinner each night. I’ve since ended up settling down in Brooklyn with no yard to speak of and felt the dream fade away, or so I thought.
Container gardening has become a growing trend and a great way to grow fresh produce at home that hasn’t traveled over 1,500 miles or been sprayed with all types of pesticides and herbicides. I started small with some herbs, tomato plants and jalapenos. Not feeling quite confident, as I don’t have the greenest thumb, I thought it was a great start I could build off of each year once my first crops were produced.
Getting started is simple!
The four things you will want to get yourself are some containers, soil, seeds and of course water from your local hardware store or nursery. Make sure to get a container large enough based on what you plan on growing; I found my local nursery very helpful in picking mine out. You will also want to check on what is in season, as all produce have their own times of the year for harvest. If this is your first time trying container gardening like me, keep it simple, some produce can be more temperamental than others to grow and you want it to be easy and fun.
My first tomato just arrived on the vine this week and should be ready to be picked very shortly. I can’t wait to make a salad with my fresh vegetables I have grown on my own, giving my body wholesome, nutritious food that I didn’t have to go out to the store and buy. So, whether you have a big yard, small yard, window sill or any form of outdoor space, try growing some produce of your own.