Summary:
Many people are put off growing their own fruit and vegetables because they believe that they need a lot of space in order to do so. But that’s not the case. You can grow healthy and tasty produce in a variety of receptacles. This article looks at how to grow your own fruit and vegetables, even if your back yard is the size of a bathtub!

Details or Sample:
Grow Your Own Fruit and Vegetables – Even in the Smallest of Back Yards

Many people are discouraged from growing their own produce as they believe that you need a lot of space to do so. But fruit and vegetables will happily grow in pots, grow-bags, and hanging baskets. All they need are the right conditions, and a little care and attention. Growing your own produce can be immensely satisfying, especially if you’re one of the growing number of people who are concerned about how their produce is cultivated: growing your own ensures that it not only tastes great, but that it’s also grown organically. You get to control how your fruit and vegetables are grown, and you know exactly what’s used in the process.

There are a number of factors that will dictate what you can grow. If you plan to grow your fruit and vegetables in the ground, then the type of soil you have in your back yard will have a bearing on what you plant. If you’re growing produce in pots and hanging baskets, however, you won’t be restricted by soil type, but you will have to choose varieties that are more suited to these growing conditions.

If you’re planting in the ground, select a flat, sunny area with well-drained soil. The ideal soil is one that’s not too light (sandy) and not too heavy (clay). Choose the best soil you can find in the garden. You may need to modify the soil: adding organic matter increases the soil’s water holding capacity as well as the proportion of organic matter itself. Manure, green plant material, and compost are good organic additives.

If possible, avoid planting on the north side of high buildings or under trees. Trees not only take water from the soil but also house birds that can cause damage to young plants. Crops that “fruit” such as corn and tomatoes need full sunlight. Full sun is ideal for all vegetables, but root crops, including beets, carrots, and turnips, can tolerate a little shade. So take into account areas of shade that will occur during the day when planning out your planting area.

When growing produce in pots it’s vital that there’s adequate drainage, otherwise your crops will “drown” and be susceptible to disease. They will also need a sunny spot; but the beauty of using pots is that you can move them around the yard to follow the sun if no one spot is suitable. Vegetables grown in containers need a little more attention than those grown in the ground: keep them well watered, especially during hot conditions when they are more likely to dry out. Placing mulch on top of the pot will slow evaporation of water and help keep the surface temperature of the soil cooler. Tomatoes especially can quickly dry out and die in very hot conditions. Due to the extra watering that crops in containers need, you risk washing away nutrients, so you may have to add fertilizer to the soil to combat this problem. Use a diluted water soluble fertilizer on your container-grown vegetables.

Varieties of vegetables that grow well in pots include lettuce, tomatoes, carrots, beets, cabbage, peas, capsicums, beans, and peppers. Cucumber, cauliflower, and broccoli will also do well, as will almost all herbs. Furthermore, there are dwarf varieties of vegetable which are particularly suited to growing in containers.

Strawberries and the “Tumbler” variety of tomato will grow well in hanging baskets. Grow-bags are also great for tomatoes but aren’t that attractive to the eye (if you’re concerned about the look as well as the yield of your vegetable patch!). But once these are at the appropriate stage, they can be de-canted to pots.

Water your yard first thing in the morning or late in the evening to help prevent evaporation. Stick your finger in the ground to ensure that water is getting down into the soil.

Having fresh, flavorsome, and healthy produce literally on your back doorstep is a rich reward for the time and organization put into growing your own fruit and vegetables.

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Written by: JD
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