3 Steps to Go Green! Set up an Edible Garden in Your Condo
When living an urban lifestyle and surrounded by the concrete jungle, green space is something we yearn for. But there is not much green space in a big city. And for a condominium dweller, any alluring personal garden we have yearned for has always remained a dream. In truth, you just might be able to downsize the garden of your dream and make it a reality within the limited confines of your own condominium unit. You could also make it an edible garden; this will allow you to save a little on grocery expenses but will go a long way to relieving worries about toxins and pesticides from market-purchased produce. You can have faith in self-grown vegetables.
In spite of limited space, we can increase the green area available to use by growing an edible garden inside our condo rooms. Implementing little ideas and DIY effort, wasted space can be converted to a valuable space that makes our condo unit more colourful.
Step 1: Organizing the Garden
1. Balcony
Partition a corner on your empty balcony to serve as the edible garden. Or take it another step by growing a vertical garden that saves more space and allows you to grow a variety of vegetables. An old shelving unit can be converted into a growing area for vegetables. Alternatively, buy chic-looking growing equipment to serve the double purposes of decorating your balcony and giving you a garden.
Tip: Avoid growing your vegetable near the condensing unit of the air conditioner. The hot wind could kill your vegetables. If this kind of placement cannot be avoided, install an air grill over the condensing unit so the hot wind blows into another direction.
Credit Photo: Pinterest
2. Window-side
How good would it be to see a little spot brimming with your own miniature edible garden every time that you turn to look at the window? Plant salad greens or lettuce and set them up in a way that looks attractive.
Tip: A dedicated window box could be purchased and hung to the outside of the window to hold your vegetable pots. This is suited for a small room that has no balcony; it allows you to think “outside the box” and start planting.
3. Common space provided by the condominium project
Some condominium projects possess a common area for residents to do gardening. This offers the benefit of having other residents’ help to maintain the garden whenever you are unavailable or busy with work. You might also get a share from the produce grown by others in the garden. One such development project with said garden space is Haven Lagoon Condominium, where edibles are planted on the rooftop; setting aside the space makes the roof visually attractive and allows residents to enjoy planting and harvesting produce. At The River, an ordinary day in the life of residents is brightened up by the availability of fresh, fragrant and toxic-free coconuts. Those looking to conveniently grow their own greens might want to look for a condominium with this kind of common space.
Credit photo: welovethaiking.com
Step 2: Which plant to grow in your edible garden?
The plant of choice should be small, easy to maintain and resistant to the sun and the rain; something suitable for a person who does not have much time to water the plant and care for the garden.
1. Bird’s eye chilli
The edible garden’s plant of choice, for most households. Bird’s eye chilli is a must-have ingredient for many Thai dishes. It is easy to cultivate and is very resistant to dry conditions. It also uses up very little space. Water your chilli plants twice a day when starting out; once in the morning and again in the evening. After the 7th week, reduce watering to just once a week.
Credit: http://bighealthyplant.com
2. Salad greens
Salad greens and lettuce are readily found in the fridges of the health-conscious. Would it be even better to eat a salad made from vegetables you grew by yourself? Just soak the remaining stem of the used salad green in water and then leave it in a place with gentle sunlight exposure. When you spot roots growing out of the stem after 3-4 days, put the plant in a pot. Your salad garden can be made no less beautiful than an ornamental garden. You might also arrange the greens into a bouquet and place it at the dining table in place of a vase.
Credit: decor.mthai.com
3. Holy basil
When asked what food we would have for dinner, basil rice with minced pork and fried egg often comes to mind. With basil rice being the go-to menu at condominiums, we might consider always having basil on standby. Holy basil is another vegetable that can be grown inside a condominium. Just sow the seeds and cover the sowed area with straws. Water the patch of soil often, and your basil will be ready for use in the kitchen in no time.
Credit: pinterest
4. Lemon grass
Lemon grass is yet another vegetable that can be easily grown inside a condominium as it takes up just a small space. It is used in a variety of main dishes, gives off an appealing fragrance and drives mosquitoes away. With this many uses, it is not hard to decide on growing lemon grass. Save the tips of used lemon grass stalks and soak them in water until the roots develop, then plant them into soil. Initially, water the soil patch 2-3 times a day. After the initial period, watering is done only once a week.
Credit Photo: www.flowerpower.com.au
Step 3: Care for the edible garden with love
Regardless of the type of plant chosen, the key to success is to maintain the plants with love. This is true for an edible garden. We should work to understand the nature of each vegetable chosen to populate our garden – the favourable temperature, the preferred amount of water, the proper amount of sunlight. This way, we can produce quality vegetables that can truly be used in cooking. In addition to helping save a part of our expenses, being able to watch the development of the garden that we put work into and then reap the products can provide us with another source of happiness in life.
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