The “green” philosophy is all the rage and being eco-sustainable is now a duty. So why not grow vegetables at home
Garden, balcony or terrace , we can all have healthy foods and not treated with pesticides and preservatives. It is essential to prepare the earth well, choose the right exposure to the sun and get fertilizers – because the earth must always be rich and humid – which can be of natural origin or in grains or liquids. And then green light for chillies, tomatoes and all the flavors – parsley, basil, rosemary, sage or whatever you prefer. Here’s how to make a vegetable garden on the terrace. How to create a vegetable garden on the terrace, the designFirst of all, plan everything well. This factor is fundamental for the success of your garden , however small it may be. Decide which vegetables and smells to grow and based on these, find out about the most suitable periods. Decide the right quantity: it is useless to produce more vegetables than we can consume. Also, consider how much time you have available to dedicate yourself to this project. Based on this, you decide how many pots on the terrace to grow: it is useless to create a plot larger than your capacity, the result can only be a disaster! How to create a vegetable garden on the terrace, the tools Get the right tools and create a covered space in which to store them. For the terracea small shovel, a hoe and a stick will be enough to make holes in the earth. Do not forget the trellises, for walls or pots, to let the plants climb. How to create a vegetable garden on the terrace, the exposure Choose a part of the terrace facing south, well exposed to the sun (at least 4-5 hours a day, preferably in the morning) and sheltered from the wind. If you have pets it is necessary to enclose the garden area . It is essential to foresee the presence of a fountain or a tap nearby, because the garden must be watered abundantly to bear good fruit. How to make a vegetable garden on the terrace, the dimensions of pots and boxesThe size of the boxes or pots depends on the plants you want to grow. Beware of excessive load: calculate how much weight your terrace can bear in order to avoid unpleasant accidents! How to create a vegetable garden on the terrace, to each one’s own space Give each type of cultivation its own space: vegetables, aromatic plants, flowers and, if possible, fruit trees. The soil must have a depth of at least 30 cm, a low acidity (pH 6-7, there are tests that measure the acidity of the soil) and be as far away as possible from any source of pollution. How to make a vegetable garden on the terrace, prepare the groundWith a stick cut the earth into the pots, dividing it into clods, then turn the clods over and carefully remove all the stones. Eliminate weeds and impurities. The weed removal operation must be continuous, as new ones will always appear. Wet the soil before weeding the roots of the weeds, so as not to damage your crops. How to make a vegetable garden on the terrace, sowing It is the moment of sowing. If you have no experience, choose simple products to grow: cutting salad (lettuce, chicory, endive), onions, green beans, beets, courgettes, basil, rocket, hot peppers and tomatoes. The simplest method to understand the vocation of a vegetable gardenand then experiment directly: during the first sowing, try to plant many different species and possibly even variants within a single species. You will soon realize which ones are suitable for your garden and which ones are not. How to make a vegetable garden on the terrace, watering Immediately after sowing (or transplanting) you will have to water the pots or boxes abundantly. Always water at regular intervals, during the early hours of the morning or at least a couple of hours after sunset, to avoid an excessive change in temperature that would cause the plants to wilt. During the hot season (May-September) it is usually advisable to water every day, except in case of heavy rains.How to make a vegetable garden on the terrace, the pesticide If you want to use a pesticide, do not use chemical ones! You can use pure Marseille soap two or three times during the life cycle of the plants. Distribute all the substances after sunset, so as not to affect beneficial insects, such as bees or ladybugs. After each intervention, wait at least twenty days before consuming the treated vegetables. How to create a vegetable garden on the terrace, the space-saving vertical gardensIn addition to the classic rectangular planters, there are some proposals on the market to create vertical crops, the so-called space-saving vertical gardens. It is a panel two meters high and one and twenty meters wide with a fertile substrate and with many pockets in which to plant and grow vegetables or flowers with shallow roots. A more decorative alternative is that of fabric pockets to be applied on a panel, which you can also make yourself. Or in polypropylene, to create a white and green wall at home or on the terrace .
