Urban Gardening Help: Vegetables you can Grow in your Pot

Anybody who has ever grown a garden will tell you that fresh of the vine tastes so much better than store bought or canned.  But not everybody has the land, space, or luxury of having a garden spot outside of their home.  There are many people whom live in cities in apartment complexes that have no yard at all and maybe just an outside balcony.  Just because you don’t have a garden spot doesn’t mean you can grow fresh vegetables; you just have to be creative and get educated.

There are many people who grow vegetables in pots and the vegetables do surprisingly well.  City dwellers and those living in apartments have often thought that they only way they could get fresh produce were at the grocery store.  Growing vegetables in pots is catching on very quickly in our economically challenged times.  More and more people are planting their own vegetables; enough so that they can freeze or can them for year round use.  The beauty of growing vegetables in pots is that you can actually grow vegetables year round if you have decent sunlight and become educated in the task.
 

Vegetables That Grow Well in Pots

Many people already know some of the usual vegetables that can be grown in pots; but there are some vegetables you wouldn’t think would grow in suck a setting.  Here are a few examples of vegetables you can grow in pots.
 

•    Beets
o    Fresh beets have a totally different taste than those you buy in the can.  Growing beets takes very little room; you can actually grow beets in a pan or pot the size of a cake pan.  Beets have a better taste if you pick them when they are very young; about the size of a silver dollar.  They are sweet and tender and taste good eaten raw in a salad or steamed with spices.

•    Spinach
o    This can also be grown in small containers as you want to pick the spinach leaves when they are young and tender.  They are very good to use in salads or cooked; preferably steamed in a soy sauce. 

•    Leaf lettuce
o    This is also grown just like spinach; in small containers and harvested when the leaves are tender.  It’s a good idea to have at least 3 pots of lettuce started a week or so a part; that way you can have a good supply all year long.

•    Patio tomatoes
o    There are several varieties of tomatoes that can be grown in pots.  Usually tomatoes would need a great deal of soil to grow and produce fruit, but recently there have been some new types of tomatoes that grow very well in pots and they even have tomato bags that hang; all you have to do is water and feed with plant food.  Cherrie tomatoes grow best in pots and generally yield a large harvest. 

•    Radishes
o    Radishes can be grown in small pots and grow rather quickly.  It is best to pick them when they are young and tender as the longer they are on the vine they tend to get rather hard.

•    Green peppers
o    Green peppers need warm weather to grow and pretty large pots with deep soil for them to root properly.  Green peppers, as well as other colors of peppers can also be grown the same way; sweet red peppers and several varieties of smaller peppers as well.

•    Squash
o    Most squash plants are really not suitable for growing indoors in pots, but there re new varieties of squash that can be grown in pots.

•    Eggplant
o    Eggplant is an excellent vegetable to grow in pots because it grows in a compact manner.  Eggplant is best harvested when it is young and tender and is a very versatile vegetable.  It can be served raw, in salads or steamed, boiled, baked, or cooked on the grill.
 

Times are Changing

As you can see there are many vegetables one can grow easily in pots on your balconies or in a well sun lit room.  Some of these vegetables can be grown year round which gives you a continuous supply of fresh vegetables at all times. 

Just because you live in an apartment in the city doesn’t mean you can’t have a garden; you just have to have a special type of garden; you’ll get the same results as if you were planting in the ground but you have easier access to your garden, few if any weeds, and you don’t have to worry about wild life eating your plants before you get a chance to harvest.  The only problem you might have, if you are using your balcony to grow your plants, is birds.  You may want to protect your plants from hungry birds looking for a free and easy meal.  You will also have to watch for insects; aphids are specifically harmful to plants and you’ll need to keep a close eye on your plants to make sure they haven’t been infested with insects. 

How to get Started

There are various sizes and types of pots and containers you can grow your plants in.  Some plants will need a deep pot for rooting purposes while other plants will only need a shallow type of pot or container.  You can seek advice from a local nursery or garden center; they have a great deal of literature on hand and well trained employees whom can help you make the correct choices. 

I suggest you read up on what you want to grow before you begin so that you understand what is involved in the process.  You want to make sure your apartment or balcony is suitable to grow these plants.  You will also need to understand that there is an investment in time and an initial investment financially.  The costs are minimal but the time you spend tending to your plants can vary.  Be sure you have the time to tend to your plants or else it will be a waste of your money and effort.