How to Start Growing Vegetable in Apartment Balcony

How to Start Growing Vegetable in Apartment Balcony

“….The greatest change we need to make is from consumption to Production, even if on a small scale, in our own gardens, If only 10% of us do this, there is enough for everyone.”

-          Bill mollison

If a family starts to grow food, it is a lifestyle change, if a community starts growing food it is a revolution. A community garden brings the entire community to work together; it will encourage everyone to segregate the waste, use the kitchen waste to make compost for fertilizing the garden and do rainwater harvesting.

Preparation to Start Growing Vegetable in Balcony

      1.    Size of the balcony

      2.    Sunlight

      3.  Plan 

      4.  Potting soil: Soil, Compost and Cocopeat

      5.  Seed
     
Size of the Balcony:

•       Apartment balconies width will be that of living room width 12 feet to 16 feet. Balcony depth may vary from 3 feet 6 inch to 6 feet. Balcony of any apartment will be of  3 feet and more.
•      Decide how much space you want to utilize in the balcony. 
•      Pots can be placed very closely, it will save lot of space and give more space for more plants. 
•      Leave little space for yourself to sit and enjoy the view.

 

       Sunlight:

•        Calculate the hours of sunlight your balcony gets. 
•        Arrange the plants East to West, so the plants will get lot of sunlight. 
•        In a 4 to 5 feet balcony, with 5 hours of sunlight all Spinach, Okra, Tomato, Chili, Brinjal can be grown. 

Pic source: unknown

             Sunlight Direction      
Pic Source : Unknown 

       Plan

•      A family of four require 1 kg of tomato every week for which at least 6 to 8 tomato plants have to be grown. If we grow only one or two tomato and only one okra it wont be sufficient for  a family. Instead plan in such a way that what you grow in your garden is sufficient for your family. 1 tomato plant can be grown in a 12*12 container (water can) or a grow bag. Plants that need trellis (Pandal) should be kept on the corner. 
•       Choose the no. of pots/growbags that can be arranged in your balcony.
•      In the below given picture, 8 different size of grow bags are arranged. If all the bags are small few more bags can be arranged in the same stand. 

       

                              

Pic : 2 step stand. 8 bags (2 spinach, 2 small 12inch bag, 4 15inch bag are arranged)

Potting Soil: Soil, Compost and Cocopeat

•       For balcony garden, Red soil mixed with cow dung that are sold in Garden shops is good. 
•       Kitchen compost /  Vermi  compost can be added to the soil. 
•       Soil : Compost : Cocpeat  should be mixed in 40 :40 : 20 ratio.
•     Cocopeat does not have any nutrition, it is used to maintain the moisture in the plant and also reduce the weight of the pot.
•       Cocopeat can be added in equal ration too. 

Seed

•       Seed selection is explained in details in the following link (https://thechennaigarden.blogspot.com/2020/06/seed-selection.html#more)

      Start your vegetable growing journey!!

      It might look like a very easy task, lets be honest its not. Its not landscape gardening to look perfect. Growing vegetable is farming which includes task like sowing, weed removing, checking for insects / disease, adding compost and watering everyday. 

      If you are a beginner in  growing vegetable you might not get it right first time but I am sure you will become more expertise with self experience 

      Happy Gardening!!

      Do share your experience with me!!

      For online order for seeds and grow bag  www.thechennaigarden.com