Even though the trend could’ve started earlier, the benefits of organic gardening are finally widely-known and sought-after, with increasingly more people trying to put the small free space in their dwellings to good use. Organic gardening’s pros outweigh its cons. The fear of failure is among the most common obstacles that prevent individuals from growing their own vegetables. But it shouldn’t be that way; gardening is not rocket science, especially since many seeds do well in apartments.
With all the economic uncertainty and increased interest in a healthy lifestyle and organic food, you likely want to know more about this topic and jump on the trend.
Keep reading to discover why organic is safer and more nutritious than non-organic, how to pick the best gardening spot, and four indispensable veggies to cultivate at home.
What’s with all the hype around organic?
You go to the store. You see two shiny, red apples, both looking crisp and juicy, but the price tags differ. It’s only natural to wonder if their differences are really that critical.
One of the most important differences is how they’ve been farmed. The organic and more-expensive apple is normally grown without the following materials and methods:
- Radiation (irradiation) to get rid of pests or diseases or to preserve food
- Genetic technology to modify the genetic composition of crops
- Growth hormones for farm animals or antibiotics
- Artificial fertilizers to add nutrients to the soil
- Most synthetic pesticides for pest control
- Sewage sludge as fertilizer.
All of the above lower food quality and make people buy organic veggies or even grow them at home, as it’s a much more cost-effective option. However, you shouldn’t confuse “organic” with “natural”. “Natural” on food labels usually means that no preservatives, flavors, or artificial colors are used and has nothing to do with the materials or methods used to grow the food ingredients.
How to decide where to plant the seeds?
If you had to pick the best spot based on a single location, convenience would be it. When it’s easy to visit your herbage, you quickly notice thirsty plants, see ripe fruit, or spot pest problems. If you’ve just moved into a new home, you should consider where you place your appliances and furniture and where you grow your veggies when you make the décor strategy. Tall storage cabinets might not permit your veggies to get the ~8 hours of sun they need, so you might need to move some furniture around or replace some pieces with more space-saving ones.
To make the most out of the space in your home without breaking the bank, you can take advantage of the BNPL payment system. You can purchase furniture, appliances, electronics, and much more, paying in installments using my exchange store. Since you’re adding functionality to your dwelling, a makeover might make it look more “nature-friendly”, boosting your mood and making you fall in love with your greeneries. Additionally, you might want pots with wheels so you can move your shrubs inside when the temperature drops.
Besides your furniture’s placement, three other crucial aspects can make or break your gardening experience:
- Humidity. Depending on the type of veggies you grow, you should know how much moisture they need. When they’re outdoors, watering them should be easy, assuming you have a water source nearby or use automatic irrigation systems. But if you grow them indoors, low humidity, especially in the winter when you’re heating your dwelling, might take a toll on your plants, so use gardening kits, or a cool-mist humidifier or a spray bottle to mist them daily. If the quality of your tap water concerns you, boil and cool it first or use distilled water.
- The container. Pick a container with a drainage hole in the bottom that is large enough for your veggies’ roots to expand. You can also use indoor potting soil to help your veggies grow in indoor conditions. Once they’re ready to grow, set them up near a sunny window.
- The light requirements. Scan your property for areas with the most sun and keep the shady spots for shade-loving veggies. Plant on the east side to capture the morning sun, and on the west side to catch the afternoon sun.
Four indispensable vegs that you can easily grow indoors
The best way to put your “green thumb” to work is to stop buying your favorite legumes and start cultivating them yourself. Now that you know the disadvantages of non-organic vegetables and understand why organic ones are more expensive, it’s time to decide what you consume the most. Here are some vegetables that shouldn’t be missing from your home.
- Tomatoes. Tomatoes are highly productive, versatile, and easy to grow in your kitchen. Because they are a summer crop, the best time to plant them is in late spring or early summer. They need full light with eight hours of sun and their reaping time ranges from 9 to 14 weeks. Please select an area with light and drain their soul correctly.
- Scallions. Scallions are indispensable in a wide range of recipes. Luckily, they do well indoors, can take 3 feet in height, and don’t need much sunlight or seeds to start the row. Place the whole scallion in a glass filled with one inch of water and put it in a shallow container with potting mix once the roots reach a couple of inches in length.
- Garlic. Garlic is one of the easy-to-grow crops, with a harvesting time of 8 to 16 weeks. Its favorite temperature is around 15-20 °F in its early stages, and it prefers sunny locations with partial shade. Place garlic cloves 2-4 inches apart and 2 inches deep and remember that it is best harvested between early August and late July.
- Carrots. Carrots grow well in cool temperatures, prefer sunny areas, and can also accept a slight shade. Choose a well-drained loam potting mix and plant the seeds in rows 1-2 inches apart. The reaping time differs according to the carrot variety. Mature carrots take around 11 weeks to reap, while baby ones only need 8 to 10 weeks.
Now that you know why organic vegetables are healthier than non-organic ones bought from the supermarket, what legumes are you going to grow in the comfort of your home?