Not all people have space for a sprawling garden. People living in cities, for example, can only spare a few inches of room for a garden.

Urban gardening makes it possible to transform small blank spaces – indoors or outdoors – into gorgeous gardens. Not only that, urban gardening has a massive impact on the environment and food security. In this guide, we’re dishing out urban gardening methods and strategies to make the smallest spaces work harder for your garden.

What is Urban Home Gardening?

Urban gardening is a method of gardening in an urban space. While urban gardening is typically done for aesthetic purposes, growing your own food is possible even with a petite urban garden. The idea behind urban gardening is to grow fresh produce and beautiful greenies in condensed communities. It also encourages people to connect with each other through gardening and gain a deeper understanding of proper nutrition and agriculture.

If you want to give urban gardening a try, here are some tips to get you started:

Check Your Space

The space where you’ll build the urban garden should receive ample sunlight to support plant growth. Choose plants that will grow in the area’s conditions. Ideally, the space should be near a water source to make watering easier and more convenient.

Even the smallest of spaces can be transformed into an urban garden but be sure the area has enough growing room for every plant. A raised bed or two will help maximize space and prevent poor soil quality. Adding structures like trellises and hanging baskets will optimize a small space even more.

Choose Your Growing Method

Assuming that the space you’ll use for the urban garden ticks all the boxes, you can choose the best growing method for the room. There are 5 popular urban gardening methods to choose from. These are:

Container gardening: Different containers or planters can be used to grow various plants, including vegetable and flowering plants. Some of the most popular planters for container gardens are:

• Terracotta pots
• Wicker baskets
• Fiberglass planters
• Plastic planters
• Ceramic planters
• Recycled planters
• Grow bags

Your choice will boil down to your aesthetic taste, the size of the space, and the plants you want to grow. But the most important thing to remember is to choose pots and planters with drainage holes because most plants hate standing water.

Raised beds: A raised bed is perfect for a small garden because it helps maximize the space and protects the soil from erosion. Imagine the mess if murky water keeps washing away from the garden; you have to clean up the area regularly or get complaints from your landlord!

Raised beds come in various designs, and at the shop, we offer the classic raised bed design, tiered and elevated raised beds. All of our raised beds are made from 100% untreated fir wood. You can get the most out of your budget by taking advantage of our raised bed bundles.

Vertical gardening: When it comes to urban gardening, you must make every inch work harder. This could mean using vertical structures and hanging planters to optimize the space in tiny spaces. Trellises, hanging baskets, portable flower boxes, fences, and wall-mounted planters are just some of the many structures you can use to create a vertical garden. Trailing plants and companion planting are also perfect for a vertical garden.

Indoor gardening: Blank indoor spaces that receive at least 6 hours of sunlight daily can be transformed into an urban garden too. If you have blank spaces indoors but these are not getting enough sun, use supplemental lights to grow a variety of plants. Apart from houseplants, sprouts, and some shade-loving plants, herbs can be grown indoors. Get an herb kit if you want to grow different herbs at the same time.

Rooftops and balconies: Rooftops and balconies are often forgotten and neglected spaces that could be turned into an urban garden. Lots of planning is required to create an urban garden in these areas, particularly the balcony with its weight limits. Check the area’s sunlight exposure and accessibility to a water source. Once you get the green light from your landlord, it’s just a matter of choosing what plants to grow, what design to try, and what raised bed style to get.

Tips for Starting an Urban Garden

Virtually all plants have three basic requirements – light, soil, and water. Once these basic requirements are met, you can start planning your urban garden.

Soil depth is also crucial in growing various plants. Shallow-rooted plants will require 6 to 12 inches of soil depth, while deep-rooted plants need at least 12 inches to grow. Plan what you want to grow accordingly.

Many plants require regular watering, especially during the summer season. That’s why it’s essential to plan the garden’s irrigation system. You don’t want to get complaints from the landlord or neighbors for dumping excess water. Do not overwater and use planters with a saucer underneath to catch excess water. Create a simple irrigation system to prevent flooding and clean muddy water off the floor.

Because of the cramped space, tiny gardens are much more prone to pests and diseases. Trim your plants regularly to prevent the spread of diseases and pests. Use natural deterrents to keep pests at bay!

Where to Buy Your Gardening Essentials for Your Urban Garden

You can buy gardening essentials at ECOgardener, your online gardening supplies store. We help you get your garden in the best shape with our gardening tools and essentials.

We also offer bundles that come with all the essentials you need to build an urban garden. Check out our raised bed and herb kit bundles and shop now for your best advantage!