Now is the best time to make your urban garden

Take advantage of these days of confinement to start planning your own urban at home. No need to have a large garden, as it is possible to grow even in pots.

The new polyethylene containers with anti-UV treatment are the best alternative. But the old pots that you have at home abandoned in a corner can also be useful. Stick with those that are more resistant and have holes in the bottom to expel excess water.

Plants need the sun, so the ideal orientations are south and southwest. It doesn't matter if it is a patio, a terrace, a garden or even in the kitchen or a small balcony, the important thing is that the plants enjoy a minimum of 8 to 10 hours of sun (or 4 hours of direct light) to grow strong.

Take advantage of these days at home to design a plan of the surface, the capacity and the possible distribution. In this way, we will limit the weight depending on the resistance of the balcony so as not to overload it. It is advisable to place the low plants in front of the high ones to make the most of the hours of sunshine, for example, lettuce always in pots in front of the container of tomatoes or beans.

Dare to make your own compost with the organic remains of the vegetables you use. Above all, do not neglect watering, since everything you grow will need water.

Opt for natural substrates, substituting chemical fertilizers for vegetable and organic farm fertilizers, since the quality of the vegetables will be better and we promote recycling. Another option is to make your own homemade compost with coffee grounds, tea, vegetable peelings, eggshells, etc.

Regarding the irrigation system, it is advisable to have a tap nearby. If you do not have a tap nearby, you have the option of placing a 25 or 50 liter tank and can even recycle rainwater. Otherwise, you will have to respect the water needs of your crops with a watering can.

We should not water the garden when the sun gives full sun, but early in the morning and concentrating on the soil, since with the reflection of the sun the leaves could burn. The amount of water we use will depend on the density of our crop.

It is essential that you make a cultivation calendar so that you can scale your harvests and never run out of vegetables to harvest. Watch out for possible pests or diseases

To ensure an optimal yield, diversify the crop always in small quantities and scaling harvests. One of the advantages of a home garden is to adapt the production to our own consumption needs. It is best to combine crops of different species: aromatic herbs, vegetables, fruits and vegetables. 

The small size of our orchard will help us to have few problems with pests and diseases. In any case, we should observe the orchard to detect possible pests as soon as possible.