Urban agriculture is becoming an increasingly popular social movement among city-based communities from all over the world. The practices help improve food security for residents and ensure that fresh produce becomes more readily available for urban populations. Apart from creating a more resilient food system, there’s also the environmental impact to consider. Depending on the space you have at your disposal, you can create a genuine farm, but even smaller-scale cultivation will go a long way.
Here are some of the main reasons why you should consider becoming involved in urban farming, and what are the first steps to take in this direction?
Environmental benefits
One of the most common benefits of urban farming is reducing or preventing the heat island effect, a growing concern for urban areas. These regions are considerably warmer than the surrounding rural areas due to human activities, with the temperature difference typically more pronounced during nighttime than daylight hours. Land surface modifications are the leading cause of this phenomenon, with barren land increasing air temperatures while proximity to vegetation cools them down.
Planting gardens on rooftops and balconies with the help of elho pots helps absorb carbon dioxide from the atmosphere, an efficient way to make the city a little greener. The flower pots are sustainably produced, so there’s no reason to worry about their manufacturing process hurting the environment. City-based farms also reduce the quantity of other greenhouse gasses from the atmosphere. Food transportation creates a lot of pollution, and you can diminish it at least partially by consuming locally-produced foods. Moreover, you can be confident that they were grown using fewer pesticides.
Health benefits
There’s no denying the fact that a diet rich in fruits and vegetables is the cornerstone of healthier eating habits. Urban agriculture connects people with nature and food, and since you are directly involved in growing your food, you’ll likely feel more satisfied with the outcome. It can also encourage you to start cooking your own recipes from scratch instead of relying on prepackaged meals or takeaways. The meals you prepare will likely be healthier since you’ll use lower amounts of oil and salt.
As you’re directly involved in the process, you’ll realize the effort and time it takes to grow fruits and veggies. That can change your perspective and make you less likely to waste food since you know the labor necessary to bring it to your plate.
Starting point
If you’re not accustomed to gardening and plant rearing, you might want to start off slowly. Balcony planters are the simplest way to start since you’ll see how you manage smaller samples. If you can handle a few plants and can make them thrive, you can then move on to larger allotments. Don’t be afraid to make mistakes; just make sure you learn from them. That’s the best way to continue developing your skills.
Seeds are the classic way to start your own vegetable garden. You don’t need to do too much research to find seeds for pretty much any plant you’d like to eat. Since they’re relatively inexpensive, you don’t have to worry about mishaps that can happen in the beginning. You’ll have to wait a little longer for outdoor harvests, but if you plan in advance, you can start indoors and then take the plants outdoors when they’re ready for the move and the weather allows it.
You should be mindful of the weather conditions at all times. You should become familiar with the farming conditions and the best season for gardening in your area. You want to have everything ready before frost arrives. Since the weather can be changeable in some regions, and thermometers go higher before plunging back again, you want to be extra careful if you want to have a full yield.
Foods to grow
Most vegetables are sturdy, and some are very easy to grow. Onions, potatoes, peas, broad beans and radishes are some of the most common examples. They can be incorporated into many dishes, and even the clumsiest farmers can get a full yield. And, of course, you can’t have a flavorful meal without herbs. Basil, thyme and rosemary lend themselves well to planting containers.
You might discover that the best option for fruits is to get special fruit beds. On average, a tree will likely take around three to four years to begin bearing fruit. Some of the varieties you can start cultivating are peaches, pears, cherries and sour cherries, plums and apples. Berries, including raspberries, blueberries and blackberries, but also strawberries, are a treat that even those who swear they don’t like fruit will enjoy. These plants can begin producing as early as two years after planting.
To take care of your plants, make sure to give them plenty of water. Weed them regularly since these plants seep water and nutrients meant for your plants, stunting their growth. Fertilizer ensures that your plants are vigorous and well-fed so that you enjoy better fruits and veggies when the time comes. And since insects love to feed on outdoor plants, you should also protect them from this type of damage. Just make sure to pick an organic solution that won’t make your plants harmful to eat.
The advantages
The most important advantages of growing your own food are the ease and convenience that come with it. You won’t have to go to the grocery store anytime you need something since you can find fresh produce in your garden. You won’t have to worry about crowded supermarkets and endless lineups anymore.
Moreover, with food prices skyrocketing, you can save quite a lot of money. The startup costs will be slightly more elevated since you’ll have to invest in soil, seeds, fertilizer and planters, but the long-term cost reduction more than pays for it. You’ll know precisely how the vegetables were produced, so you can be confident that no toxic chemicals were added during the process.
And, of course, you’ll be more self-sufficient and sustainable, reducing your carbon footprint in the process as well. Considering all these aspects, it’s plain to see why growing your food is a winning strategy. If you’ve been debating whether to do it or not, this is a sign to give it a try.