Why become an urban gardener?
Why become an urban gardener?
The feeling of planting your own vegetables and fruit, watching them grow, and finally harvesting them is incomparable. Once you've tasted the fruits of your own labor, you'll no longer be attracted to taste-dead products imported from afar. Gardening is also pure relaxation. Put on some music, grab a cold beer, and off you go. What could be better? Whether you're looking to grow your own organic produce or simply bring a piece of nature into your home, gardening is a trend!
Don't have a green thumb? Let's change that!
If you're one of those people who can even kill a cactus, then the following tips will definitely help you experience growing success in gardening. First, you need to take stock. Are you one of the lucky ones who owns a small garden ? Are you the proud owner of a sunny balcony , or do you have to make do with a more modest window sill ?
Gardening in your own garden
Having your own garden is a great way to improve your quality of life. Would you like to proudly harvest a crisp, homegrown head of lettuce while showing your children where our food actually comes from? Below, we'll explain how easy it is to do so, step by step.
Preparing the soil (preferably in March)
If only waist-high thistles grow where you plan to create your vegetable garden, you should first remove all weeds from the entire area. Make sure you pull the pests out of the soil, roots included, because especially at the beginning of the growth phase, your young plants are difficult to distinguish from weeds , and weeds would only unnecessarily drain the soil of water and nutrients.
Next, it's time to dig. Armed with a spade and garden fork, the hard, compacted soil must first be loosened so that the young plants can grow and waterlogging does not occur. Then, the surface is smoothed again with a rake. Don't have a rake or spade and are trying to use fire tools? No problem! You can find a wide selection of gardening tools on Amazon, for example. 
Incorporate compost
Where do you put all that kitchen scraps? Into your vegetable garden! The more nutrients your soil contains, the better your plants will grow. However, make sure fruit and vegetable peels aren't sprayed too heavily, as otherwise you'll work the toxins into your soil. If you can't gather enough compost, you can also add fertilizer. You'll find detailed dosage instructions on the packaging. Another tip : Coffee grounds are excellent for improving the quality of your soil.
Check pH value
If you want to further minimize the risk of failure, you should check the pH of your soil using a special test kit
Gardening on the balcony
There's no reason to cast envious glances at the surrounding gardens from your balcony. Even without a large garden, you don't have to miss out on homegrown fruit and vegetables. Fancy a culinary balcony scene? Then go for it!
Preparation
If your balcony faces north and never gets any sun, is exposed to a lot of wind, and you have a view of the back wall of your neighbor's house, you should first move. On your new balcony, you'll need planters that not only look good but also have a jute liner to keep your floor clean and prevent waterlogging. What a coincidence! We've already prepared something for you.
Our plant boxes served as fruit crates in the old country for over 40 years, which has given them their unique patina. A true piece of history, then. For your herb pot garden, we've converted some of the boxes into planting steps with two or three tiers. If that's not colorful enough for you, you can have our boxes painted in attractive green, orange, or purple.
Earth
Think all soil is created equal? Unfortunately, not! It's important that you first fill your planting containers halfway with regular potting soil, and then add the same amount of seed compost on top. Why? Because seed compost is very low in nutrients. If you plant your young plants in nutrient-rich potting soil right from the start, they'll become lazy and no longer see the need to develop strong roots to reach the nutrient-rich potting soil further down in the pot.
The windowsill as an urban garden
Do you enjoy having lots of plants in your home and culinary delights just an arm's length away? Then grab whatever containers you can find and grow fruit and vegetables in them! You don't have to wait until you can finally afford a detached house with a park around it. Many varieties don't require much space and grow beautifully on your windowsill. 
Preparation
First, you need to find the sunniest spot in your home, because all plants have one thing in common: they're true sun worshippers. If you can't find anything to plant other than a discarded cleaning bucket and your large pasta pot, you can take a look at our decorative plant pots. When choosing the size of your container, it's important to consider how much space the plant will need when it eventually reaches its full size.
Earth
When it comes to choosing soil for windowsill plants, the same rules apply as for balcony plants. First, fill your container halfway with regular potting soil and then top it off with special, low-nutrient seed compost. This will trick your little plants into stretching their roots towards the nutrient-rich soil.
Selection of varieties
Unlike growing in the garden or on the balcony, indoor conditions make it difficult for every type of fruit and vegetable to thrive. If you're a somewhat inexperienced urban gardener, you can start with a variety of herbs. Later, add some chili and a few tomatoes , and your pizza topping is complete! Lettuce and radishes make a crunchy side dish, and refreshing physalis for dessert.
