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Just Stick It In The Dirt

 

If you know me at all, you know I am LARGELY influenced by my Grandmother. She lived to be 103, and was about 4’8 of DYNAMITE. Funny, feisty, loving, and incredibly smart. She, along with my Great Aunt Viv, instilled a love of all things gardening, nature, and sustainable within me that I practice as often as I am able and share whenever I have the chance. I recently posted on my social media one of my favorite phrases from Grandma- “Just stick it in the dirt; see if it grows.” And man, do I do this all the time. I am currently in an apartment- selling my home and moving in with my partner soon- so I don’t have a lot of space. It’s like 400 sqft. I do have a nice walk out portion, and some space in the yard for containers. As it is still cold here in Vermont at night, I currently have 51 potted plants in my apartment. It is a jungle and I LOVE it. 

 

This has challenged me quite a bit- how do I grow food with such limited space? I am used to having large outdoor gardens and long growing seasons in the south. Here in Vermont, you have about 4 good months to grow what you are able, and being in a rental adds even more to think about. Still- where there’s a will there’s a way right? So I am writing today to give some advice on how you can also grow some amazing fresh food with whatever space you have! 

 

An obvious solution is a grow lights setup, trays, watering system, etc but that’s not where I’m headed with this. That is expensive, time consuming, and likely out of the question for most people. What I want to do today is give advice that is sustainable, financially conscious, and space saving. 

 

Smallest spaces:

Know what space you are able to utilize for this endeavor. A balcony or patio (even your driveway) is a great start if you have those available, but if not don’t worry! You can still have beautiful plants and fresh food! The most minimal of space would be to start with microgreens. You literally only need a jar, some cotton balls, seeds (beets, radishes, lettuce, peas, a mixed pack, or even cantaloupe or watermelon- yes, they’re edible too and full of nutrients and flavor), a lid, and some sort of breathable lid. You can use soil instead of cotton balls, but if you’re working inside only you might not want the mess. 

 

Simply place the cotton balls in your jar, moisten, sprinkle a thin layer of seeds on top, place lid on jar. Put in a dark place-no light like a cabinet or closet- for a couple days. Then when you see the first signs of sprouting, take them out and place them near a sunny window.  Make sure the substrate (cotton) stays moist but not wet, and when you see some lovely little leaves that pop up and green up cut them and enjoy! 

 

Medium Space:

Use a shoe rack or trays. You can pick up a shoe rack at a thrift store, or often even for free online, and they make excellent small plant holders! This utilizes vertical space- you don't have to spread out all over the place to have great results! And don’t forget your hanging planters! Used yogurt cups, solo cups, small pots, jars, whatever you can slap some dirt in will make a great planter! I like to find dish pans at thrift stores for this purpose also. A good 6 inches of soil will allow you to grow things that don’t need pollination like greens, lettuce, spinach, radishes, carrots, even a few beets, celery, onions, etc. Follow directions on the seed package and go to town! It’s also best to keep them near a window that you can open, or put a small fan on them for a breeze a few times a week. This helps the plants to grow stronger and less “leggy”. And always remember they will need light! Also, herbs can grow very well inside with little space. I’ve literally grown them out of wine bottle planters before. Check my facebook for a tutorial on how to make those! 

 

Larger space:
Buckets. An old wash tub. A bathtub in the yard (I’m from the country, we literally had one), dog food bags, kiddie pools- again, whatever will hold dirt will grow things! Fill, put in your seeds, and watch the food grow! Shallower things are great for root veg, deeper ones will support pretty much anything else. Tomatoes, peppers, watermelons, squash- it can all be grown from a bucket. And you can often get large buckets for FREE from your local grocery store bakery or deli. They recycle old icing or pickle buckets, and those are great! Poke a few holes in the bottom for drainage and you’re good to go! I literally have a lemon tree growing in a trash can right now.  You can even grow a barrel of potatoes- take an old trash can or plastic barrel and put a little dirt in the bottom. Let some potatoes sprout, and place them on top of the soil. When they start to grow, gradually add more soil on top to almost cover the plants. Once the container is filled, wait until the plants start to die off a little. Then, dump it out and see all the potatoes you just grew! And again, remember your hanging baskets! They are excellent for growing green beans, cucumbers, and other bushy or vining plants. Encourage pollinators by planting a few bins of flowers also! And flowers are pretty. Plant flowers. 

 

Seeds:

You don’t have to get expensive or fancy. Your local dollar store will have a great selection for a quarter to a buck each. Or, save seeds from store bought produce. It’s a myth that they’re “genetically engineered to not grow.” I have like 7 citrus trees growing right now from store bought fruit. A few seeds from a tomato, pepper, or whatever will grow just fine. Just wash them well to get the “meat” off, and either dry them for next season or plant them for this one. 

 

Fertilizer:

You don’t have to get fancy here either. If you used potting soil, it’s likely already good to go. You can add some kitchen scraps to the plants as you go, and watering with things like the water from boiling potatoes or pasta has great starches and will help the plants. Also, you’re conserving water there so win/win. I sometimes will save coffee grounds, banana peels, and egg shells and put them in a blender with some water and make a slurry to dump on the plants.  

 

Other:

Water when you can stick your finger in the soil to your second knuckle and it feels dry to the tip. If plants are leaning toward the light,make sure to rotate them.  Get them sunlight, water, soil, and a gentle breeze and let them do their thing! Put it in the soil; see if it grows. What's the worst that can happen? It doesn’t grow. Best? Free food, sustainable sourcing, intrinsic satisfaction, and more plants means more happy :-)