Today more and more people are interested in farming and gardening methods that make them self sustained. As urbanities become more aware about the benefits of eating wholesome organic foods and also realize that a future where food will become scarce isn’t too far away, the concept of having an Urban Survival Garden becomes more popular.

What makes an Urban Survival Garden a great idea?

In these modern times, finding high quality food that is organic in nature and grown without the use of harmful pesticides and chemicals is hard to come by. Either there is shortage of such food items at the local grocery store, or the ones available are far too expensive. The simple alternative – grow your own seasonal fruits and vegetables by creating an Urban Survival Garden.

Some people are driven by necessity as they cannot afford the highly priced organic food available, while others make a conscious choice to start their own fruit and vegetable garden because they can grow the highest quality of food. However, the one thing that deters most urban dwellers from starting their own urban garden is the lack of space. But that hasn’t stopped many; people are now coming up with creative and innovative space saving ideas that allows them to have their own green patch, irrespective of how small their terrace or balconies might be.

An Urban Garden allows a family to grow their own crop, and there are many gardening techniques that make it possible for you to become a successful urban farmer. From rooftop container gardens, edibles grown in hanging baskets, vegetables grown in pots lined along the balcony and even using a window space to create a miniature garden indoors, your choices are many.

How to create your own Urban Survival Garden?

An Urban Survival Garden is not hard to plan for, if you keep in mind your limitations and start small. If you are new to gardening, look for helpful tips online or refer to gardening books. A friendly neighbor who has a beautiful self sustainable urban garden will also be able to give you some very practical tips, not to mention, will also be willing to trade food, tools and seeds with you to maximize yields for both of you.

Here are some tips to keep in mind:

Start small. Choose a seasonal vegetable or fruit variety that you know will thrive well in your given area, considering the climatic conditions and the space available.

Use only high quality seeds, even if they might be a little more expensive. Buy from a trusted supplier and always remember that while seeds can have a long shelf life, they should be stored at cool temperatures.

Also ensure that you use good fertilizer. You can even make your own fertilizer and compost to create a healthy growing environment for your food crops.

If growing in pots or containers, ensure you choose a good material. Environmentally friendly materials like clay pots and mud pots are always better than plastics. Also, make sure you choose a pot that has a hole cut out in to the bottom, so that any water that isn’t absorbed by the roots can drain out rather than standing at the bottom where it can rot the roots.

A few foods that grow well in a small Urban Survival Garden are: tomatoes, cucumbers, beats, beans, eggplant, carrots, onions, chilies, peppers, peas, radish, cantaloupe and all kinds of herbs like basil, oregano, parsley, lemongrass etc.