One of the more eco-friendly trends that continues to grow is consuming organic food. Many people head to the local farmer’s market for fresh produce, however, organic food can also be grown right in your apartment. In fact, over 35% of people grow their own food. Here are five sustainable gardens so you can grow your own food in an apartment.
1. Hanging Baskets
Virtually any plant that is grown in a pot can be grown in a hanging basket. Because of their location, they are considered pet- and child-friendly, and so more exotic plants can be grown using this system. Though they are more often put on decks and patios, with the right structure they can be hung inside. They are used for both produce that likes sun and prefers shade.
2. Vertical Gardens
Vertical Gardens, also called green walls, use a structure or wall to grow the plants vertically. It is a popular alternative to potted plants because while potted plants can be set in different locations of a room, a vertical garden only takes up a single wall and you don’t lose the diversity of plants. While common house plants can be grown with these sustainable gardens, there are also a plethora of herbs that can be grown indoors.
3. Windowsill Gardens
You don’t need to have a patio for your plants to get the maximum amount of sunlight. For plants that need a lot of sun to grow, or plants that may not be able to handle some of the more extreme weather conditions, you can always create a windowsill garden. Though you may have a more limited amount of space, you’re still able to grow a range of vegetables and herbs for cooking. Although it is recommended that you use faster-growing plants.
A solution going back civilizations, hydroponics is a system of growing plants in nutrient-rich water. There is no soil, but instead, bedding of clay pellets or moss is used. There will also be no soil pests to damage your plants or your apartment. One benefit always noted in hydroponics studies is that a system can grow plants up to 50 times faster than soil-based plants under the same conditions.
Stemming from the last point is aquaponics, a combination of aquaculture and hydroponics. It is a way to grow food without soil using only water and the nutrients that the fish give it. The system doesn’t have to be any bigger than a standard fish tank, and for the use of a single plant, even a fishbowl would do. The point of an aquaponics system is to replicate a natural setting in which both plants and fish can thrive.
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