HOW TO START GROWING FOOD ON YOUR BALCONY

PART II: PREPARING AND PLANTING

In the first part of this series that you can read here, we introduced you to some basic knowledge about how to understand plants and their needs. But knowledge alone is not going to plant and grow food for you. So in this second part, we will give some further advice on how to get going with your balcony project.

1) Define the space you want to utilize

Whether you will work in a small garden plot or plan on growing food on your own balcony, you need to know how much space is available for planting. So get out there and check the grounds, especially regarding the light, water and soil conditions! But this is not the only thing that is important. You also have to determine whether your veggies will be growing directly in the soil, in raised beds or small pots. Also, it is crucial to know how much time you are ready to spend on gardening (the larger the space, the more time needed to take care of it). Nou can start drawing a few maps of your planting space, with all these information in mind. You will need the maps for the next steps.

2) Space and time

Equipped with the maps, you can now start making a list of all the things you want to grow: tomatoes, salad, melon, herbs, strawberries… You can then turn this list into a table in order to indicate next to each item:

• with which other item it can be planted (you can find recommandations here)

• when is the best time to plant the seedlings and when you can harvest the delicious results (it’s best if you find your own schedule online to fit the region where you live).

Now you have all the information you need to plan your plantings. Flag on your map which item you will plant where, according to their preferences of pairing and seasons. If done right, you may even be able to get more than one harvest form the same plot by using the space for a new plant after the harvest of the first one. This map and list will also help you remember what is where, and when to plant and harvest each plot. It's so handy!

3) Get ready

Before planting, the soil needs to be ready, and so do you. Go get the tools you need if it's not done yet: trowel, rake, shovel, pickaxe, pots, tutor… and your seeds, of course! If you plan on planting directly into the soil, there might be some extra steps to follow in order to prepare it by turning it over, adding some compost or natural fertilizer, build raised beds or more. You can even lay out some straw or mulch and plant through it afterwards. In the end, you should have a good soil that meets the needs of the plants that it will host soon.

4) Seedlings

Simultaneously to the previous step, you can already sprout your seeds or go buy some already done seedlings that will be planted into the plots afterwards. It is better to make your seeds sprout in a greenhouse or inside your flat if you can, as it will help you gain some time and secure that each plot hosts at least a few sprouted seeds. If you put the seeds directly into the soil, you might get some empty spots in your raised beds as not all seeds are guaranteed to grow. To efficiently sprout, the seeds need moisture, warmth and light as soon as they pierce their shell.

5) Plant

It’s almost the end of the beginning of your new life as a gardener. Your plan is matured, your soil is ready and so are you. Your future vegetables are starting to grow, all that's left to do is to plant the seedlings into the designated plot, give it a good watering, and be patient.

Well actually, the true journey only begins after planting the seedlings. If you would leave your veggies on their own after planting them, the chances are high you won’t get any noteworthy results in the months to come. In fact, there are a few extras steps before you get to eat the fruit of your labor. We will tell you more about it in one of the next articles. See you soon! :)