In the past few years, there has been a resurgence of interest in home grown food. You might be part of this trend, as you seek to improve your health, decrease your grocery bill, or learn some new skills. Whatever the case, you need to decide what type of growing method to use before you start planting. To help you out, we’ve compiled a list of seven methods to grow your own food.
1. Traditional Garden
If you’re thinking about growing your own food, chances are you’re imagining a traditional garden. If you use this method, you can either grow plants directly in the ground, or in a raised bed. Depending on the size of your garden and the types of crops you’re growing, a variety of planting arrangements are possible. Some common types include planting in straight rows, using a square foot gardening method, or just tossing some seeds and seeing what happens.
2. Container Garden
If you’re stuck in a small space, say an apartment with a balcony, container gardens are a great option. They’re also a good choice for those with limited mobility, since you can position containers at a comfortable height. With a variety of shapes and sizes of containers available, you can mix and match to create a growing space that fits your plants and your style.
3. Hydroponics
In hydroponic growing systems, plants are grown in water instead of soil. Nutrients are delivered to plants through this solution, rather than through the soil. Therefore, plant’s roots don’t have to grow as long, since nutrients are present throughout the whole solution. Plants in hydroponic systems may float on top of the solution in Styrofoam rafts or they may be supported by perlite or stones.
4. Vertical Garden
As you might have guessed, these gardens utilize vertical, rather than horizontal, space. Therefore, they’re a good option if your space is limited to grow your own food. Some vertical gardens consist of wall-mounted grow bags, with a plant in each bag. Others are made up of trellised plants such as cucumbers or pole beans. With the help of trellising materials such as bamboo and wire, you can integrate vertical gardens into traditional or container gardens.
5. Aquaponics
Aquaponic systems are a specific subset of hydroponic systems. The key to an aquaponic system is fish. That’s right, fish live the solution the plants grow in, producing waste that provides plants with vital nutrients. Therefore, different nutrient applications are required in aquaponic systems than in traditional hydroponic systems. You may keep the fish as pets or raise them for food.
6. Plant Some Trees
Although they take longer to produce than herbaceous plants, trees are the source of many popular foods including fruits and nuts. Trees do require a larger amount of space than crops such as lettuce and strawberries, so they won’t work for everyone.
7. Indoor Garden
Even if you’re limited to indoor space, you can still grow your own food. With the help of containers and a south-facing window or LED light, you’ll be harvesting your first crop in no time. Smaller plants, such as lettuce and herbs, are better suited to indoor growing than larger plants such as tomatoes and raspberries.
In summary
As you’ve read, there are a variety of methods to grow your own food. Pick any of these options, and you’ll be rewarded with fresh food and the satisfaction of being self sufficient.