If you are under the impression that you can’t grow vegetables just because you are living in an apartment or because you have a small yard, then you are wrong. You can maintain your own small vegetable garden even if you have a balcony or a window that’s big enough to accommodate a few pots.
For that, you should have an open space that receives direct sunlight for at least 6 to 8 hours a day. This is required so that your vegetables get fresh air as well as sufficient sunlight to grow.
Although, if you are still confused about the idea of having vegetables growing outside of your home, then we have a list of pros and cons made for you. This should give you a fair idea about having veggies growing out of pots in the comforts of your home.
The Pros
Growing vegetables in pots is a great way to get fresh vegetables no matter where you live or how much space you have. Some of the benefits of planting vegetables in pots are:
More flexible
No matter whether you put the vegetable pots on the surface of the balcony or use hanging containers, they are always more flexible than those grown in raised beds. You can maintain as many pots as you want. These small pots are especially good for elderly and handicapped people as they can put the containers in a place that they can easily access.
Plus, irrespective of whether you have your own apartment or are living in the suburbs following the rules laid out by your homeowner, you can decorate your balcony or window with your own little vegetable garden.
Easy to maintain
Since the plants are not grown in raised beds, they have fewer chances of being affected by pests. This is certainly an advantage as the safety of your plants from pests is ensured. Moreover, these containers are easy to maintain. You can put these containers in a place free from nibbling rabbits or away from insects like snails and slugs.
Also, as the potted veggies won’t be taking up much space, there are very few chances of weeds springing up. It means you would be spending comparatively less time pulling out weeds and making the plants insect-free.
Portable
This is perhaps one of the best advantages that you have with potted vegetables. Pots are small in size and portable, so you can easily move them from one place to another. It means you can change the location of the plants according to the position of the sun throughout the day if required. For example, if you are growing a vegetable that needs more sunlight, then you can put it in direct sunlight in the morning and then can move it to another place later on.
Similarly, you can move the plants to a shaded area on sweltering summer days once they get enough sunlight for the day. You can also use hanging baskets or planters to grow fruits like tomatoes and strawberries. But don’t forget to pluck them off and store them in a euro container once they are nice and ripe.
The Cons
Now let’s take a look at some of the disadvantages of growing vegetables in pots.
Not good for large and sprawling vegetables
Vegetables and fruits like pumpkins, melons, corn, squash, and cucumber do not grow well in pots because they need a lot of space to sprawl. So it’s better to grow them in-ground or in raised beds. Similarly, if you are growing root vegetables like turnips, carrots, and potatoes, you need a deep and large container to let the root spread.
But if you are just starting out, we suggest that you not try growing these vegetables. Instead try growing some easy ones like lettuce, green onions, beets, tomatoes, and radishes.
Need more water
Growing vegetable in containers or pots needs comparatively more water because the soil in them dries out faster than raised beds or ground. It means you have to water them more frequently, especially in the summer season. Depending on the vegetable and its water requirement, you will need to water them up to three times a day.
To overcome this problem and reduce the need to water more than once a day, you can use self-watering containers for plants that need more watering.
So now, that you are aware of the pros and cons of growing vegetables in pots, you can weigh your options and see if you can have a makeshift garden made out of pots!
