Do you have a balcony, deck, or plain flowerbed? Then you have a vegetable garden! The idea behind urban gardens is to grow what you can in your available space, both vertically and horizontally. Hanging planters, balcony boxes, containers, grow bags, raised beds; they’re all good for growing fruit, vegetables, flowers and herbs, bringing unbelievable freshness directly to your dinner plate. Delicious varieties specifically adapted to container-growing are waiting for you to discover!
Read our magazine "Urban vegetable gardens"
Container depth and what to plant
In shallow (20 cm deep and less), wide containers: Swiss chard, chicory, endive, edible flowers, garlic, herbs, lettuces, bok choy, radishes, arugula, shallots, spinach. | In average-sized (20 to 40 cm deep) containers: eggplant, beets, broccoli, cabbage, cauliflower, bell peppers, hot peppers, zucchini, kale, melons, squash, tomatoes (trailing varieties), turnips. | In large (40 cm deep and more) containers: carrots, celery, cucumbers, beans, broad beans, leeks, parsnips, peas, tomatoes (upright varieties), corn. |
Raised Garden Tables
Garden tables are ideal for comfort-level gardening. Some are equipped with a cover to provide a greenhouse environment for seedlings, to shelter plants on cold nights, or to provide protection during stormy weather and high winds. An interlocking design will enable you to adapt your raised garden to the space you have available on the deck or balcony. Wicking beds are self-contained raised beds with built-in water reservoirs; you can both water efficiently and evacuate the overflow.
Planting bags
Ground-breaking (literally) geotextile planting bags promote healthy root development. Designed to allow plants to "breathe" better, grow bags promote good drainage and aeration. Compared to traditional pots, you can see a 15% to 20% increase in harvest yields, which is significant! Here are some other reasons to love these bags:
- Made of 100% recycled materials, such as plastic bottles
- Durable, tear-proof, UV-resistant, washable and reusable
- Compact and easy to store
- Available in several sizes, shapes and colours
In response to their growing popularity, designers have created more use-specific products, such as the bag for growing potatoes with a Velcro opening on the bottom; a vertical wall planter with pockets for herbs; and the strawberry grow bag with side pockets.
