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IPFS News Link • Food

Start a Food Garden with Little Space

• http://www.thealternativedaily.com

In this article, I will show you how to grow an abundance of food regardless of how much indoor or outdoor space you have. With options ranging from vertical gardens to windowsill starters and herbs, there are plenty of options to fit anyone's tight space and budget.

Why you should grow your own food

One of the most obvious reasons to start a food garden is so you can produce lots of food for the price of the original seed. Not only will your food be more affordable, but healthier too. When you garden, you have control over how your food is cultivated. You can choose to leave out harmful pesticides, use only non-genetically modified seeds, and use organic fertilizers.

Not only is home-grown food healthy, but the act of gardening is healthy in and of itself. Did you know that a 150-pound person can burn roughly 350 calories per hour of gardening? It's a good workout and a great way to feel connected to your food and nature. In today's rushed society, we can sometimes become detached from our roots. Gardening, like many hobbies, can be a form of meditation to ground us when life gets chaotic. If you garden outside, you also have the benefit of getting more vitamin D without the use of tablets.

How to squeeze in a food garden

Believe it or not, there are many creative options to help you set up a food garden in any room or space. You can grow a lot of food in one area, or you can have your food dispersed throughout your home. If you are afraid that your food garden will clash with your indoor or outdoor decor, allow it to accent your space. You can plant in the ground, on the floor, on the walls or in the air! The options are as limitless as your imagination.

Microgreens

You can live in any climate and still have fresh greens for your family! Some of the easiest things to grow are microgreens. In small, shallow dishes, press in some potting mix and plant your seeds. Water them and place the container on a windowsill or outside in direct sunlight. In one or two weeks after germination they will be ready to harvest. That's it!

Another way to enjoy growing microgreens is to sprout. You can sprout anything from vegetables to legumes and grains. It's so versatile, you can even eat them raw! All you have to do is rinse the seeds and transfer them to a jar or pot with some water. Drain the water, rinse them, and refill the water to cover the seeds each day until they begin to sprout. It's that simple! These are great options if you are in a dorm room or small apartment.

Seed starters

In their very nature, seed starters don't take up a lot of space. This is because they are meant only to house seeds until they begin to sprout. You can use almost any small container to house tiny plants and seeds. Some people use small pots while others use small Mason jars, egg cartons, and even egg shells. You can have them dispersed throughout the house or keep them in one location. To save space, line them against a wall, countertop, or windowsill. If you want to use them as decor that won't take away from counter space, place them in small, clear containers and hang them from the ceiling at varying heights. You can also hang them on a wall or along a fence.

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