Just because you crammed into the tightest corner of the city without any view of foliage or semblance of nature in sight doesn’t mean a garden is off the table. All you need is a window and a few supplies to start growing your own herbs and veggies. Here are 5 tips to get started.

1. Find a Spot

Choose windowsills, fire-escapes or balconies that are under the sun for at least 5 hours per day. If plants can catch the rain too, even better! You can keep more delicate herbs indoors while fruits, veggies and greens with more brawn and thicker skin can grow outsider.

2. Choose a Size

Do not overcrowd plants. Containers for herbs should be at least 15-centimers wide, while larger greens (e.g. lettuce), veggies (e.g. carrots) and beans require more space, so you should plant them in a pot at least 25-centimeters wide. Pots should also be deep, so that the roots can grow freely. The deeper the pot, the more successfully your plants will grow.

3. Support Growth

Bean stalks and other tall plants often require something to climb up. Be ready to support their growth by finding a stick to stand upright next to the plant’s stem as it continues to get taller, using a string to tie the stalk or stem to the stick.

4. Go Compost Shopping

Use compost that is fit for containers versus actually land, as these composts are better able to hold onto moisture and are equipped with extra nutrients to buffer plant growth.

5. Layer Wisely

Put stones at the bottom of the pot before packing in soil. This way, you can prevent soil from becoming too saturated with water at any given time. The stones drain the water from the soil. Use your finger to test whether you water too often or too much – poke your finger into the compost and it should be slightly moist just below the surface, not drench and swimming in water.

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image: Selena M.B.H

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Growing your own food, even just herbs, is a powerful and satisfying act. But who has the time? These gardening gadgets ensure that even the laziest black thumbs among us can still enjoy a fresh tomato now and then.

A lack of space, time, cooperative weather and/or gardening know-how doesn’t mean you can’t revel in the taste of a home-grown tomato. You just need a shortcut past all the planning and digging so you can get straight to the growing and eating. Below are four growing technologies that make gardening approachable again, no matter how many house plants you’ve killed or how little yard space you enjoy.

1. Woolly Pocket

I know I already mentioned this device as a way to bring spring indoors, but I think they’re so neat, it’s worth another look. Woolly Pockets (pictured, top) are available as wall hangers, table planters, or raised beds. The newest offering, the Living Wall Planter, features a hard vented shell, a sturdy shape and is equipped with a self-watering tank–all designed to make planting easier. Just hang, fill with starters from your local nursery, and enjoy.

2. Auxano Hydroponic Vegetable and Herb Grower

Urban apartments may not have much space to spare, but one thing most do have is sunlight. The Auxano hydroponic growing system aims to capitalize on this under-appreciated resource with a window mounted design that turns previously unused space into a vertical garden. Its innovative oxygenating pump system further keeps water flowing to plant roots without the need for electricity. Check out designer Philip Houiellebecq’s Facebook page to find out when this device will be available for purchase.

3. Click and Grow

We’ve got smart phones and smart meters, so why not smart gardens? The Click and Grow is an easy-to-use electronic smartpot that grows plants without watering and fertilizing. Forget about constant watering, guesswork and worrying whether your plant is getting exactly what it needs. Just slide in the plant cartridge, and Click & Grow measures all the necessary parameters and doses an exact amount of water, fertilizer and air, according to the plant’s needs. The company is currently funding its second offering, an automatic herb garden complete with LED grow lights, on Kickstarter.

4. AeroGarden

If you’re looking for the crème de la crème of smart gardening gadgets, look no further than the AeroGarden. This counter-top hydroponic growing system is literally fool proof. I’ve been testing one out for the past few months, and it’s mind-blowing just how easy it is to go from nothing to harvest-ready plants without lifting a finger. The picture above was taken after just 2 weeks! AeroGarden comes in several different sizes and offers a wide variety of plant cartridges. You can mix and match, or purchase empty cartridges for starting plants from seed. Just add water and nutrients when the display tells you to, and you can’t go wrong.

Images: Woolly Pocket | Philip Houiellebecq | Click and Grow | Beth Buczynski

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