Growing your own food is gaining popularity in a GMO-ridden world. But many people don’t have the yard space (or time) to cultivate their own home garden. Never fear! Even with no yard at all you can still take charge of your food supply, at least a little.
Make use of your outdoor deck space, and use planters and flower boxes to grow edible plants. If you start planting now, you will be able to enjoy the fruits of your labor this spring and summer. Get creative! Any container can be used as a planter as long as it has holes in the bottom for drainage. You’ll want to line the bottom of your container with pottery shards, rocks, gravel, or even packing peanuts to help with water drainage. Don’t forget to use vertical space as well with use of a trellis, or stacking pots up an iron rod.
If you’re new to gardening, some hearty herbs may be a good starting point. Most herbs are perennials (meaning they come back year after year) and can withstand cooler temperatures. Lettuces and other leafy greens come in many varieties, some with such color you wouldn’t believe! You’d be surprised at how these plants can spruce up your deck space. The best part about cultivating edible plants on your deck is that you can enjoy them for their look as well as their taste!
While it’s perfectly fine to start planting this early in the season, be aware that the last frost date for northern Virginia is May 9th, so you’ll want to keep your plants covered or indoors overnight until then at least.