A urban garden It is a small extension of land located in the area of a city and dedicated to the cultivation of plant species, mainly short-cycle under irrigation. The crops used are vegetables (vegetables and legumes), spices, medicinal plants, and in some cases fruit trees can be included.
Urban gardens are based on the concept of organic farming, with minimal use of agrochemicals. The extension, crops and production technique depend on the available area and habitat conditions..
The urban garden can be established in almost any area of a city such as vacant lots, gardens, patios, houses or buildings. You can even have a small garden on the terrace, balcony or in the window of a flat or apartment..
There is a wide variety of cultivable species in an urban garden, and their selection depends on the climate and the available substrate. These orchards are characterized by being relatively small areas worked by hand with a series of farm implements..
Among the essential implements are the hoe, shovel, rake, pruning shears and hand watering can. In the garden, work must be carried out such as preparing the substrate, sowing, watering, fertilizing, controlling pests and diseases, weeding and harvesting..
There are different types of urban gardens, depending on where they are located, the cultivation method and the social subject that implements them. Developing an urban garden brings undoubted economic and health benefits, both physical and mental. In addition, they represent money savings, access to healthy food, and entertainment, and promote social integration..
However, when establishing the garden there may be some drawbacks, such as initial costs, waste management or water consumption. However, with proper planning and management, the benefits / drawbacks are largely positive..
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An urban garden is intended to provide healthy food, and therefore must be based on organic farming techniques. Thus, in this type of orchards one should not make excessive use of agrochemicals or develop anti-ecological practices.
Urban gardens tend to cover relatively small areas, but this will depend on the particular conditions. For example, an urban garden in the field will have a greater extension than on a terrace or balcony..
In all cases, the area must guarantee adequate solar radiation and access to water for irrigation.
In urban gardens you can grow all kinds of vegetables such as tomatoes, peppers, chard, garlic, artichoke, lettuce, broccoli, onion and radish. Also legumes such as lima beans, beans, peanuts (peanuts) and peas.
The cultivation of aromatic and medicinal plants such as mint, rosemary, basil or lemon balm is also frequent. Your selection depends on the horticulturist's preference, the type of climate, and the quality and type of soil available..
The implements and materials required for the management of the urban garden are very varied and depend on many factors such as the type of crop or type of garden. In the case of orchards in the field, the pruning shears, hoe, shovel, rake and wheelbarrow are required..
When the cultivation is carried out in pots or the work in seedlings, smaller implements are required, such as palín and almocafre. Regarding irrigation, depending on the system to be implemented, hand-held showers, sprinklers and hoses are needed.
For the preparation of substrates, bags, containers and sieves are necessary to sift the different substrates for the mixture.
Depending on the species and the conditions, you can opt for sowing or transplantation. The sowing is done by depositing the seed directly in the substrate in which they will complete their entire cycle.
Transplantation requires a previous seedbed or seedbed phase consisting of trays or pots with very fine substrate, where the seeds are sown. In the seedbed, the germination and seedling phases are developed, to later carry out the transplant to the final cultivation site..
If the urban garden is established on land, the preparation of the land will depend on the type of soil available. However, some soil improvement practices can be done.
Among other practices, sand and organic matter can be added to improve structure and fertility, or agricultural gypsum to reduce acidity. An adequate substrate structure facilitates drainage, avoiding excess water that would cause radical asphyxiation..
In the case of planting in pots, mixtures can be made in different proportions of soil, sand and organic matter. In this way, a suitable substrate is achieved for the development of crops..
The sowing method varies with the species, since each crop needs an adequate depth and density of sowing. A general rule of thumb is to deposit the seed at a depth that does not exceed twice the length of the seed..
Each crop has specific water requirements, and also the irrigation conditions vary depending on humidity and environmental temperature. In high temperature conditions, daily watering may be required.
It is preferable to apply irrigation in the evening hours or at night, in order to reduce the loss by evapotranspiration. For orchards in the field, it can be watered until the soil is soaked, without it becoming waterlogged.
In the case of pots, water is added until it begins to drain through the holes at the bottom.
On the market there are commercial fertilizer formulas to apply to the soil and also foliar fertilizers. However, a more environmentally friendly practice is to use organic household waste and compost.
The application of compost will provide the essential nutrients for the crop and can be supplemented with vermicompost, both solid and liquid. To cover some deficiencies in the soil, homemade options such as eggshells can be applied to supply calcium..
The most convenient thing is to do weed control manually, to follow ecological practices. Herbicides, in addition to being expensive, are polluting and harmful to health.
Care should be taken to remove the weed by the roots, taking into account that many species have underground propagation structures.
In a garden with good weed control and good crop nutrition, the attack of pests and diseases is reduced. However, ecological alternatives such as biological control can be applied.
In this sense, there are plant species that have the property of keeping pests away from the garden. Among these we have, composed of the genus Tagetes, or mint (Mentha spp.), Oregano (Origanum vulgare) or rosemary (Rosmarinus officinalis).
There are also some insects that can help control crop pests, such as ladybugs (coccinellids), which help control the amount of aphids..
The harvest point depends on each cultivated species and may even be different depending on the variety that is being cultivated. In this type of cultivation, the entire harvesting process is done manually.
Urban gardens are of various types depending on their location, the technique used and the social subject that develops them..
Urban gardens can be field, garden, terrace, balcony and window.
It is an orchard established on a vacant lot within or on the outskirts of the city. Normally, a larger area of land is available for cultivation and the sowing or planting is carried out directly on the ground..
The implements used are the same as those used in the rural garden and an area must be available for the seedbed. Irrigation can be done manually, by sprinkling or dripping depending on the growing area and economic possibilities.
Drip irrigation has the advantage of a more efficient use of water, and allows to supply diluted liquid fertilizers.
The entire garden area can be used for the vegetable garden or shared with ornamental species. In any case, it is generally a smaller garden than the field garden..
Sowing or planting is done directly in the field or in pots of various sizes. For irrigation, the most convenient thing is to do it with manual showers or with mobile sprinklers.
If you opt for the drip system using hoses, it is necessary to disguise it adequately to avoid the aesthetic rupture of the garden.
The cultivation is carried out in pots or in containers placed on the floor or hanging and irrigation is carried out by manual watering cans. Special care must be taken with the drain water to avoid damage to the floor due to seepage..
If you live in a flat and do not have a terrace, you can establish a small garden in pots and hanging containers. The substrate to be used to grow the plants can be solid or hydroponic.
Irrigation must be manual, having percolation water collection containers to avoid damage to walls and floors.
This is the traditional garden, where the sowing or transplanting is done in solid substrate (field soil or prepared soil mixture). To maintain soil fertility, fertilization must be applied and manual, sprinkling or drip irrigation can be done.
This technique consists of growing without soil in containers where the nutrients are supplied to the crop in liquid form. For this, PVC pipes can be used, along which holes are made where the seedlings will be introduced..
The plants obtain their water and nutrients from the nutrient aqueous solution that circulates inside the tube. Hydroponic cultivation allows a more efficient use of nutrients, but requires a correct formulation of the nutrient solution.
The garden is established in the family environment. This is where all those established in the garden of the house, the terrace or the balcony come in..
These are orchards worked by a group of people from the community. Therefore, they are established on community land, schools, municipal land or public gardens..
To establish an urban garden you must follow some essential steps that we will describe below.
An orchard in a field or field is not the same as on a balcony. Each one has different requirements. The fundamental thing is that the chosen site receives good solar radiation and water supply.
This will depend both on the wishes of the urban gardener and the climatic and soil conditions of the garden. On the other hand, it is not a question of establishing a monoculture but of achieving the greatest possible diversity of species..
Likewise, it is essential to have quality seeds, so it is recommended to buy certified seeds. Another option is to select seeds from what is produced in the garden or from home consumption..
In a field garden, the soil must be prepared by breaking up the compacted layer using a hoe and rake. In this sense, it is important that the soil to a depth of 20-30 cm remains loose for an adequate development of the plant..
When growing in a pot, the type of substrate can be selected taking into account the cultivated species to be produced. Generally, the mixture of sand, gravel and organic soil with a loamy soil, is favorable for most species.
This applies only to those species that require transplantation, such as the tomato when it is going to be taken to the field. In case of growing it in a pot, direct sowing can be done if the substrate is properly prepared.
In the seedbed, the seed germinates and once the seedling stage has been reached, it must be transplanted to the field. It is recommended that the substrate be thin and sterilized. The latter can be done by applying the same steam at high temperature.
When direct sowing is carried out, the seeds are placed in the soil or substrate and covered with a thin layer of these. The sowing density varies with the species, being preferable to sow more and then thin out the excess seedlings.
In the case of transplantation, the seedlings should be taken from the substrate, taking care not to damage the roots. Later, they are taken to the field and planted in small holes made in the ground.
The most suitable irrigation method must be chosen according to the extension of the area, cultivated species and cultivation methods. The most economical method is hand-held watering, while drip irrigation is more efficient..
This step begins from the preparation of the substrate, be it the soil in the field or the substrate in pots. For this, foliar commercial fertilizers diluted in irrigation water can be applied..
Likewise, the material obtained from compost can be incorporated into the soil at the time of its preparation. For this, it is convenient to have an area for its preparation from the own waste from the garden and home.
Weeds reduce yields substantially, to the point of killing plants. Therefore, weeds must be regularly eradicated both manually or with the help of tools..
The most advisable thing is to carry out a biological and manual control that can be complemented with biological insecticides. These insecticides are prepared from plant extracts of neem leaves (Azadirachta indica), citrus (Citrus spp.) Or Tagetes spp..
The harvest is done by hand and each crop has its peculiarities, depending on whether it is an annual or perennial plant. Likewise, the harvest varies if it is a leaf vegetable (lettuce), fruit (tomato or beans) or bulb (onion).
The benefits of having a garden at home are multiple. Among these we can mention the following.
Urban gardens provide food, which, due to being produced under the modality of organic agriculture, has a high quality.
Some of the items that are produced in the urban garden reach high prices in the market, particularly vegetables. Therefore, the garden represents a saving in the family budget.
Even in a relatively small area, a well-managed urban garden can generate surpluses that can be marketed.
Eating healthy foods is a contribution to personal health, since they are free of agrochemicals. On the other hand, in the garden you can grow medicinal plants that can serve as a complement to treat mild conditions.
Additionally, physical activity in the gardening contributes to maintaining body health.
Having a green corner at home represents a benefit to mental health, since it contributes to maintaining emotional balance. On the other hand, the activity in the garden serves as recreation, with all the associated benefits.
From another point of view, within the current concept of urbanism it is sought to develop a sense of community. In this context, urban community gardens can contribute to achieving this goal, as teamwork is required.
Urban school gardens fulfill an important pedagogical function, since in them children become familiar with nature. In addition, they learn to work in groups, and appreciate the role of agriculture as a source of food..
When developing an urban garden, there may be some drawbacks. Some of them are as follows.
The garden requires an investment of time and effort, which must be planned and cannot be postponed. For example, the control of harmful insects and weeds must be done in a timely manner so as not to harm the crop..
In some cases, crops can attract different insects that can be harmful. These insects can affect plants or human health, as is the case with the sting of bees to allergy sufferers..
In the garden, bacterial and fungal diseases are common and can cause rot. Therefore, bad odors and organic waste are produced, which must be properly disposed of..
In addition, all crops generate a certain amount of organic waste that must be properly processed..
In some cases, the management of the urban garden requires the use of some chemical products. The use of such products can be hazardous to health, if not done properly.
Urban soils tend to be more likely to be contaminated by heavy metals due to emissions from automotive traffic, industries, and waste. For example, high concentrations of lead have been detected in the Parque Miraflores urban garden in Seville, which is the oldest in Spain.
According to the Spanish Higher Council for Scientific Research (CSIC), the lead detected came from remains of paint in rubble. Thus, some plots reached levels close to twice the maximum allowed and the analysis of the vegetables gave alarming results.
Therefore, it is advisable to carry out a soil analysis before establishing the orchard, to see its suitability from the point of view of chemical content..
Gardens are irrigated cropping systems, and therefore require a sufficient supply of water. In some places, the consumption of water for irrigation can be a serious inconvenience.
Although in general the monetary costs of an urban garden are not high, they undoubtedly represent a minimal investment. In any case, it is necessary to make a cost / benefit ratio and define the amortization of the initial investment.
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