Not all of us have acres of farmland for cultivating our crops and flowers. In the city and the suburbs on the Lower Mainland such as in Surrey, most of us are gardening in raised beds, containers, or using vertical gardening techniques. In today’s blog article, we would like to talk about these types of gardening.

General

Raised beds have the distinct advantage of having a higher surface, which means you can weed or work in the garden more easily—even in a chair. What all of these types of gardens have in common is the ability to use them in limited space, like in a small yard or on a deck.

The most important thing to remember about all three of these types of gardening is to rotate what you grow each year or start with new soil altogether. When you do not rotate, you run a higher risk of pests and not having the right nutrient balance.

Raised Beds

Raised beds can take some time to set up, but they are an excellent way to have crops or flowers in small accessible areas. Also, by being off the ground, you will avoid certain pests that nest in grass like cutworms. You can grow a cover crop over the winter which you could then turn into the soil in the spring.

Containers

Remember that the smaller the soil area, the more quickly water and nutrients will be used up. Also, clay pots are porous and will dry out faster than plastic pots will. Be sure to fertilize your containers regularly. Also, lots of plants that you do not think are perennial will reseed themselves if given a chance to flower and set seed. Collect your seeds for next year.

Vertical Gardens

Vertical gardens are a great way to grow lots in a small space. You can be very creative with vertical gardens and grow cascading flowers (mix different types for a lot of visual interest) or even food, like tomatoes or strawberries. Or herbs. A vertical garden can also double as a privacy fence for your patio.

In small spaces, you could even put a little bit of trellis above a planter box allowing annuals or perennials to climb up each year. Remember to water deeply, until water runs out the bottom, and dead head your blooms to encourage more growth. 

Art Knapp has 15 locations across British Columbia and is well known as the go-to garden centre for everything garden-related. Art Knapp, himself, began the business in the 1940's, and now, 80 years later, you can find more than he ever dreamed of in our stores. Come and see us on King George Boulevard in Surrey. 

If you have any questions about this article or want to talk to us about gardening, just give us a call at (604) 596-9201.