Regardless of space constraints, there are no more excuses for not growing your own garden. Whether indoors or outdoors, for less than $10, one recycled barrel can be an entire garden in itself growing 19 plants on the outside edge, and another 6 on top. With immense interest in organic produce worldwide, and the freedom to grow pesticide-free and Non-GMO fruits and vegetables, the demand is greater than ever for high quality home grown produce. Vertical barrel gardening may be the best option for those who want their green thumb while being tight on space.
Research has shown that people who have small plots of land for gardening tend to be significantly healthier than those who do not.
Researchers writing in BioMed Central's open access journal Environmental Health have shown that small gardens are associated with increased levels of physical activity at all ages, and improved health and well-being.
One of the many problems associated with gardening are space restrictions. Many people do not have access to small plots of land in their backyards or on their property for even a small garden. For those in apartments or condos, space is always an issue. That's where vertical barrel gardening comes in.
Considering a typical barrel costs less than $10 used and will last for decades, takes between 1-5 hours to modify depending on your skill with tools and how many you're making at once... this is one of the most cost-efficient, space-efficient, and practical ways of growing ever conceived!
One barrel can be virtually an entire garden in itself - plant the sides in strawberries, lettuce, potatoes, herbs, carrots, beets, and hundreds of other plants, and a tomato and pepper in the top!
They are very easy to build, requiring only a basic knowledge of tools, and they require only the floorspace of the container you use - for a 55 gallon drum it's about 10 square feet, for a 5-gallon bucket that's a little over 2 square feet, and a typical bucket holds a 19 pockets and another 6 plants on top!
This can save you hundreds, even thousands of dollars in grocery bills! A garden should take care of itself - and all you should have to do is plant it and pick it!
Visit the Easiest Garden Website for more ideas on compact gardening.
Natasha Longo has a master's degree in nutrition and is a certified fitness and nutritional counselor. She has consulted on public health policy and procurement in Canada, Australia, Spain, Ireland, England and Germany.
This first appeared in PreventDisease