Whether out of necessity or to just try something new, more people are becoming interested in gardening. However, many people may feel intimidated or that they can't grow the food they want to because they don't have a big enough yard for a garden or they live in an apartment or condo and have to grow on a patio or balcony.

Gardening is in my blood. I grew up helping my mom tend our garden and harvest fruits and vegetables. We didn't have a lot of money so the garden was a way to save money on the grocery bill during the peak growing times of the year. When I moved out on my own and lived in apartments and rental homes, I continued growing my favorite vegetables and flowers on the balcony or deck. It helped me save money and was overall an enjoyable hobby.

This class is about creating a small space edible garden, with a focus on container gardening. It's perfect for renters, people who live in apartments or condos or those who don't have the space (or time) to dedicate to a big garden.

It'll cover:

containers--pros and cons of each type
location pointers and issues
tips for veggie growing--what grows best in your area,
companion planting to keep pests away and nurture beneficial insects (with PDF chart of most popular combinations)
planning and considerations (e.g., grouping plants with similar watering requirements together, thinking of size issues, etc.) This will also show how to plan.
a video showing the planting of one of the most common veggie combinations: tomatoes and basil (maybe parsley, too).
Resources including books, websites, seed company links.

The project will be two parts

Part 1: Creating a garden plan. Students will draw their plan, whether it's in a container or a group of containers. They can take a photo and post it.
Part 2: Post a picture of the container garden.

Andrea Ayres

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