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Urban Farming and Rooftop Gardens: Buildings That Breathe
- Poudre Press Staff
- Sep 9
- 4 min read
As the cost of fresh, good-quality, and safe-to-eat fruit and vegetables goes up, there is one simple solution: grow your own cheap, juicy, and fresh produce in your own backyard.
Having your own garden offers numerous benefits, saving your wallet, improving your health, and protecting the environment. Due to the natural benefits of growing your own veggies, you can save up to around $1500 per year (“How Much Money” 2016) from having your own garden. It is healthier and tastes better because your veggies don't have any pesticides and are freshly picked whenever you need them. The benefits to the ecosystem come from three places. The first,
according to the 2018 paper on “BIODIVERSITY AND THE FUTURE OF FARMING,” shows that 80% of all produce farms (e.g., tomatoes and other similar items) are monocultures (a farm where only one plant is ever grown), with monocultures being one of the most harmful ways to grow for our ecosystem (Seth Cook, 2018). Then there are the massive amounts of trucks that ship your food to you from across the country, and finally, the vehicle trips you save to the grocery store are heavily reduced as well. The garden also benefits you physically, as it gives you a reason to spend a little bit more time outside in the fresh air. My family frequently invites our neighbors to share in our fresh-picked delights, which creates a stronger community.
To create your own home garden, here is what you will need to start.
First, draw out how much space you have.
Second, think of what plants could grow well in your environment. In Colorado, I've found you can grow any non-specialized produce, like Cherry tomatoes, Roma tomatoes, Green Onions, and Cucumbers, just to name a few (CSU Vegetable Guide). These are all easy to grow and very common in cooking or just as a snack.
Third, creating a garden bed, there is a lot to consider when beginning this process, but the primary things to consider are where your plants will receive sunlight, how many plants you will have, and how you will water them. I would recommend having a small bed of 2 - 5 plants, which you can hand-water. If you need something more contained, you can use single potted plants or grow plants in a 2 L empty soda bottle.
Refer to the image, or just cut the top off and use it as a normal pot.
Fourth, now that you know what plant, we are going to plant. Pick out what you will plant it in, remember where you will put it, and you can begin to gather resources. Don't forget to get some fertilizer meant for your plants, as well as a watering can, whether you have an irrigation system or not.
Fifth, when placing the seed in its pot, create a hole about 2 cm deep and a pinky finger wide, place in it seed and lightly cover with dirt and fertilizer. Then give the seed one cup of water.
The majority of people give up on or kill their plants. To keep your plants alive, I recommend keeping a concrete schedule for when you water your plants and feed your plants. Due to how different all plants are from each other, I cannot give you perfect instructions, but as a starting point for all of the easy starting plants listed above, start with two cups of water per week, then the fertilizer or nutrient packet they need will have better instructions for how and when to use that. If you notice the plant turning yellow and falling over, give it more water, perhaps adding a half cup of water. If the plant has yellow leaves and is wilting or blistering with the soil still damp, it is being overwatered, and reduce the water by a half cup. Your plan also needs the right amount of sun; if it gets too little sun, it will get paper-like leaves that are dry. Place your plant in a shaded area; if the plant has few small leaves, place it in a sunny area. Either way, ensure your plant is receiving direct sunlight in a windowsill or other similar areas. I hope you enjoy your new future garden.
For more in-depth reading and help, visit CSU's own article on at-home gardening and farming here. (https://growgive.extension.colostate.edu/wp-ontent/uploads/sites/63/2021/01/Colorado-Vegetable-Guide-2.1.pdf)
Resources
Cook, Seth. “BIODIVERSITY AND THE FUTURE OF FARMING.” The Spice of Life: The Fundamental Role of Diversity on the Farm and on the Plate. International Institute for Environment and Development, 2018. http://www.jstor.org/stable/resrep16590.7.
“How Much Money Can You Save With Your Garden?” 2016. Abundant Mini Gardens. https://abundantminigardens.com/how-much-money-can-you-save/
Simon Belda is a junior in high school, and they are in their first year with the Poudre Press. They are known for being a leader on the robotics team, and they enjoy experiencing the natural and mechanical worlds through photography. After high school, they plan to attend an engineering college for aerospace engineering.
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