Submitted by: Danielle Labonte, MPH, MAN, RD
Registered Dietitian and Public Health Nutritionist Leeds, Grenville and Lanark District Health Unit
If land isn’t available or you don’t have the time to travel to a community garden there are other options. One solution is container gardening, where you grow vegetables and plants in boxes or bins, instead of in the ground. This way, you can have a garden on your balcony or deck. Container gardening can include beets, beans, cabbage, carrots, cucumber, eggplant, green onions, lettuce, collards, bok choy, spinach, kale, tomatoes, peppers, and radishes. It is helpful to learn about which vegetables grow well in different sized containers. In addition to size, other points to learn about include container drainage, soil and fertilizing, water and light, planting and grooming, and insects and disease. Don’t be discouraged by this list. Some of these issues are straightforward and easily dealt with, for example, containers don’t have to be a big expense. No balcony or deck? Consider using windowsill gardens and include herbs in your gardening plans. You can use them when you cook up the veggies or dry or freeze them for use all winter long. You can find excellent information about container gardening from Master Gardeners of Ontario, www.landscapeontario.com.
