Winter brings cauliflower, cabbage, tomatoes, radish, carrots, spinach and much more to the markets, but several of these can be grown in a small space on a roof, a balcony or beside a window. A piece in Samakal's lifestyle pages, Shoili, sets out simple rules for growing winter vegetables in pots.
Where to grow them: a few tubs on the roof, hanging planters on the balcony or small pots by a window are enough to start. Wherever the pots go, the plants need light and air. Most winter vegetables need at least four to six hours of sun a day to grow well.
Tomatoes are among the easiest to grow on a balcony or roof. They do well in pots but need plenty of sun and regular watering, and cherry tomato varieties suit small spaces. Spinach grows fast, does well in containers with moderate sun and regular water, and can be cut several times from the same plants.
Radish is a good choice for beginners: it is ready to pull within a few weeks of sowing and needs only loose, moist soil. Beans can be trained upward on a trellis or other support, which makes them ideal for balconies; they need no special conditions beyond enough sun and regular water.
Lettuce grows well in cool weather and needs no large pot, but must be watered regularly; like spinach, its leaves can be picked several times in a season. Carrots send their roots deep, so the pot must be large and deep, with loose, moist soil.
The piece notes that although everything is on sale at the market, vegetables you grow yourself are a different pleasure, and a little space and care are enough for a few winter crops at home.
Photo: Jolly Janner / Wikimedia Commons (public domain)
Source: Samakal
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