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There is no doubt that modern city life has its conveniences, some of them are such a part of our lives that we barely notice their importance. However, it also creates a gap and ignorance about nature, its cycles and its basic functioning. Managing a small vegetable plot can be a good way of overcoming this pitfall, a useful and educational hobby –especially if you have children at home- which enables us to become familiar with tasks such as sowing seeds, growing, harvesting, crop rotation, the ripening process, and the plant diseases and pests we must tackle. 

All this on a small scale, with a low cost and little effort, and with the satisfaction of being able to eat products that we have produced ourselves. To achieve this we can make use of a small area of the garden, if we have one, or simply use the balcony. There are several companies which offer a catalogue for small urban vegetable gardens, consisting of plant pots placed at one or two levels on a tubular structure, along with a few elements for looking after plants, as well as an introductory book on plant growth. 

Requirements

In order for the plants we grow to develop correctly, we must first bear in mind that this balcony or area of the garden must receive around 5 or 6 hours of direct sunlight per day. It is also recommendable to have a tap close by in order to make the task of watering easier. This must be done once a day, unless you opt for a trickle irrigation system. In terms of fertiliser, the most suitable is organic fertiliser. In spring, it is advisable to add ten kilos of worm compost per metre squared and then add a further two kilos every four months. 

In terms of the most suitable plants, this will naturally depend on what you want to eat and the time you have available to look after them. Simple, quick-growing products are radishes and lettuces. The most recommendable option is to combine several different species, bearing in mind that not all species are compatible: tomatoes, for example do not work well with peppers, aubergines or potatoes. This blog in which the author recounts the everyday experience of looking after an allotment, can be a useful guide for someone who is interested in getting started but does not really know what they are going to discover. If you want expert advice, this book will be an appropriate manual. 

Allotments for pensioners

In addition to your own vegetable plot, there is also the allotment option which councils such as that of Barcelona and Santander have made available to pensioners. 
In order to obtain an allotment, the interested party must register, and if their name is drawn out, they will be allotted a small plot and will receive some tools and technical advice, so long as they commit to fulfil a series of rules, such as paying for their own seeds and plants, using their produce for their own consumption and not using the plot for any purpose other than that established.

Related articles:

- Little gardeners

- Eco-cities