Farming and gardening are at the heart of our community. We love having a working commercial farm and a local farmer who shares his passion and expertise with homeowners and their children.
We know that starting a garden can be daunting. We try to help by providing community gardens where our local farmer can help homeowners develop their green fingers. If people want to start smaller, we also recommend patio gardeners.
Gardening on the patio and porch is growing in popularity, and it’s easy to see why. Easy to create and manage, a patio garden can allow people with little or no garden to enjoy all the benefits of their own garden in a lot less space.
The joy of having fresh produce, herbs and flowers available from plants that you grow and care for yourself is a big reason many people choose to garden on the patio. After all, adding fresh ingredients to delicious dishes is so much easier when those ingredients are just feet away. Another inspiration for many patio gardeners is simply the ability to create their own relaxing, natural, and vibrant space right outside their door.
Starting your patio garden is probably easier than you might think. All it takes is a few decisions and some initial investment and research. After that you can enjoy your new patio garden – of course with a little care!
First you need to decide where you want to set up your garden. Any room that is level and gets plenty of sunlight will work. However, be sure to consider the exact range. Choose a spot with the right amount of sunlight (at least six hours a day is recommended), which may vary depending on your plants. Also consider the proximity of your plants to a water source, as hot summers call for lots of water.
Second, be creative! Terraced gardens are an excellent opportunity to try your green fingers on a variety of plants. Flowers, herbs, vegetables and even small trees are easy to grow on a patio as long as they are positioned to take advantage of the right amount of sunlight. Thanks to Texas’ warm summers and moderate winters, many plants thrive here.
Finally, you need to choose your planters. Choosing the right containers for your plants affects both the health of your plants themselves and the overall style/”feel” of your garden. Containers can take almost any shape: planters, buckets, whiskey barrels, even old suitcases. When choosing, it’s important to consider the soil needs of your plants – smaller plants mean smaller root systems and vice versa. Another consideration is mobility: some plants benefit from being able to move in or out of direct sunlight depending on the time of day. In these cases, mobile planters or pot trolleys are helpful because you can move them around the patio as needed.
Try it! You’ll be surprised how much fun gardening can be!
