Secrets to growing and caring for vegetables on the terrace

Prepare irrigation water

Many families plant vegetables first, sow seeds first, and then pay attention to watering the plants. This makes growing vegetables quite difficult and tiring when carrying water from the lower floors to the rooftop to grow vegetables.

To prepare for vegetable gardening, you should design a watering system. If you do not have the conditions, you can buy and install plastic pipes connecting from the adjacent floor to the terrace. If you have the conditions, you can install an automatic watering system to both save on maintenance and ensure that the plants still grow green while you are away from home for a few days.

Pay attention to the sunlight

You want to grow vegetables on the terrace, do you pay attention to the sunlight shining on the terrace every day? Plants always need enough light to photosynthesize and grow healthily. Therefore, if your terrace is covered by surrounding high-rise buildings, choose shade-loving plants.

Too much sun on the terrace can also cause plants to grow slowly and stunted. If it is on a high floor, consider choosing heat-resistant plants. However, if you want to grow a variety of vegetables, you should consider installing a shade net to reduce heat on the terrace to limit sunlight on the floor.

Soil improvement after each crop

The soil for growing vegetables on the terrace will become discolored after 1-2 crops because the plants have taken all the nutrients, so you need to improve the soil. After harvesting all the vegetables, pour the soil out to dry in the sun for 5-7 days before improving the soil:

First, sprinkle a small handful of lime powder into each vegetable pot and mix well. Exposing the soil and sprinkling lime powder is intended to eliminate pathogens and pest larvae in the soil.

Increase soil porosity by mixing in rice husks, sawdust, coconut fiber...;Mix more fertilizer into the soil.

One note is not to plant the same type of vegetable in the same pot of soil for two consecutive crops to avoid pests and diseases.

Choose the right container or pot

Pots are an indispensable element when growing vegetables on the terrace. You need to choose pots suitable for each type of vegetable you intend to grow:

For short-term leafy vegetables such as: Chinese cabbage, lettuce, water spinach, amaranth... choose a pot about 12-15cm high, with a layer of soil about 10-12cm thick.

For root crops such as carrots and radishes, the pot must be more than 20cm high, ensuring a 20cm thick layer of soil.

For long-term vegetables such as kohlrabi, cauliflower, cabbage, and some melons such as watermelon, cucumber, cantaloupe... you should use large foam boxes.

The next step is to punch drainage holes: Holes should be punched on the body, about 5cm from the bottom of the barrel or pot. This will help prevent irrigation water from flowing away and avoid washing away fertilizer.

Seed selection and processing

Seeds should be purchased from reputable places, with an expiry date and intact packaging. For some types of seeds with hard shells such as cucumbers, watermelons, squash, etc., you need to process them before sowing: Soak them in warm water overnight and then put them in a clean cloth to incubate. During the incubation process, make sure the incubation package is always moist. When the seeds sprout, sow them in the ground.

Note: the sprouts that grow from seeds are roots, when sowing you need to let these sprouts face down to the ground.

Fertilize properly

Fertilizer is an important factor when growing vegetables on the terrace, it helps plants grow and develop. Fertilization depends on each type of vegetable and each stage of development: Leafy vegetables need a lot of nitrogen, stem and root vegetables need a lot of phosphate, fruit vegetables need a lot of potassium. Fertilizer can be inorganic (chemical fertilizer) and organic fertilizer.

You should choose organic fertilizer because this type is environmentally friendly. Chemical fertilizers used improperly will make the soil sour, harden and affect health if the isolation period is not reasonable. You can buy organic fertilizers at agricultural supply stores such as vermicompost, processed cow manure...; you can take advantage of household waste to make fertilizer.

Planting in season

Nowadays, most vegetables can be grown year round, however, growing vegetables at the right time will help them grow best and avoid pests and diseases.

Irrigation water

Water is an important factor for the growth of plants and vegetables. For families growing vegetables on the terrace, the main source of irrigation water is tap water, and for the vegetables to grow best, you should pump the water into a container, leave it for about 2 hours for the chlorine gas to evaporate, then use it to water the vegetables.

It is necessary to check and water the plants regularly, do not let the plants lack water or get too waterlogged. In the dry season, water twice a day, early in the morning and cool in the afternoon. In the rainy season, water according to the weather.