Published on AuNatuel at https://aunatureluk.wixsite.com/mysite/post/balcony-gardens-who-needs-an-allotment-during-lockdown
Roberta Brandellero, 54, lives in Staro, near the Italian Alps. From February, she would spend some time getting her vegetable garden ready for summer but when Italy was put in lockdown due to the Covid-19 on 9 March 2020. Her garden was abandoned and she had to come up with a new strategy.
Roberta, a secretary, mother of two, loves growing fresh fruit and vegetable and has been mastered the art of gardening since she was little. “My family has always had a few patches of lands that they would use to grow food,” she told Au Naturel, including potatoes, beans, tomatoes, courgettes and many more.
During the lockdown in Italy, she started building her garden in her kitchen balcony. If you ever dreamt about juicy fresh tomatoes and delicious strawberries, then keep reading.
Growing up learning about the circle of the moon and the seasons, Roberta was very lucky to finally have her own garden once she was an adult. “Once I started, I couldn’t stop. When you grow your vegetables you notice straight away that the quality and the taste is way better than the supermarkets' veggies.” She picks up the camera and walks to her balcony to show off her handiwork. “This is where the magic is happening,” she says proudly showing off her new lot of land. The five-square metre balcony is filled with potted plants, including strawberries, raspberries, currants, blueberries, tomatoes, lettuce, beans, courgettes and lots of herbs.
So where to begin? Roberta recommends starting with herbs like sage, rosemary, basil, thyme and chives. They are perennial plants meaning it’s hard to kill them. “They are cheaper than getting herbs at the supermarket. They also don’t require too much space so you can hang them instead of flowers and they will still look and smell great," she says.
The secret to growing fresh, tasty herbs is to have a good exposition to the sun, and don’t overwater them, she says.
Roberta moves the camera towards the berry corner. Raspberries take root easily if exposed in the sunniest part of the balcony or garden. It’s another tough pant to kill and it resists cold winter. For best result, Roberta suggests trimming the dead branches before summer.
“Other berry plants are good for a balcony too. Berries are super expensive at the supermarket. If your plant produces lots, you can always freeze them for tasty smoothies or make jam.”
If you have room, your balcony can be the place to grow salad and tomatoes. "If you're a beginner start with plants rather than seeds,” she says.
Tomatoes are a bit more complicated. The plants need to be replaced every year because they cannot stand cold, or you can get some seeds from drying the last tomatoes you pick.
In a busy city like London, this seems to require a lot of time. Roberta says: “It’s a good way to relax because for a few minutes you only think about your plants and nothing else. If they die, don’t give up, you will be proud of yourself when you have the first results.” Now that Roberta can go back to her garden as lockdown rules were relaxed on May 4th, what she will do with her new one on the balcony? “My balcony-garden is the best thing I have done during the lockdown and I'm planning to keep it. I want to try growing more tomatoes, beans and lettuce for next year.” Download our quick guide to start your own garden!
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