{"id":286,"date":"2020-06-04T10:12:00","date_gmt":"2020-06-04T10:12:00","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/atableforone.co.za\/?p=286"},"modified":"2020-06-05T11:35:48","modified_gmt":"2020-06-05T11:35:48","slug":"an-urban-garden-in-4-square-metres","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/atableforone.co.za\/index.php\/2020\/06\/04\/an-urban-garden-in-4-square-metres\/","title":{"rendered":"Tips to grow an urban garden"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Andrew Macfarlane has always been an ideas man, working in advertising and now PR. It\u2019s what he does to put butter on his toast. The inspiration for his hanging garden was a combination of titbits. He had a colleague<\/a> who used to have his own homemade hydroponic system at the office. Andrew asked [him some questions about] how it worked, then moved on with his life.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

A few months later he was with a friend who owned a restaurant in the Cape Quarter Lifestyle Village, Bedouin Caf\u00e9 & Deli<\/a>. She told him that sometimes she struggles to buy mint for her Labneh, which is a delicious type of cheese. In the dark recesses of his mind, a little light went on and without even thinking he blurted out:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cI\u2019ll grow you tons of mint! I sort of know how hydroponics works.\u201d<\/p><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

This was the first step in his self-taught journey on becoming an urban farmer.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Urban farmer extraordinaire, Andrew Macfarlane.<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n

Andrew’s self-taught tips<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

Tip 1: Get the idea and just do<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Often when an idea pops up we\u2019re hesitant to act on it. In my case I had a rough idea of what it sort of looked like. I visited the local hardware store and came home with six metres of piping, a water pump, nine wall brackets, four spray paint cans \u2013 three weekends later it was done.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Tip 2: Be ready to fail<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

From killing a lot of plants to becoming a frequent, confused visitor in hardware stores, I\u2019ve had to eat a lot of humble pie. Like any new ideas there are bound to be some kinks so you need to keep adapting. I\u2019ve learnt more from my mistakes, for every project I\u2019ve undertaken only half have actually worked. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Tip 3: Experiment whenever you can<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Diversifying the way you grow your plants will allow you to see which way is best. I had two seedling trays growing seeds, one hydroponically and the other a normal seedling tray. I was amazed at the difference, and it was fun.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Tip 4: You\u2019ll need help <\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

My wife, a ceramic artist<\/a>, is always on hand to give me advice. She also provides 50% of the pots, both ground and hanging, in our backyard. We\u2019re always trying something new in the backyard, where I\u2019m the muscle and she\u2019s the brains.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Tip 5: Just keep going<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Often when undertaking a massive project, like the hanging hydroponic system, you need to keep the momentum going. If I\u2019d stopped half way through this project it would have never been completed.<\/p>\n\n\n\n