As food prices seem to raise and people become more aware of what is and isn’t going into their food, gardening is becoming a much more popular option. In a study conducted in 2009 by the Garden Writer’s Association Foundation, they found that over 41 million households in the US created their own vegetable garden.

Many people are aware of the perks of gardening – knowing where your food comes from, being a stress reliever, and it’s more sustainable than buying food that’s been shipped across the country. But what about actually doing it? Perhaps you feel that there aren’t enough hours in the day, you don’t have enough space or you can’t really imagine yourself doing it.

But that’s where Urban Gardening comes into play! It’s pretty much what it sounds like; using your limited space (ie: city living) in such a way so that you can grow your own food. Here are some ways to utilize limited space:

• Container Gardening: If all you have is a balcony, or porch – then this could work for you! Essentially, you can use anything that can hold soil and water – old kiddie pools or just regular plastic containers!

• Indoor Gardening: This is essentially growing plants on your windowsill. You’re need to take into account environmental factors like lighting or watering than if you were outside. This is also an excellent technique for growing herbs like mint or basil.

• Community Gardening: Don’t have any space at home? You can do a search in your local area for community gardens; you can either rent a plot of land that you tend yourself or everyone helps each other.

• Guerilla Gardening: Are you interested in just randomly planting fruits and vegetables around your city? Well, that’s guerilla gardening – beautifying urban spaces. Some ways include throwing ‘seed bombs’ or by secretly planting food among ornamental plants.

Gardening can become a great way to not just improve your eating habits, but to also bond with others with similar interests. Sometimes it’s not just about growing food for yourself, but for others as well, and empowering everyone through gardening and food sustainability. Growing your own food can be made both affordable and fun – all you have to do is start.