Horticulture in Barcelona

Barcelona is known to be a cosmopolitan city, and this means many different things, one of which is that the level of ecological consciousness is much more developed than in other places. Many Barceloneses know that naturally cultivated horticulture, or vegetables, have a much better taste and are much healthier than many vegetables you find in a supermarket. Some people believe that the only way to make sure your vegetables are grown completely naturally, without any chemicals, is to do it yourself. This is one of the things that makes cultivating and caring for your own vegetables so fascinating, and one of the reasons why it’s booming in popularity. More and more people are starting to get their hands dirty and develop urban orchards and gardens both on their property and in different parts of the city. Today in this article from ShBarcelona, we’ll be talking about growing your own vegetables, a standard process that has become a health and gardening trend in many urban areas.

Related article: Urban gardens in Barcelona

Increasing health and sustainability with 100% ecological crops

Intensive agriculture, where chemical products are used to guarantee that the crop will flourish, is a process that has advantages and disadvantages. The process is meant to cover the needs of a hyper-consumerist society, in part thanks to overpopulation and in part thanks to the need we have for immediate gratification. It’s clear that this is a type of agriculture oriented towards supplying a ton of products in the face of high demand, with prices adjusted and under strict food safety guidelines. On the other hand, although the chemical levels that are found in fruits and other produce are within these authorized standards, many voices worry that these quantities can be harmful to your health if they are consumed in high levels, although there is not definitive scientific proof of this. Furthermore, much of intensive agriculture uses methods for growing produce more rapidly, which some say can cause many products to lose their flavor or the variety of their natural forms of nutrients.

Related article: Urban cultivation in Barcelona- what to grow?

For these reasons, many people have decided to grow and consume ecological produce to guarantee higher quality and healthier results. In addition, for some urbanites, agriculture has become a hobby within itself. Learning to cultivate different kinds of fruits and vegetables, controlling their growth and providing them with the nutrients and care they need to grow properly, recognizing the different stages of growth for produce and finally reaping the benefits of the work is a process that people become very invested in. There are other advantages to this work as well, as the cultivation is completely moderated by you, and you can enjoy the delicious flavors of food straight from your garden.

In Barcelona there are different urban gardens, all of which are managed by the Ayuntamiento de Barcelona, where you can plant your seeds and watch your produce grow. There is one important requirement for you to be able to access these gardens in Barcelona, and that is tbat these gardens are meant for senior citizens over the age of 65. The reasoning behind this is the hope to provide a better quality of life for those who are retired, by creating social ties within the community and giving them the opportunity to fill their time with a wholesome and satisfying activity. If you want more information, you can look here.

Do you grow vegetables and plants in an urban garden ?