An urban greenhouse can be as simple as a small tent-like enclosure of translucent plastic with simple shelving to hold pots of flowers and kitchen herbs, located on your apartment building balcony in the midst of a bustling city. City dwellers and suburban gardeners of all ages are learning the joys of growing their own food and cultivating fresh flowers in simple greenhouses that moderate existing weather conditions, capture daytime sun and provide the moisture and nurturing environment needed for plants to thrive. Easy-to-maintain small greenhouses can be purchased or DIY-built at minimal expense, as long as they are anchored in some way to the ground or some sort of foundation and protected by a clear or opaque plastic covering. All that is necessary for plant growth is light, air circulation, moisture, and a proper growing medium.
During this year of pandemic, while many Americans have been under stay-at-home mandates, backyard gardening and greenhouse growing has become more popular and more practical than ever before. Not since the days of World War II Victory Gardens have so many people planted seeds and nurtured the growth of leafy greens and small vegetables at home. Having a supply of freshly-picked favorite salad makings or nutritious peas and beans is comforting in important ways to individuals and families who haven't been able to associate freely with friends and family. It is a phenomenon that has been growing over the past decade, however. In 2012, the Scarborough market research firm reported that almost half of the nearly 164 million homeowners in the United States had spent time gardening during the previous year. Nearly half of those gardeners held full-time jobs, while only 22% were retired. In 2020, sales of indoor hydroponics kits, small portable greenhouses, and backyard gardening tools skyrocketed, and interest in small-scale greenhouse growing is expected to continue at a record pace throughout the country in 2021, in locations as diverse as small-town Alaska and big-city Brooklyn, sophisticated Dallas and small urban centers throughout the Heartland.
