Introducing my Vegepod!

I recently got my hands on this medium sized Vegepod and I’m a massive fan! I’ve had it for 4 months (18 weeks) and in this time I have enjoyed lots of leafy greens and the pleasure of sitting and tending to my plants in a raised planter, something I have not been able to do before, because as most of you can relate, I am usually squatting or kneeling when fussing about my plants. 

I had been thinking of establishing a garden bed to grow green leafy vegetables and herbs at home, and as with all gardening decisions, I have to consider my curious chickens who are useful at turning over a spent vegetable bed but they also enjoy digging in the ones they are not supposed to! Also, the occasional mynah comes around and uproots my seedlings, which is pretty annoying. For many of my planters, I use cloches – which I make using chicken wire, and I also use plastic mesh to protect my plants.

Fortunately, the Vegepod comes with a netted hood, which help to keep these predators and many other pests out. It is optional for you to use, but aside from the protection, I appreciate the shade it offers – in this case 17%, which helps when I am growing plants that may not be acclimatised to our steamy tropical climate yet. 

What exotic plants am I growing? Nothing exceptionally unique, but the seeds are mainly from overseas – curly and Tuscan kale, cherry tomatoes, sweet basil, dill, Italian parsley, nasturtium, white borage, red spinach and a purple carrot. One of the curly kale plants look really small, that is because I had just transplanted it not long ago.

I have placed my Vegepod in a spot which gets morning and mid day sun till around 2pm, depending on the time of the year. Previously I had grown lettuce and I could tell that the amount of sun was adequate because it did not taste bitter. The two kinds of kale also taste good, with no bitter taste, so this is definitely a good place for them to grow. The red spinach is definitely crying for more sun and the tomato plant seems to want more sun too, but are otherwise doing well.

I received this medium sized version from Blair and Philippa of Vegepod Singapore, who requested that I try it out. I’m not obliged to promote or write a post but I truly love this product and I am even considering buying another.  These are the reasons why I love it:

Raised Beds

I’ve opted to get a stand with my garden beds. With raised beds, I don’t have a snail issue, and it’s a lot more ergonomic and makes for more comfortable gardening. I have placed a chair next to the Vegepod so that I can sit and tend to my plants. It has become a daily morning and evening ritual for me to sit and observe my Vegepod, it’s amazing how much plants can grow on a daily basis.

Self Wicking Beds

The Vegepod has water reservoirs so I don’t have to water the soil everyday, and I can get away with watering once every 2-3 days if it doesn’t rain. Through capillary action, water “wicks” into the soil from the reservoirs, so plant roots have access to the moisture it requires. In the event that I overwater, there are overflow holes for excess water to drain out of the planter.

Protective Cover

Other than keeping out pesky birds and chickens, and giving shade to plants which might not have acclimatised here yet, I’ve found that the protective cover offers good protection for seedlings that I’m hardening off. As mentioned earlier, the cover offers 17% shade, and I leave my seedlings in growing punnets in the Vegepod at times, and they have been doing very well. The netting also keeps out lots of pests, but really small ones, like spider mites and aphids can still get in. 

The Vegepod comes with misting sprays, and these are optional to install on the cover. If you choose to use the misting method of watering your plants, you will have to place your planter near a water point. I have opted to water my plants manually due to preference, and when it rains, water permeates the cover so I don’t have to water them.

Sturdy, Good Quality Product

Personally, I find the Vegepod smart-looking and visually appealing.  The garden bed component is made of food grade safe polypropylene, and UV stabilised so that it can last for at least 10 years – this is important given our harsh sunlight. The stands are made of galvanised steel and powder coated black, and seems very strong and sturdy.  

The Vegepod was easy to assemble and there are some highly entertaining videos on the website that can help you put it together with ease. I certainly preferred the videos to the instruction sheet in the box, you’ll see what I mean when you take a gander. I put this together myself so I’m pretty proud of it!

Overall I am pretty impressed with the Vegepod and I would recommend this to those who can afford the space. It comes in three sizes – small (0.5m x 1m), medium (1m x 1m) and large (2m x 1m), and you can view it in the flesh at Candy Floriculture, SinFlora and Eco-Scape. You can also find Blair and Philippa at Gardener’s Day Out each month at Hort Park. For more information on this product, visit Vegepod Singapore. 

Please share your Vegepod photos with me on Instagram! I’d love to see what you are growing! I’ve been trying to pack my planter with as many plants as possible, and I find this a good exercise in bio-intensive growing. I will continue to share my Vegepod photos on Instagram Stories, so please join me there, where I also share all kinds of gardening and farming stuff!