Small Apartment Gardening Ideas
Small apartment gardening has been increasing in popularity in recent years. People are staying in smaller apartments and are using their space more like a patio, as opposed to a garden. Some people are even living in smaller residences, so the amount of floor area they have is much smaller than it once was. It seems like everyone is wanting to have a small apartment and garden all year round. If you are someone who is considering apartment gardening, here are some small apartment gardening ideas to get you started:
A small container garden can be an effective way to grow your own vegetables. The problem is that many apartment dwellers do not have large enough backyards to build a proper vegetable garden. If you are lucky enough to have a backyard, a raised bed garden may work well for you. It can also be a great way to reduce your apartment maintenance costs. All you need to do is set the bed up in the corner of your apartment or on the front of your apartment building. Since it is small, it will not take up much of your apartment’s space.
Larger vegetables, such as squash, can be grown in large pots. However, these vegetables will take up more room, plus they are much heavier. Growing vegetables in pots also takes up much of your apartment’s cooling system and will require frequent watering. When you are growing larger plants, such as cucumbers, tomatoes, peppers and leafy greens, you can add some gravel to help the soil retain moisture. The benefit of this is that the roots of the plants can get the nutrients that they need.
You can have a small apartment garden in your kitchen. You can grow most of your produce in a raised bed with an additional pot for vegetables and ornamental plants. In addition to being inexpensive, having a small garden allows you more freedom when creating meals. You can use the vegetables in the winter for soups and casseroles, and then put them right into your gardens in the spring. When you have more money, you can buy fancier equipment to harvest your crops.
Many apartment dwellers don’t have a lot of garden space. If you have a small balcony at the back of your apartment, you could use it to grow vegetables. This way you won’t have to worry about trimming the vines. Also, if you live on the first floor, you can use your balcony to grow small flowering plants, such as herbs, perennials and flowers.
If you don’t have a balcony, you can grow your vegetables in your kitchen window. This works best if you have a small window with plenty of light. Just make sure the plants you select are not too tall or wide for the window frame. Since you want to see the colors of your vegetables, pick ones that are in shades of red, yellow or orange. Since they will be in direct sunlight most of the day, they will usually need less watering than the vegetables you grown in the greenhouse.
You can also create small planters filled with flowers, herbs or vegetables. Using pots and pans that you keep outside helps you avoid pests. However, keep in mind that your pots should be made of cast iron or stainless steel to prevent rust. Most garden ideas focus on using pots that have lids or containers that can be put on trays indoors.
Other small round garden ideas include using planters for herbs, or creating small ponds or water features in your garden. One important thing to remember is that you don’t have to do everything in a single afternoon. Try a few different things at a time and don’t get frustrated if it takes more than one day to get your garden appearing how you want. It will reward you when you sit down to enjoy the fruits of your labor.