There’s nothing like at-home gardening to bring a person back in tune with nature. From manifesting fresh fruits and vegetables and herbs to simply care taking and interacting with plants regularly, the ability to garden adds tons of amazing benefits to the lives of those who participate. However, with many people renting apartments and living with little to know land to call theirs, it can be somewhat difficult to get a garden up and running without some creativity. Try one of the following 10 methods available to get your garden going with minimal space.
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Container Gardening
Though your patio or apartment balcony might not seem like the perfect place to plant a garden, it can be with container planting. Using 5 gallon plastic containers and filling them with soil allows plants to grow root systems that foster positive, healthy growth patterns. You can also use moving tubs as well as regular pots for this kind of endeavor, as long as the pot is large enough to hold all the soil and space to grow that each plant needs.
Trellis Panels
If you only have a tiny area to grow plants in, using a designer trellis to fit your vertical garden setup might be the most efficient use of your allotted space. Many plants on the market are viney and more than able to be draped over a sturdy trellis and grow as expected. These vines can add a beautiful green aesthetic to any outdoor area too, especially when suspended in the air by a nice, sleek trellis. Consider getting some of the following flowering vine plants:
- Trumpet-shaped creeper vines
- Clematis vine
- Black-eyed Susan vine
- Bridal veil vine plant
Raised Bed Gardening
There are multiple ways to facilitate growth for plants, and creating self-contained environments for them to thrive in can be a pretty successful method. If you have a patio or balcony, you could use the available space to set up your own raised bed garden. To do it, simply build or purchase a flower box that extends for the length of your area, then begin planting an appropriate array of plants, veggies, and/or herbs. You won’t need the largest flower boxes in the world, considering that many plants manage to grow just fine as long as they have sufficient space for their root systems and other components. Some suggestions for patio or balcony plants include the following:
- Insect-repellant plants and grasses
- Herbs that release pleasant scents
- Unique wildflowers that grow by themselves
As family-oriented holidays such as Thanksgiving, Christmas, Hanukkah, and more arise, feel free to spice up your garden with some celebratory decor. Small LED lighting setups can transform any front porch raised garden into the main attractions during this holiday season. All in all, these raised bed gardens offer more opportunities for you to express your holiday spirit however you see fit.
Air Plants for Indoor Settings
Though it’s easy to assume that all plants require the traditional model involving pots and soil, that isn’t the case for every plant. Many plants require nothing but clean air and ample sunshine in order to capture nutrients needed for survival. These “air plants” don’t need soil, pots, or water, thus making them the perfect natural solution for small spaces. As long as they get sunshine and air that is above 60 degrees Fahrenheit, they are primed for successful growth, especially in indoor settings. Plus, due to their cute nature, many air plants operate well as decorative additions to species that could use some spicing up. Bring these little plants into the fold of your home’s decor by trying on of the following recommendations:
- Tuck the plants neatly into seashells
- House them in a floating shadow box on the wall
- Use them to decorate the pots where bigger plants live
Window Box Gardens
If you’re looking to host plants at your home all year-round, then there are planting solutions called window boxes that could allow you to do so effectively. Window box gardens lie on the outside of one’s home, usually positioned below a kitchen or bedroom window, and these boxes facilitate freestanding environments for planters to use for their gardens. Ferns, evergreens, wreaths, poinsettias, pinecones and twinkling lights are a few simple ideas that can be used to decorate your flower boxes during fall and winter.
Vertical Gardening
Small outdoor areas can turn up more gardening productivity than you might think. You don’t need a huge plot of land to put together an in-ground growing operation. As long as you have a 3’ x 3’ plot available, you can grow vertical sets of tomatoes, beans, peppers, and more. Even if you don’t have a plot of land available to you, you can even use a 5-gallon container to house your garden and soil. The only other thing that you’d need in order to grow plants vertically is a study pole that vines and stems can hold on to. You can always manipulate the plants to make sure that they interact efficiently with the poles you make available to them.
Planting Herbs
While vertical gardening saves on space and raised bed gardening excludes the need for land, there are even more compact versions of the gardening process, one of them being herbal gardening. When it comes to herbs, they are usually very small and they require minimal space for their root systems to spread out appropriately. The herb growth process requires way less space than vegetable gardening. It can also be made easier with herbal kits that can be found at many DIY gardening stores around the country. Oftentimes, these kits instructed gardeners to use different containers for each plant, and this is because many Mediterranean herbs, like thyme, oregano and rosemary, prefer free-draining soil. Basil, on the other hand, likes consistently moist soil, so it’s fine to plant basil in containers with other plants. It’s just a matter of what each individual plant’s needs are.
As your herb garden continues to grow, make sure that you are picking off leaves for use in dishes that you make in your kitchen. Mint, chives, basil and bay laurel can be excellent choices of herbs to keep in the kitchen. These herbs also provide a sweet aroma to one’s home as well.
Vertical Gardens for Medicinal Herbs
Though the prescription drug industry would have you think that medications are the only way to heal your body. Besides going natural in your daily routine, growing these herbs can help teach youngsters the value of plants. A few of these herbs include:
- Turmeric
- Lemon balm
- Spearmint
- Echinacea
Because herbs are perfect for small-space gardening, you can try your hand at several different natural medicinal aids to help your family and friends.
Hanging Basket Gardening
If you don’t have much ground space to host a garden with, you can always move things up by creating a hanging basket garden. This solution can work for both indoor and outdoor spaces, and there is nothing as aesthetically beautiful ass hanging baskets full of greenery. Plus, you have a huge selection of plants that could be an appropriate fit for your hanging basket garden, between flowing ferns, baby spider plants, berry plants, and more!
Gardening Cubes
Would you be interested in displaying your plants in an organized and modern way? Well you’re in luck, because organizer cubes allow gardeners to create individual protected spaces for all of the plants that they want to care for. These gardening cubes can then be stacked in a colorful block display while facilitating healthy growth among your selected plant.
If you happen in Garden Grove, check this out: Hire a tree expert to care for your garden in Garden Grove.