How to Start an Apartment Garden

You can grow a small garden anywhere so if you live in a tiny apartment and you don’t have a garden or even a balcony then do not fear, all hope is not lost, you can still have yourself a little garden to tend to and to make your apartment look beautiful. It is entirely possible for your indoor apartment garden to be full of pretty flowers, herbs, fruits or vegetables or all of the above; all you need to do is to get started.

Start Small

Don’t go all in at the beginning and then fail because it’s too much to take care of, start small.  Get one or two small pots and start by growing something like a cherry tomato plant in one pot and some coriander in another. Place the pots by the window so they can get some natural sunlight and make sure you have access to water.

Research Your Plants

Once you’ve started with a couple of plants and you’re getting in the habit of looking after them, then you can think about what else you want to incorporate into your garden. Find out which plants need smaller or bigger plants, which plants work better together, which are the easiest ones to grow and what can be grown well inside. Herbs are a great idea and can be extremely useful if you enjoy cooking.

Save Space

Even in the smallest of spaces, you can create more space for your garden. Try multi-tiered planters as you can put these in just one corner of your apartment, they will look beautiful, and you can grow several different types in one place.

Use Outdoor Spaces

If you have a balcony no matter what size it is, you can get some small pots or even window boxes. These will give you more space for growing your plants and also decorate your windows or any outdoor area you have access to.

Grow Up, Not Out

Use the vertical space you have in your apartment as much as possible. Apart from pictures on walls then this space isn’t used and certainly not as much as floor space, so check out some vertical planting ideas such as wall-hanging plant holders and vertical bamboo planters which can go just about anywhere, a vertical garden and even an upside-down planter which you can hang anywhere.

Let The Sunshine In

Plants and flowers need sunshine and water, and that is why most are outdoor. However, you can get adequate sunlight in your apartment; you just need to make sure you place your plants in the best place for it. If you have a balcony or rooftop you can use then that’s great, if not then try windowsills or make sure you choose the best indoor plants which don’t need as much sunlight. If you need to invest in a grow light, then that is an option too and means you don’t have to worry about the weather.

Choose Your Soil Well

Plants also need soil, and as you are planting inside, then you can’t use ordinary garden soil as you will be using pots. Pots mean that there is no space for water to flow through or for air to get in, so get yourself an excellent well-draining potting mix.  This will be sterile to a certain extent so you won’t have to worry about diseases, and it also means that there will be air pockets for the roots to access and water can flow freely.

Keep Your Garden Hydrated

Your plants need water to grow, and if they’re inside, then you’re not going to get the benefit of the rain, so you need to make up for it yourself. Make sure you can access water easily in your apartment as carrying it up and down stairs isn’t ideal for anyone. You could get a hose and attach it to your taps if it reaches your plants. As you’re inside you will also need to give your plants extra humidity when you have the heating on so have a handy spray bottle nearby which you can use to spray them with a fine mist or place a tray of water on a nearby radiator.

While you might not be able to grow a full-sized tree in your small apartment garden, there are still loads of things you can grow, and once you get started, it will be difficult to stop. Soon you could have herbs, salad greens, tomatoes, chile peppers and strawberries brightening up your apartment.