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Gardening is healthy, rewarding, and a great way to spruce up any home. But those of us who live in urban areas often feel frustrated by the limited space that comes with life in the city. Most apartment dwellers may only have a porch, balcony, patio, or even window seal to work with, and end up never putting their green thumb to good use. For those who are willing to think outside the box and get creative, however, here’s what to keep in mind when gardening in small spaces.
Don’t Let Space Go to Waste
The wise urban gardener knows that, even in the smallest living spaces, there’s more room for gardening than first meets the eye.
The best way to take advantage of every cubic inch of any growing space, is to garden vertically. Floor space is extremely limited in most city apartments, but many different plants can be trained to easily grow up fencing, walls, trellises, and poles. Beans, tomatoes, peas, and cucumbers are all great choices for upward growth.
Buying layered, hanging, and tapered planters is also a great way to take advantage of vertical space. These can be found at most any garden supply story.
Containers of All Kinds
Once you’ve thought outside the box about where to garden, it’s time to think about what to plant in. This is a great opportunity for the home gardener to get creative, because almost any container can be used for planting as long as it’s the right size. Antique tins, bath tubs, coffee cups, and grandpa’s old spittoon are great planter ideas to add a little quirkiness to a garden.
When choosing a container, keep the size the plant will eventually become in mind. Will it grow too tall or too wide for the space? How much room will be need for the roots? Not having enough room to grow will stunt the growth of the plant or even kill it. Also, any container that will be planted in should have holes in the bottom to allow for drainage or excess water.
Choose Plants Wisely
Choosing the right plants for your garden is a crucial step in making the most of the space you do have. While we’d all love to grow whatever plants our hearts desire, the size and location of our gardening space may have more of a say than we do.
Plants that grow too big will only help to make the space feel even smaller than it did before. Opt for smaller “dwarf” varieties which can be planted in pots when choosing vegetables or fruits to grow in your space. This will allow you to plant a greater variety, and guests will be astounded to find a miniature apple orchard on the back patio.
The size of your space isn’t the only factor to consider when decided what to plant where. Climate and sunlight also dictate what will grow in your garden. Some plants simply need more sunlight than others, so be sure to keep an eye on how much sunlight your space receives and choose plant varieties accordingly. Because some plants will also finish earlier than others, gardeners who live in places with shorter growing seasons should select early-bearing varieties of fruits and vegetables.
