Gardening in a small space

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Gardening in a small space

Unfortunately, not every wannabe gardener can afford a house or plot of land in which to plant a garden. However, there are definitely ways to maximize your small space to create a cute, maybe even functional, garden.

First, you need to think of your available spaces. For many people the fire escape, balcony or patio, hand rails, walls, windowsills, or along the side of the building will have a sufficient amount of space.

Many apartment dwellers have a patio where they can grow so plants. There endless possibilities for patio gardening and it’s encouraged that you get as creative as you want!

A pallet garden consists of a pallet that most people can usually find behind supermarkets next to dumpsters. Add some landscape fabric to the back of the pallet so you don’t damage the wall that the pallet will rest against. Cascading shrubbery is good for pallet gardening make the pallet look fuller.

If you’d like to get especially artsy, you can plant a small garden in an old dresser. You have to get plants that can grow in shallow containers like herbs, lettuce, onions, cucumbers, carrots, radishes, strawberries, weigela, begonias, and cannas. You will need a solid, untreated wood dresser. If they dresser has been treated (AKA paint or stain), line the bottom of the drawers so chemicals don’t get in the plants. Drill some holes in the bottom of the drawers and fill the drawers with organic potting soil. Remember to consider spacing instructions for your plants and to put them in appropriate sunlight. If you’d like this idea, but don’t have space outside, keep potted plants inside!

If you want to keep it simple, have several potted plants. Though potted plants can sometimes be considered easier than a normal garden, they require more waters and are more susceptible to weather changes. And remember that even though multiple plants in one pot can make for a fuller looking plant, overcrowding will cause them to die. A time-release fertilizer will usually help with this. The type of pot you use doesn’t usually make much of a difference, though the size of the pot definitely affects the growth of the plant. Many gardeners choose fun containers, such as old shoes or chairs, to grow potted plants in.

Window boxes are also always an option. Avoid using window boxes that are clear or metal because it will heat the plant too much. You will have to secure the window box with bolts or wire. After that, cover the bottom with landscape fabric, fill the box about a quarter full with soil, and stir in some compost.

If you know that you’ll be in your dwelling for a few years, you can use a trellis against a wall to train any slow-growing shrub or herb such as cotoneaster, juniper, or yew to grow up the trellis for an appealing ivy-walled look. It does take quite a while to get them to grow, however, so make sure you have enough time.