Growing Your Garden
Whether or not you have a large gardening space or a small one bedroom apartment there are many ways to be able to start your garden or expand one that you already have.
For starting out all you need is a pot, sun, good soil and water source.
Below you will see some easy ways to start your own garden such as windowsill gardening, small space gardening, using a hydroponics system or different planters that can be used.
Different Types of Gardens
A windowsill garden is a small collection of plants that grow in a windowsill either in your home or out on a small patio space. Some things to consider when creating your windowsill garden is sunlight, containers and maintenance.
- Sunlight: The windowsill or patio should receive at least 5 hours of sunlight per day so plants that need full sun can thrive.
- Containers: Different containers can be used to create your windowsill garden such as tin cans, mason jars, wooden boxes and more.
- Maintenance: Part of maintenance is a watering schedule and also pruning and harvesting plants in small containers.
This method of gardening is a way to grow vegetables at any time of the year, anywhere and uses fewer resources. What you need to begin this exciting process is:
Fresh Water
Oxygen
Root Support
Nutrients
Light
You can click on the link below to see what Hydroponic System best fits your lifestyle and budget!
5 Tips on Small Space Gardening:
1. Using Raise Beds - Using small garden boxes to create raised beds allows you to grow more then individually planting pots or using in ground techniques.
2. Keep Seedlings Coming - Whenever one crop is harvested, have seedlings ready to transplant in its place.
3. Interplant - “Interplanting” or “intercropping” is the practice of planting small crops in between bigger ones; the small, fast-growing crops will be ready before the big ones need the extra space.
4. Plant Companions - The best intercropping partners are companion plants that have different demands and complement each other.
5. Grow Up, Not Out - Make sure to use a trellis or support system for vine plants so they can grow upwards instead of spreading across the ground.
Earth Boxes: They are large self watering boxes and very easy to use.
Plant-Friendly Smart Pots: They are made of black polypropylene and are easy to grow vegetables and herbs indoors and outdoors.
Grocery Bag Planters: Reusable grocery bags are a great inexpensive way to grow vegetables and herbs inside your small space or on the patio.
Straw Bale Gardens: With straw bale gardens the good thing about them is that they can be placed anywhere but they do require some work.
Large Baskets: Finding second hand baskets at thrift stores is an affordable and recyclable way to grow a small vegetable garden particularly salad greens and herbs.
Hanging Baskets: These are another great affordable way to have a garden inside small spaces or outside on your patio.
