Gardening isn’t just for people with large backyards. If you’re passionate, you can garden within your apartment. And it won’t cost you much time and money. The best part is that indoor gardens will transform your space. Here’s how you can build one.
What You Need for an Apartment Garden
The first thing you need is a container. You can buy the containers or make them yourself. If you decide to buy them, you’ll come across many sizes, shapes, and materials. They can be round plastic materials or rectangular wooden boxes. You can also get small containers or baskets to hang on the walls.
But if you have buckets or wood in your house, you can make the garden yourself. Take a bucket and make a hole at the bottom for drainage. Alternatively, take pieces of wood and attach them using nails or epoxy glue from Lepage to make wooden containers.
Then follow these steps:
• Scoop soil from the top of the ground and mix it with organic materials to make it fertile and create air spaces.
• Else, buy potting soil or potting mix, which is ideal for growing plants in containers.
• Add the soil to the container but don’t fill it to the brim. Ensure the container has a drainage hole at the bottom.
• Place the container in a suitable place in your house near the window or the balcony.
After you’ve done that, your garden will be ready for planting. But what will you plant? Here are a few suggestions.
What to Plant in Your Apartment Garden
As a beginner, you may want to start with indoor-friendly plants. Luckily, most plants will grow fine provided they have access to sunlight. If you’re more interested in decorating your apartment, you can plant flowers.
Most people prefer vegetables because they don’t take up much space. Plus, vegetables will serve as food. Why not try plants like tomatoes, lettuce, spinach, carrots, onions, beans, and garlic?
You can also plant trees that don’t grow very tall. But you might need larger containers for trees because the roots are more extensive.
How to Take Care of Your Home Garden
Once you have your plants, keep monitoring them to ensure they’re healthy. Water them regularly but not too much to cause waterlog. Without a drainage hole, the water can block oxygen from getting to the roots and cause them to rot. It can also make the soil compact and kill helpful bacteria. To avoid this problem, some prefer to use potting mix.
Indoor plants need access to natural light. So, place them near the window, the balcony, or any outdoor space you might have. If you can’t get enough natural light, you can complement it with artificial lighting.
Assuming you’re using ordinary garden soil, you may want to add fertilizer to provide nutrients to the plant. Also, check out for signs of pests.
Benefits of Having Indoor Plants
Some urban areas have fewer trees and air circulation issues. Having a garden in your apartment can help provide clean air in the house. It can also boost your mood and improve your mental health.
If you plant vegetables and fruits, you have access to organic food. And if you plant flowers, your apartment will look nice. Most importantly, you’ll create a stress-free environment that is good for the entire family.
Building an apartment garden is possible even in small apartments. If you don’t have sufficient floor space, you can hang baskets on the wall to grow your plants. Alternatively, you can build shelves and create a vertical garden. Passionate about gardening and don’t have a backyard? Make good use of the little space available.
