Spring is here. The weather is changing, and now could be a good time to use that green thumb to add some color and decor with a garden. However, if you’re looking to find an apartment, the thought of adding a garden can seem downright impractical.
Small patios, cramped spaces and lack of sunlight don’t have to be impediments to adding some green ambiance to your apartment living.
So, if you’ve decided to focus on your moving checklist and crossed apartment garden off your wish list, here are a few tips to turn your urban patio and even your windowsill into an outdoor surprise.
1. Climate, Season and Sunlight
If you are still looking to find an apartment, the available sunlight makes a big difference. But so does the type of garden. Consider types of annuals depending on the season. For example, cold hardy snapdragons bloom in fall, are quiet during winter and come alive again in spring. Begonias are a great summer annual that do not always require full sun.
Choosing plants according to climate, season and sunlight adapted to where you live, will provide for optimal growth and can add some nice color to an apartment patio or sill.
2. Space Saving
If patio space is at a premium, consider a trellis or hanging pole. These are great space savers allowing a garden to spread vertically rather than horizontally. Hanging poles are quite common and great ways to grow tomatoes.
If patio space is non-existent, don’t fret. A windowbox can double as its larger than life cousin, the planter box. Hung from a windowsill, even a railing, that apartment garden can still become a reality.
3. Try Containers
With minimal room for large pots, some flowers, herbs and vegetables thrive in small containers. That empty canning jar, painted tomato cans and nearly anything can be substituted as a space-saving container for your apartment garden. We’re only limited by our own creativity.
When choosing a container, ideally, you want to ensure that it is large enough so as not to constrain the root system. Multiple plants in small spaces can compete for space, thus inhibiting growth.
Small apartment living space does not automatically mean the loss of a green thumb. However, a little research will yield many options that’ll add some style, color and possibly even put food on your table.
