Plants in a small apartment can be as easy to maintain as plants in a larger apartment. There are also many advantages of apartment gardening, you don’t have to worry about the time it takes to grow and maintain a garden in your home, you will have less problems with pests and other issues since your apartment is a smaller environment. You will also find that it’s a very inexpensive way to have beautiful flowers and plants in your apartment.
The first thing that should be kept in mind is where your plants will be in the apartment. Different plants require different amounts of direct sunlight and others will need a little bit of indirect light. Also, be aware of temperature differences, some plants like the sun and will thrive in a hot sunny area while others need indirect sunlight to thrive. This means having windows with plenty of sunlight facing the plants can be beneficial.
When choosing what pots to use, there are many choices available. Most apartment dwellers choose one of two things; terra-cotta clay pots or plastic containers. Both work well for growing plants in a small apartment. Terra-cotta pots are inexpensive and have a beautiful look. They also hold up well in high temperatures and handle being bumped and knocked and will not be damaged by heavy objects.
For an apartment landscape, clay soil works well. Since this soil is so cheap, most apartment dwellers choose to use this type of soil in their pots. However, if you decide to use clay pots then you should water frequently. Using water based fertilizers is best and watering right before you plan to flower is important.
When planting your vegetables, opt for pots that have drainage holes at the bottom. This allows for draining water and soil in between the roots so that they can get the oxygen and water they need. These pots will save you money since they don’t need to be replaced as often. However, if you do choose this option it is best to plant tomatoes in a sunny direction so that they will be able to receive all of the sunlight they need.
Most apartment dwellers also choose window boxes for their gardening needs. These beautiful containers are inexpensive and easy to care for. Many of these garden boxes are actually on patio ledges. Since the plants are in a contained environment without any distractions, they can be planted much easier. Plants like tomatoes, peppers and leaf lettuce can all thrive in window boxes.
Some plants don’t do well in the temperatures that are found in home environments. For example, basil needs to be contained during the summer since it will burn if it is left to grow in the sun or too cold. Other plants can’t handle being kept in the refrigerator and should be moved indoors when winterizing. Some examples are leaf lettuce which doesn’t do well in cold weather, cabbage leaves and stems should be wrapped in aluminum foil to keep them from melting while they are in the refrigerator. Cabbage and lettuce will both go bad if they are grown in the refrigerator, so you will want to move them before winter sets in.
After planting your plants in a window box or on your patio you are going to need to bring them inside. This can be done by putting the pots on a windowsill, potting soil on the windowsill or inside a Tupperware pot. If you have the soil in a Tupperware container you can just put the soil inside the container and it will not air out as fast as if you just put the soil in your windowsill. When you are ready to move your plants outdoors just put the pots on your windowsill, plant seeds on top of the soil and water well. The seeds will germinate in the soil very quickly so you will have your tomatoes, peppers and lettuce in no time.