Tips for gardening in small apartments

If you have a compact home, you still have interesting ways to add greenery. You can create a small garden in your balcony and grow flowering plants or vegetables. Common houseplants, herbs, fruits and vegetables grow well in small apartment gardens. In this article, we share easy tips for creating a garden in small homes.

 

How do you grow plants in small apartments?

Every plant has its specific growth requirements. We list some basic factors to consider:

Sunlight

Most fruit and flowering plants need sunlight throughout the day. Check which area in your house gets maximum sunlight and how it moves during the day. However, this may not be easy in modern apartments. Balconies and rooftops may offer your plants better exposure to sunlight than windowsills. You can choose your plants based on how much sunlight your house gets.

Soil and container

You will find ready-made potting mix at any nursery, which includes a mix of soil, compost and cocopeat. A well-drained potting mix is essential for the healthy growth of plants. Most edible plants can be grown in any container. You can even create your DIY planters using discarded bottles, ceramic or wooden pots, etc.

Water and moisture

Plants grown in containers require plenty of water more than once a day. Select an area in your house that has easy access to a water supply. Buy a hose that can be connected to a sink faucet.

Some plants thrive well in high humidity levels. If you are growing plants on a windowsill, spray the plants with fine mist to provide moisture. Consider keeping the plants on a tray of water.

Wind

High winds can damage planters kept on a terrace or a balcony. Provide them additional protection using a screen or railing that block excess winds. It is also better to pick large containers with wide and base to anchor the plants. Secure plants in window boxes to the windowsill.

 

Which plants to grow in small apartments?

• Herbs: Several herbs grow well in containers and may need only two to four hours of sunlight. Some examples are mint, parsley, basil, lavender, mint and thyme.
• Microgreens: Microgreen seeds such as broccoli, celery, beetroot, lettuce, mustard, etc., can be grown in a home garden.
• Tomatoes: Tomato plants grow well in wide containers, a hanging basket or a raised bed in your garden.
• Pea: Peas can be grown indoors. You will require installing a small trellis or stack when the vines begin to grow.
• Vegetables: Green onions can be easily grown in small gardens. Some varieties of Radish and Turnip can also be grown indoors.

 

How to grow plants in a small space?

• Consider the vertical space in your house or balcony. Create a privacy wall with shelves and place potted plants on them.
• Go for a stacked container garden, where pots can be arranged in different interesting ways.
• Utilise the balcony railings by placing small flowerpots on them.
• Add casters to the bottom of metal containers to create rolling planters. These can be easily moved around and brought indoors.
• Design your container garden by coordinating the flowers’ colours with the overall décor.
• Select planters of different heights. You can also place garden stools or outdoor plant stands for shorter pots.
• Design a pollinator-friendly container garden by growing a variety of plants that attract pollinators, such as butterflies, bees, hummingbirds, etc.
• Plants such as strawberries grow well in small containers. Choose to grow them on a windowsill.

 

Got any questions or point of view on our article? We would love to hear from you. Write to our Editor-in-Chief Jhumur Ghosh at jhumur.ghosh1@housing.com