Not everyone has an apartment garden, but for those who do, there are a few tips to keep in mind when apartment gardening. When apartment gardens first started they were mainly just basic backyards with some flower beds in them. They were often small and self contained so apartment gardeners didn’t have much of a choice when it came to what plants they wanted in their little backyard oasis. Vegetables such as peppers and onions were the most common choices, but there was really no way to stop at that. There are many other ways you can incorporate vegetables into your apartment gardens now.
When apartment gardens first started, apartment gardening was done basically the same way as it is today, with rows of plants in a basic pot. The biggest change from that time on has been herb gardens. In apartment gardens today, plants are usually potted in containers, lined up with drainage material and fertilizer and water. This is much easier than it was a few decades ago because of the wide array of herbs that grow very well and also because soil conditions haven’t been nearly as affected by manmade environmental factors as they have been in the past.
When you are apartment gardening, you have to pick the plants that will best suit the climate and area in which you live. While you don’t have to have all plants within the same area, you should get at least two plants each for the areas in which you will be gardening. Ponds and small backyards are perfect for apartment gardening since you can move the pots around fairly easily. If your garden is in a larger space like a large patio or gazebo, make sure that you group plants that have similar needs together. Group plants with similar watering needs and sunlight requirements will be more able to thrive.
Ponds are a great place for apartment gardeners simply because they offer a lush array of colorful, aromatic plants that grow quite well and remain pretty throughout the year. Some of the best apartment garden plants include hydrangeas, clematis, lilies, day lilies, ferns, and irises. All of these plants grow really well when planted in a shallow pond or low hanging basket. If you decide to dig a deeper pond, you can plant lagoon and pondweed. Plants like these work best in deep water and should be planted in groups of three or four. Other plants that you will want to consider growing are California poppy, California bluebell, tulips, snapdragons, and dwarf Japanese roses.
Not all apartment gardens are limited to low-growing plants and flowers. Many apartment gardens have worms or bugs as an issue. If you are interested in using plants or flowers to attract these critters, make sure that you learn how to properly handle them. You don’t want to kill off your favorite plant or flower simply because you didn’t handle one of these creatures properly. The best way to handle these creatures is to buy a proper pest control product.
When you are creating your garden, you should know which plants will need to be removed in the spring. Some of these plants include live oaks, poison ivy, phlox, and buxus. Other plants are not worth taking down if they are not going to grow and prosper in the climate of the apartment building that you live in. Picking the right plants and flowers will also mean that you will have less insects around your apartment. This means less bug spray or bug zapper use throughout the year. If you plan on planting some of these flowers or plants, consider the climate of the area that you live in before making your planting choice.
To maintain the health of your apartment garden, you will need to apply certain products to the soil regularly. Mulch is the best type of product for this purpose. However, if you want to use bark or crushed stone, be sure to do this very sparingly, or you may end up killing the plants you love. When you are ready to add mulch to the top of your garden, be sure that it is packed into the spaces between the rows of plants, so that the water can get between the soil and the plants.
It is important to pay close attention to how you position your apartment gardens in respect to one another. It may be tempting to place them toward the back of your apartment, but you will want to make sure that they get the right amount of sunlight in order to thrive. Be sure that they are planted in a way that gets maximum use of any sunlight. If you are in an apartment building that has unusually high temperatures during certain times of the year, you may want to think about planting your flowers and plants in a different location, or consider shade cloth or a greenhouse, so that they don’t heat up to unbearable levels.