I might be biased, but if you live in an apartment, container gardening is an easy way to give your space some personality and flare (not to mention some free food). I certainly lived in my share of apartments with white walls, white vinyl blinds, light brown carpeting, and a lease that said I couldn’t change any of that. But it’s truly amazing how much difference even a few plants can make in an otherwise boring space.
Category: Container Gardening
In the articles below, learn everything you need to know about container gardening indoors, outdoors, on a patio, in the yard, or on your countertop—including how to make planter boxes yourself!
Container gardening is a great way to grow veggies if you’re short on space. If you live in an apartment or only have a small balcony, you can still enjoy heirloom tomatoes, fresh greens, and crunchy cucumbers.
Gardening always comes with a learning curve, though. Container gardening is no different. The five most common mistakes you’ll make when you’re growing vegetables in containers are: putting too many plants in one box, not having any drainage, not watering enough, mixing unfriendly plants in a small space, and using poor soil.
Soil quality is always a factor in gardening, but it’s imperative if you’re growing vegetables in containers. There is some possibility that plant roots can stretch out to find the nutrients they need in the ground, but they can’t do that in a container.
Watering a container garden is another big one. The simple fact is that water evaporates much more quickly from the soil in containers. And some popular containers, like terra cotta, absorb water quickly. Of course, this is easy to remedy—plan to water your container garden more frequently and make sure you have proper drainage.
Whether you have a tiny balcony off your fifth-floor apartment, a concrete driveway, or a sunny spot on your deck, container gardens are a valid option for anyone. You can build your own vegetable garden box out of wood, buy a galvanized steel version, or even use an old five-gallon bucket for a “folksy” look. A lot of people seem to think using a box limits what you can grow, but that’s only partially true, and it really depends on all sorts of circumstances in addition to what container you use.
In the articles below, we dive into all of these approaches to container gardening, and you can learn more about it in our How to Grow a Vegetable Garden: 10 Things Every Gardener Needs to Know Before Starting a Food Garden freebie. Enjoy!
I have a confession. I get a major thrill when I repurpose something I have lying around the house. So when it comes to homes for my plants, I’m all about that DIY plant container life. What’s even better, is when I can repurpose plant containers out of recyclable materials. Because it’s basically free AND I’m using sustainable materials! I’m willing to bet that if you looked around the room you’re sitting in right now, you’ll be able to find at least one bit of recyclable material that could easily be turned into a DIY plant container. Here are some tips and ideas to remember when making your DIY plant containers from recyclable materials.
In some universe, there’s an older version of me sitting in a rocking chair on a big farmhouse porch, looking in disbelief at the latest gardening catalog. I can hear myself now: “Fabric grow bags? What’s with all these newfangled things. Back in my day we just put seeds in the dirt.”
You’ve probably heard that using old wood pallets isn’t the best idea, because you never know what they were carrying and could be filled with poisons you don’t want leaching into your soil and food. So then, if the most Pinterest-ed DIY project is null, what are the best containers for container gardening when you grow food? Mason jars. That’s the end of the list. Pure glass, no plastic.
Nothing beats the taste of fresh herbs and you will never change my mind. And this year, my outdoor herb garden is a thing of beauty. ::brushes dust off of shoulder:: But, I live in a climate that experiences cold winters and frozen ground. My darling herbs will not fair well. I know I can […]
Is there anything better than sitting on a porch, drinking a glass of fresh-squeezed lemonade, and reading a good book? I love a good porch sit but what I love even better is utilizing porch real estate as bonus garden space. I’ve written about the joys of container gardening before and how it’s a great gardening entry point, but we shouldn’t forget to think vertically too.
We can’t all have outdoor gardens. But we can all have gardens. And even though the majority of gardens are outdoors, there are some advantages of container gardening indoors, as well. I know plants thrive with fresh air and sunshine, but there are disadvantages to life in the outdoor garden, too. A surprise hail storm […]
I love adding some fresh, crunchy lettuce to my meals. Lettuce is delightful on its own as a simple salad with a dash of olive oil, and it’s great in sandwiches or as a bed for grains. Living in a cooler climate, though, I had to learn how to grow lettuce in containers if I […]
There are some plants and vegetables I love that, no matter how many positive vibes I put out into the universe, will never grow in or around my house. Banana trees, for example, won’t grow outdoors where I live. And I just don’t have the right light to grow them indoors, though I have friends who grow them.
Smoothies are my secret weapon to sneak vegetables and fruits into my toddler’s (and husband’s) diet. With a few base ingredients, you can add just about any type of fruit or vegetable to make a smoothie. If you make as many smoothies as we do, you’ll want to grow your own smoothie ingredients.