How to Create a Small Balcony Garden in Your Apartment
Balcony gardening eases lifestyle and living by providing fresh produce. It can be large or small, depending on the space available, you can use baskets, pots, or containers. Before starting anything, it is important to consider the space available and the sun's direction since plants require sunlight. You can grow lettuce if there is limited sunlight on your balcony. The lettuce puts up with shade. Below is how to maximize space for your apartment balcony garden and tips for starting up your balcony garden.
1. Vertical Growing
Generally, plants grow upwards. They require space for branches and foliage stretching. Trellis allows vining plants to climb up, taking very limited horizontal space. The most efficient and effective way for trellis incorporation is attaching the trellis to the planter for the plant to train up. Ensure the trellis does not block heat and sunlight. Some plants rely so much on the two. The trellis also provides privacy and shade. You can sit under the shade, and in a case where the nearby buildings have their balconies facing yours, you enjoy privacy. Ensure you secure your trellis properly to prevent them from falling over during high winds.
2. Grow the Dwarf Plants or the Compact Varieties
Some plants grow big naturally, and if you attempt to constrain them, they don't grow well. The compact varieties include some fruits and vegetables. Dwarf trees planted in containers grow even shorter than those planted in-ground because the container restricts the roots. You can grow your fruit trees in cordon form, one stem, to prevent them from taking up too much horizontal space. You can also consider small fruit trees such as strawberries and tomatoes. You can also consider the idea of growing a salad garden with pepper plants, green onions, and lettuce plants.
3. Getting Rid of Clutter
Usually, the balcony space is used to store items and equipment that do not have space indoors. They include bicycles, snowboards, boxes, and more. If you plan to have a balcony garden, get rid of what you least need, and create some space indoors for the necessities. You can also consider alternative storage facilities like the garage.
4. Small-scale Accessories
You may need somewhere to sit on the balcony to enjoy the shade and the view of the plants. Consider seats that do not take up too much space, such as the foldable. Introduce water features in waterproof containers to mask noises from outside.
5. Add Hanging Plants
Hanging baskets are a common way of balcony gardening to avoid taking too much floor space. You may use shelves or railings to place containers for growing your plants.
Summary
You also need to ensure you have a rich soil to grow plants and a water source. Also, consider factors such as cold, wind, and the climate altogether. These factors help you decide what features to introduce in your garden and the plants to deal in. Gardening equipment is necessary for your activities. You can consider garden hand tools from Mitsaha. You can also lay artificial grass on your balcony garden to improve the look and make it appear more like a real garden, green. Artificial turf from Tamigrass includes various types, colors, widths, and lengths.
About the Author
Monica is a passionate writer and content creator. Her interests include outdoor activities, fitness, technology, entrepreneurship and everything in between. Say hi to Monica on Twitter @monical_lee.
