Yardless Gardening 101
Hi friends,
Spring is upon us, and that means gardening season. There’s nothing better than fresh herbs and vegetables, especially when you grow them yourself. If you’re like most condominium owners or apartment-dwellers, you might not have the backyard space for the homegrown produce aisle of your dreams. But don’t despair! There are so many easy ways to grow your own herbs and vegetables in containers—no yard required.
What You Need to Get Started
Sunlight: If your container will be indoors, choose an area that gets at least five hours of sunlight per day. If your containers will be outdoors on a balcony or patio, make sure there is a balance of sunlight and shade so that your plants don’t get scorched.
Containers: Choose a container that works for the size of what you’re growing (herbs will need less space than vegetables, for example). Clay pots, wooden boxes, and repurposed plastic containers all work well—just make sure they have drainage holes. Most seed packets or seedlings come with instructions that should help you determine exactly what container setup will be best.
Soil: Quality potting soil is key. Potting soil is specifically formulated for containers (as opposed to garden soil). You can add store-bought or homemade compost for additional nutrients to help your plants thrive.
Water: Plan to routinely water your plants, keeping the soil moist according to the specific plant’s needs. Be careful to avoid over-watering.
TLC: Keep an eye on things and respond to how your plants look each day—they are living things, after all. Rotate your containers into or out of the sun as needed, and make sure to prune dead leaves and overgrowth.
Best Plants for Container Gardens
Herbs: Herbs are some of the best plants to grow at home—they’ll always be close to your kitchen! Plus, they’re incredibly easy and don’t need very much space at all. Plant basil, cilantro, and parsley together because they prefer moist soil. Group thyme, sage, rosemary and chives together with drier soil. Grow mint and tarragon separately—they can overtake other plants.
Leafy greens and microgreens: Grow your own salad. Leafy greens like lettuce and spinach don’t require too much light, and because they have shallow roots, they don’t need deep containers. Go even smaller with microgreens (which are technically seedlings), a popular and healthful addition to many dishes.
Green onions and garlic: These veggies are a great choice because they require minimal space and soil. You can even grow green onions in a mason jar of water without soil.
Beans and peas: These low-maintenance legumes can thrive in a pot, as long as they’re a compact bush bean variety. No trellis required!
Tomatoes: Tomatoes need more space and sun than some of the other veggies on this list, so they’re a better choice for an outdoor space. Choose a dwarf variety and make sure to add a tomato cage or trellis for it to grow around.
Soon enough, you’ll be harvesting fresh herbs and veggies right at home. Best of luck to all you aspiring green thumbs!
Until next time,
The BRIGS Team