Container Gardening 101

Can a green thumb find bliss in a concrete jungle? Yes, and the answer is container gardening. What is container gardening? Simple – growing a garden in a container! Contrary to popular perception, you don’t need a backyard to grow fruits and vegetables; get a container with adequate drainage, some good soil, make sure you have plenty of light, and you’re all set.

Container Gardening: Flowers, Fruits, or Vegetables

Some of the most popular container garden plants are flowers,  but many apartment dwellers find that they can grow fruits and vegetables just as well. As a start, you could try these:

  • Scallions
  • Radishes
  • Potatoes
  • Spinach
  • Fruit, such as strawberries and tomatoes (yes, it’s a fruit)
  • Herbs, like coriander, basil oregano, and parsley

Container gardening is an excellent choice if:

  • You have trouble bending down – you can plant at a convenient height
  • You hate weeding – the less open soil, the less chance of weeds
  • You have a pest problem – your plants are safe inside, especially from nocturnal pests

If you can’t wait to grow your own organic food, here is our simple guide to getting started.

Choosing a Container

The choice of container is probably the most important decision that you need to make. The size depends almost entirely on what you are growing. For example, you would need a considerably larger container for radishes and potatoes (which grow underground and get quite big) than you would for dainty scallions and herbs.

The other important thing to consider is drainage. Everything from old tin cans and toasters to trashcans and filing cabinets work well. You can always drill holes in the bottom but filing drawers and toasters usually have gaps and holes in the bottom already. 

Container Gardening: Soil

Because they won’t have the great outdoors to depend on, ensure your plants’ wellbeing with the right nutrient-rich soil. Quality potting soil is available at most home improvement chains. There are even specific varieties with varying levels of nutrients, acidity, and alkalinity to suit distinct families of plants.

Location

As with all things real estate, the mantra to remember is: location, location, location. Unless you are growing mushrooms, light is the most important factor that you will have to control. Not all plants love hours of sunshine – match each plant to the amount of sunlight that spot in your home gets.

Container Gardening: Grow Lights

You may also consider grow lights, particularly for winter months. They also make growing plants a breeze if you live in a sunlight-deprived apartment.

Container gardening doesn’t just make it possible for you to grow your own food - it allows you to do so with a stroke of style that will delight your neighbors and brighten up your home. For more home tips , please see our blog page.