So, you’ve decided that you are going to set up your very own apartment garden. You are certainly not alone! An increasing number of people across the US are embracing their green thumb and setting up gardens in their apartments. Do not be intimidated by the startup costs for an apartment garden.
For many, space is limited and access to an outdoor garden isn’t an option. For others, the challenge of growing a garden inside their home is an attractive one. Some people just enjoy the greenery and being a little bit more sustainable in their lives.
Whatever your reason may be, in this post we’ll help guide you to what to look out for and what you can do within various budgets. To start though, let’s unpack exactly what an apartment garden is.
What exactly is an apartment garden?
An apartment garden is simply a small indoor garden. It can be as small as one plant or as big as the space allows. The great thing about having an apartment garden is that it (mostly) doesn’t require much space. You can place the garden on a tabletop or even build shelving specifically for it. As you’ll soon see below, there are many ways to make the most of your apartment garden.
The benefits of an apartment Garden
When it comes to the benefits of having a garden in your apartment, here are a few of them.
Save money
It’s rewarding
Planning, setting up, and managing a garden in your apartment can be a very rewarding and satisfying experience. There is something unique about growing your own plants for consumption.
It’s environmentally sustainable
By having an indoor garden you are decreasing your carbon footprint, one plant at a time! You’ll also be cutting down on transporting produce, which saves fuel and money in the long run. Also, consider all the packaging that often comes with the vegetables and fruit that you buy from your local shop. You’ll literally be picking your plants from your indoor garden, and walking them over to your kitchen for preparation. Over the course of a year, think about how much you will be reducing your plastic usage.
It’s healthier
Let’s face it, the veggies and fruits found at your local grocery store aren’t always the freshest they can be. Because of the long periods of time between when they are grown and when you buy them, most vegetables will have lost a good amount of their nutrients by the time you eat them. You also don’t know how they have been handled, stored, and then placed in the stores. Also, how many people do you think have touched a potato, melon, or squash before you’ve picked it and placed it in your basket??
It adds greenery to your home
As mentioned earlier, your indoor garden can be as big or as small as you want it to be. It’s a great way to add some greenery and life into any home. Apart from the color it will add, it will literally breathe life into your home (CO2 at least!).
Before we go into the various budgets of an apartment garden, in this post we’ll be focusing on four specific plants that you can grow in your home.
Four edible plants to grow in your home
Here are four great edible plants that you can grow in your home.
Basil
There is something special about the smell of basil in the summer. This plant has many health benefits and is easy to grow. It’s also tasty! You can eat it straight or add it to your cooking. You can even try your hand at making basil pesto, which is delicious (well, for most!)
Here are a few tips to growing basil indoors:
- Basil needs very bright light for at least 6 hours per day, so make sure you don’t keep them in a dark corner. A windowsill is a great place to let your basil soak up the sunshine, so why not consider placing your indoor garden here (or build a shelf near an area that has good sunlight). Just be careful to watch the plants for any signs of too much sunlight – burning or wilting.
- Make sure you use a lightly moistened and fresh potting mix, using four to six-inch pots. Then, add some soil to the pots, then the seeds, then cover them with more soil. Lastly, lightly water the pots. Make sure that the pots can drain the water, otherwise, you’ll have a very unhappy plant
Following the above steps, you should have a plant that is ready to be picked and eaten after about two months. If you want to enjoy the aroma, at around one month you can pick a few small leaves and rub them in your hands. We love the smell!
Tomato
Tomatoes are another healthy addition to your indoor garden. They’re easy to grow and though they need a larger pot, you can reuse the same one each year with a simple cleanout. Just like basil, tomatoes require a lot of bright light so be sure to place your indoor garden where they can soak it up.
There is so much you can do with tomatoes, whether that is to make a soup, add them to a salad, or even sun dry them for a snack on the go. The options really are endless, so this is a great plant to consider.
Here are a few facts about tomatoes:
- While they are mostly red, they do come in other colors as well, including pink, yellow, purple, white, and even black
- Currently, there are over 3 000 varieties of heritage or heirloom tomatoes being grown around the world
- There are more than 15 000 varieties that are known
- Interestingly, a tomato is considered a vegetable but is technically a fruit. Whoa!
- They are interstellar! Some time ago, over 600 000 tomato seeds were sent to the International Space Station. They then returned and were grow in schools across Canada as part of an experiment
- Tomatoes were initially considered to be an aphrodisiac. Spicy!
- Can you guess which country produces the most tomatoes? The US? Nope, it’s actually China
- This one is for the men. Tomatoes have a rich source of lycopene, which is a powerful antioxidant with aids the health of the prostate gland
- They have anti-inflammatory properties, making them great for heart health
Here are a few tips for growing tomatoes:
- When planting the seeds, use potting mix in a starting tray and wet it slightly. Then, place the seeds about 1/4 inch deep and then place the tray on a heated map. A what now? This helps with the growth of the seeds! If you don’t have a heated tray, consider placing them on top of your fridge which is generally warm
- Once the seeds have sprouted, after a month you’ll need to separate and transplant each of the seedlings, placing them in a larger pot.
- Then, move them into a place of good sunlight. If you have a UV lamp, place them under the light as it works incredibly well.
- Water them every few days or so, or when you can feel that the soil is dry. Add extra fertilizer to the tomato plant about every two weeks. When the green small tomatoes start to show, fertilize once a week
- As the tomato plant is a climber, when they get bigger you’ll need to plant stakes into your pots. These will hold up the vines as the tomatoes start to grow
Garlic
This is a great one to grow indoors. Garlic can be grown in both small and large pots and is relatively easy to grow. There are two types of garlic: hardneck and softneck. Here are a few things about each of them:
- Hardnecks have cloves that form on the outside
- Softnecks have cloves that form closer to the center of the neck, which are easily separated
- Hardneck garlics typically produce more than one harvest, while softnecks only produce once
- The hardnecks are known for their larger neck, tougher skin and longer shelf life whereas soft neck garlic has a smaller neck but smoother skin
Similar to tomatoes, garlic is used in an incredibly wide range of dishes. It’s also really good for you, with anti-inflammatory benefits and helps with the flow of blood through the body.
Here are a few interesting facts about garlic that you may not know:
- While garlic has natural antibiotic and antifungal properties, when consumed in high quantities it is actually toxic to the human body
- Garlic was actually used as a form of currency back in ancient times
- It originates from central Asia
- It was in fact one of the very first herbs to be cultivated
- There is evidence that garlic was used more than 7 000 years ago, during Neolithic times
When it comes to growing garlic in your home, here’s what you need to know:
- Adding potting soil to a pot and add in three of four garlic cloves
- Your garlic won’t regrow. You’ll need to add fresh cloves each time you want to grow the plant
- Aim to have soil with a PH of around 6.5 to 7
- It needs sun, so place the pot in a sunny spot if you’d like maximum growth
- You can harvest your garlic at around the seven to eight-month mark
Squash
Last but not least, we have the squash plant. This is one of the easiest to grow in your home.
Did you know that a squash is not a squash though! There are plenty of different types that grow well indoors, including the acorn, butternut, buttercup, yellow crookneck, zucchini, and the patty pan, amongst others.
Here are a few facts about squash:
- Squash is extremely versatile; it’s great for both sweet and savory recipes as well as soups, salads, and roasting
- They contain high levels of vitamin A and potassium as well as have anti-inflammatory benefits
- You get a summer and a winter squash
- Did you know that melons and squash are related? Well, now you do!
- Winter squash has a great shelf life
- Believe it or not, spaghetti squash does actually not taste like spaghetti! The name is all about its looks
This is what you need to know about growing squash:
- Squash likes warm weather, so aim for warmer spots where there’s plenty of sun exposure
- Once they get bigger, pick off any leaves that are yellow or brown as it will weaken the plant. Also, cut out any flowers that appear on the plant to keep it producing fruit
- Use a container measuring around 24 inches across and 36 inches deep. It’s important that the container or pot has a drainage hole for the water to seep out. It’s a good idea to cover the drainage hole with some mesh so that none of the soil escapes
- Place up to five seeds no more than 3 inches in the soil, in the center of the container
- In terms of light, they’ll need about 5 to 7 hours a day
- Add a fertilizer that is low-nitrogen, such as one with a 5-10-10 NPK ratio
Growing an apartment garden on a budget!
Okay, so now that we’ve covered what an apartment garden is, the benefits, and a few plants to consider, let’s look at what you can with various budgets.
We are going to break this down into three areas – under $50, under $200, and under $600.
Under $50
In this budget range, you’ll be limited to what you can use in your setup. That doesn’t mean you can’t create the perfect indoor garden for your apartment. With this budget, you’ll need to split it between pots and soil, so stick to the basics.
For the pots, there are a few options. These usually range between clay, plastic, fiberglass, metal, and even glass. If you are looking to add a lot of plants to your home, you’ll need to consider plastic or fiberglass. If fewer, then why not add some style with clay or glass pots. They’ll certainly stand out.
When it comes to the soil, consider mixing up vermiculite, peat moss, and perlite. This mix will absorb water/moisture extremely well and will resist compaction. The only downside is that it may dry out quite quickly. You’ll need to add nutrients to this mix, in the form of fertilizer. If you are running out of budget, consider standard fertilizer from your local garden shop.
Under $200
This is when you can add a little more to your home garden. Ditch the plastic and go for some better quality pots such as ceramic or glass. These will be more expensive, but they’ll last much longer than the other options we mentioned above. They also look great in homes and can really give that added touch of class to your indoor plant setup.
As far as soil goes, keep it simple with three main ingredients: perlite, peat moss, and vermiculite, as mentioned above. You’ll want to make sure this is well mixed together before adding it to your planters (or grow trays). You can consider more expensive mixes if budget allows, those with added nutrients so that you can really the most out of your indoor garden.
With this budget, you can look to introduce some UV lights. Let’s look at what UV light is.
UV light
Ultraviolet light, or UV light, is a type of light wave. It’s a specific part of the electromagnetic spectrum.
When you introduce these kinds of lights into your indoor garden, depending on the intensity and frequency, you’ll be able to enhance your plant’s growth phase. When it comes to UV light, plants have different responses to it depending on the wavelength and type. It even comes down to the species of plant, in terms of how they react to it.
UV lights are perfect for giving that added boost to your plants and helping them grow faster, healthier, and bigger. These lights help your plants by speeding up the germination process. They also strengthen the plants and better prepare them for high-intensity light. Whatever you do, don’t use a sun tanning lamp for your plants. They just emit too much UV for what the plants can handle. Rather, use a quality full-spectrum UV lamp to give your plants the advantage.
Under $600
If you really want to go all out with your apartment garden, this is the budget for you. It offers everything we mentioned above and more. Once again, you’ll be able to pick better quality pots and you can also consider putting together an irrigation system that allows for automated watering.
We mentioned UV lights above, and with this budget, you should definitely consider including this in your apartment garden package. Combined with hydroponics, discussed below, you’ll be creating the perfect environment to grow an indoor garden that will impress even the savviest gardener!
Hydroponics
If budget allows, this is one you must consider. Hydroponics is all about growing your plants in nutrient-rich water, as opposed to soil. Your plants grow extremely quickly and you’ll be able to produce more food than you would with conventional growing methods (it’s not as straightforward as the more traditional method though).
What exactly is hydroponics though?
Simply put, hydroponics is where you use water instead of soil. This is a system that is closed. It recycles the water that is not used by plants and allows you to control the pH and the nutrients that your plants receive.
Here are a few of the benefits of hydroponics:
- You won’t need to worry about weeds interfering with your indoor garden.
- Your plants will grow 3-5 times faster than they would in the soil, so you’ll be harvesting sooner.
- It is possible to yield larger harvests than with conventional methods.
- It is up a more efficient use of water, up to 90% more in fact
- A hydroponic system decreases the time between harvesting and consumption, while at the same time increasing the nutritional value of your plants
- There is no pest control or chemicals needed in a hydroponic system.
Okay, so you’ve learned about the benefits of an indoor garden, plants for consideration, and what budgets to consider. Next up, let’s look at how best to deter pests from invading your indoor garden.
How to prevent pests from invading your apartment garden
There are a couple of ways to prevent pests from invading your apartment garden. The first is to ensure you have a healthy balance of good bacteria in the soil. Healthy plants deter pests, so having an environment that encourages biodiversity will help your plants grow into strong and healthy specimens that can fight back against any unwanted invaders.
The second way to avoid pest invasion is by using natural repellents. One great natural repellent is neem oil, which comes from the Indian neem tree. It’s completely organic and it’s an excellent product to use if you want a pesticide-free garden, protecting it from all kinds of insects, diseases, and fungi.
Finally, another great product for deterring pests is garlic oil. It’s all-natural and it can help you create a garden that’s pest-free.
Light and mirrors
You may not have thought about this one, but mirrors in your home will create even more light for your plants. It means you don’t need to stack them all against the windowsill. Rather, by carefully positioning mirrors in your home, you’ll allow light into various areas, giving your plants the energy they need to grow and become the best versions of themselves. The plus side of course is that you’ll have a well-lit home!
Make your apartment your garden sanctuary
Just because you have an apartment, it doesn’t mean that you can’t have the garden of your dreams in it. Consider an indoor garden, what you will grow, and where you will position it. It’ll not only bring more greenery into your home, but you’ll get much satisfaction from growing something from nothing, where you’ll take it from the pot to your kitchen to create healthy delicious meals.
If you follow the tips above, you’ll be able to create an indoor garden that will not only look good but will also taste good!
Are you ready to start your apartment garden?