Newspaper Page Text
GARDENS
GARDENING IN SMALL SPACES
By Collin Kelley
Gardening space is often
at a premium If you live in an
apartment, condo or townhouse.
But if you’re itching to scratch
your green thumb, here’s a few
ideas to get you started.
The easiest way to get started
with growing plants in small
spaces is to try container
gardening. If traditional clay
or plastic planters aren’t your
thing, think outside the pot
and look around your home for
alternatives. If the planter is big
enough to hold soil and permits
adequate drainage - by punching
or drilling holes - then you’re
ready to grow.
Be mindful to select the right
size pot for your garden. Don’t go
too small or you run the risk of
inhibiting root growth as well as
creating a challenge to keep the
container hydrated.
If you don’t see a planter
idea around your home, check
out yard sales, thrift shops, or a
neighborhood message board.
But don’t use anything that
once held toxic chemicals or is
rusted. And be sure to wash the
container before you plant.
If you want to use a wooden
planter, consider treating it with
a clear waterproof latex sealer
to extend its life and durability.
Some container suggestions: milk
crates, bottles, jars, fish tanks,
old toolboxes, glassware, coffee
mugs, pallets, or even one of
those shoe organizers you hang
on a door. The latter happens to
be perfect for growing herbs.
For something a bit bigger -
to grow lettuce, kale, spinach,
and other greens - try recycling
an old desk or dresser to create
raised beds. One of the easiest
and most efficient ways to garden
in a small space, like on a balcony
or patio, is to find an old shipping
pallet and flip it vertically to
create growing shelves.
Now that you’ve got your
containers, here’s a few tips from
Pike Nurseries (pikenursery.com)
on how to actually grow a small
garden.
Sun: The most important rule
for beginning a container garden
20
AUGUST 2020 I ATLANTASENIORLIFE.COM
is to group plants together based
on their sun requirements.
Gardeners should get acquainted
with their space to determine
lighting - ranging from full sun
(with more than six hours of
direct sunlight), partial sun or
shade (with three to six hours), to
full shade (with less than three
hours) - before choosing their
container garden plants.
Soil: Fill a pot with potting
and container soil that contains
fertilizer and wetting agents to
prevent pots from drying out too
quickly. A helpful tip is to place
a coffee filter at the bottom of
the container near the hole to
keep soil from spilling out, but
still allowing proper drainage.
Leave two to three inches at the
top to mix in a fertilizer like Dr.
Earth Root Zone - a nutrient-
packed organic fertilizer that
reduces transplant shock and
helps establish roots. Fill in areas
around the plants with more
potting soil.
Water: Gardeners also want
to plant species with similar
water needs, ensuring no
under- or overwatering takes
place. Container gardens
should be watered two to three
times a week, increasing this
to seven times a week when
temperatures are at their hottest.
Container gardens require more
attention, so use the touch test to
determine water needs; if the top
one to two inches of the soil feels
dry to the touch, water until it
begins to drain out of the bottom.
Be sure to get rid of excess water
in the saucer to prevent rotted
roots. Water globes and water
absorbing granules are useful
tools to ensure plants receive
enough water.
Fertilize: Fertilize containers
every four weeks with a blend of
natural and organic compounds
in Dr. Earth Annual Bloom to
keep annuals thriving or every
three months with Osmocote
Outdoor & Indoor Plant Food
that controls nutritional
release.
All that’s left is to decide what
to grow in your small garden.
Although we’re in the middle of
the summer, there’s still plenty
to plant, according to the Georgia
FACEBOOK.COM/ATLANTASENIORLIFE