Small Space and Indoor Gardening Ideas
I am so thankful to have backyard space to tend a garden. When I moved to my tiny yellow bungalow, the size of the bungalow didn’t even faze me, because I was too excited to have a backyard after years of living in apartments. Having a backyard really was the catalyst that started the Tiny Yellow Bungalow blog. I wanted to experiment with gardening and composting, even though I was an absolute amateur, and document what I was learning.
This morning, I planted some bell peppers and sweet onions! It felt so nice to be working in the dirt with the sun shining down. However, I spoke with my little sister on the phone a few days ago, and she mentioned that living in a condo made it difficult to grow plants, which I totally get having lived in apartments before as well. She said having a small shaded balcony doesn’t warrant for much gardening.
So I thought I’d share some indoor gardening ideas if you’re a beginner gardener and don’t really know where to start! Everyone deserves to have some plants in their lives, am I right?!
Best Small Space Gardening Tips
- If you’re a beginner gardener, I definitely recommend starting from transplanted plants instead of seeds. It’s great fun watching seeds sprout but also terribly disappointing if they fail to thrive. If you go to your local plant nursery, there are adolescent plants available that you can plant directly into containers at home.
- Be sure to fit your plants in the proper sized container. You can put plants that will be small at maturity in smaller containers but larger adult plants need space to grow and spread their roots. For example, tomatoes need at least an 8 inch in diameter pot and a cage or stick for them to grow vertically. You can also plant tomatoes in hanging baskets.
- I would say that the most common beginner gardening mistake is over watering your plants. Be mindful of your watering habits to keep your plants healthy.
- Take a trip to your local plant nursery. The hard working plant experts there will be able to tell you which plants grow best in your specific region. Since we have a warm climate in Houston, we luckily have two tomato growing seasons! Find out what will grow best in your home indoor garden.
- If you have a balcony or patio that gets plenty of sun, you can grow a large variety of fruits and vegetables including kale, squash, strawberries, tomatoes, and spinach. Be sure to purchase potting soil that drains well to keep your plants happy and healthy.
- A kitchen herb garden is a great idea for small spaces. Again, be sure not to over water your plants and also move them to the sun or outside a couple of times each week. It’s so nice having a fresh supply of basil, rosemary, thyme, mint, and oregano for cooking!
- Get creative with your plant containers. You don’t have to use all the same pots but rather try using old coffee cans or old canisters that can be found at local thrift shops. Apartment Therapy has an awesome list of beautiful and creative gardening container ideas for your small space. I love the idea of upcycling an old pallet to house your new plant babies! Mason jars are a fun idea for small herb gardens as well.
- It’s a great idea to have several house plants indoors. Not only are they aesthetically pleasing but also they help to keep the air in your home clean. This list of 9 Air-Cleaning Houseplants is super useful and a great read. I definitely recommend Aloe Vera because it’s super easy to care for and has quite a few health benefits.
- If you have had no luck with small space gardening in the past, consider planting some low maintenance succulents. These guys don’t need a lot of upkeep or even water really, just plenty of sun.
- Ok, now let me be the first to tell you that this contraption is not at all necessary to grow plants… but I love it. My sister bought me an AeroGarden for Christmas a couple of years ago, and it’s been such a fun and super easy way to grow plants indoors. Furthermore, you can grow all kinds of herbs in one of these gardens. Again, not a necessity for growing plants but a fabulous gift for any friend who’s new to gardening!
Do you have any small space and indoor gardening ideas to share??
Happy planting everyone! 🙂
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That is a great tip especially to those new to the blogosphere.
Simple but very accurate information… Thank
you for sharing this one. A must read post!
Thanks for checking out my blog. I appreciate the kind words!