Gardening is an excellent way to spruce up your space and improve the health of your apartment. A lush indoor oasis isn’t tricky to achieve. Besides typical house plants and flowers, certain herbs, fruits, and vegetables can thrive in a small apartment. You’re ready to start a garden if you have a bright, sunny window. If you have a small balcony, balcony planters offer the possibility to minimise the use of space. Add some greenery to your apartment, even if you don’t have a balcony. Even an apartment with limited sunlight can be transformed into a garden. Whether you’re simply looking to brighten up your space or hoping to transform your apartment into the much-desired green lung of the block, here’s some advice on how to get started.
Think About What Kind Of Light Your Space Gets
Before you decide to buy a plant, be sure you have adequate light. The chances are that your apartment gets less sunlight than expected. Consider your windows. South-facing windows get more direct sunlight all day long if you’re in the northern hemisphere. The opposite is true, however. If there’s not enough space on the window sill or you’d like a bigger garden, place a shelving unit on the floor. Planters made from recycled plastic are made to imitate the appearance of the most expensive rivals. Plant stands, wall shelves, and moveable trolleys can have a similar effect.
Using a light metre is the best way to figure out how much light your plants and flowers will get. A hand-held light metre will accurately read the light at the point of exposure and can be used with a digital or non-digital camera. Too much or too little light produces damage, making plants and flowers susceptible to pests, disease, and premature death. Finding the optimal lighting for your plants and flowers is based on trial and error, so you can’t leave it to anyone to keep an eye on things. If your plants and flowers seem happy and healthy, let them be. If not, try another spot.
Decide What To Grow
Even if cities are getting bigger, apartments are becoming smaller. Even if you live in a tiny apartment, there’s no reason why you can’t transform it into a beautiful garden. Go green. Don’t choose plants and flowers you think will look good or see on Instagram. Talk to the people who work in the shop before bringing plants and flowers into your home as they’re more knowledgeable about the products. Big box stores tend to employ less experienced people, so they’re not familiar with the products. They can’t tell you what kinds of plants will survive in the light you have.
Think more carefully about the type of person you are. Some plants and flowers require more care than others, so you must commit to that. Take azaleas as an example. They’re forced to bloom under specific conditions that manipulate light, temperature, and humidity. At times, chemicals are needed to force growth during the off-season. Indoors, azaleas need a cool, well-ventilated spot in bright light (but not direct sunlight). Miniature roses are high-maintenance too. They need all-day sunlight and stay moist, which can be difficult given their tiny pots. Indoor miniature roses tend to attract spider mites. No insecticides or miticides should be applied to the rose bushes during the day’s heat.
Maximise The Number of Plants and Flowers You Can Grow Indoors
Aside from beauty, plants and flowers help clean and enhance air quality. It’s recommended to have at least two large plants or flowers for every 100 square feet of indoor space. Air purification is influenced by the surface area the leaves present. Look at the options available for maximising growing space. Even if you live in a small home, you can grow a surprising number of plants and flowers. You can use outdoor planters inside. The oversized pots have drainage holes, meaning that water can seep through to your floors. Place a plastic saucer and bowl at the bottom of the outdoor planters, and you should be fine.
Since you don’t have a ton of space to work with, think vertically. You can make a planting towel from old plastic drink bottles. Bottles can be used to grow flowers, herbs, and vegetables. Take the time to plan carefully and make the most of the available space. Providing adequate nutrition, as well as post control is crucial. Another way to use space efficiently is to use hanging pots. You can suspend them from just about any location. Hang one or more containers on wall and ceiling hooks. With a well-thought-out layout, you can accommodate larger pots.
Find Your Rhythm
Caring for plants and flowers is a daily process. Plants and flowers in large planters require more water because of the volume of the potting soil, so check in regularly. Open the blinds and curtains every morning so your plants and flowers can start bathing in light. If you have greenery that thrives on high humidity, mist the leaves. To check the moisture level of the soil, stick your finger into the ground. If it feels dry, mist the plant or flower. Spending a couple of minutes with your plants and flowers is best. This way, you’ll discover issues like pests in the nick of time.
Gardening can be time-consuming. This is why you shouldn’t plant more than you can keep up with. Start small, get an idea of how much time gardening takes, and expand the following year. There’s no rush, after all. The more, the merrier doesn’t always work. Know your limits. Most importantly, put in the right amount of time and care. Set aside chunks of time in the morning or evening. If gardening every day is out of the question, set aside a few hours at the weekend. Why don’t you try to make it a family activity? Gardening is an excellent stress reliever. Plus, it creates lasting memories and offers opportunities to connect with each other.
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