Do you feel that city life restricts you from your passion for gardening? Living in an apartment in the city should not rob you of the soothing experience of gardening. The same goes for when you have opted to live in a tiny home adhering to minimalism or when you like to live an adventurous life by living on the go. Nothing should stop you from gardening if this is what you want to do.
The Idea of Container Gardening
If you can relate to any of the sentiments above, you will be more than glad to hear about container gardening. No, container gardening does not imply living in a container and then growing plants. Instead, it is the idea of growing your preferred plants in containers – such as small pots, bowls, or even baskets.
You can even start growing herbs in used water bottles by making pots from them. You can place them on your kitchen window sill, and voila! Your container garden will start blossoming. Old and washed milk cartons also make up functional potting pots for your plants.
Container gardening is the ultimate solution for tiny houses or apartments with no extra space. This gardening practice can also be one of the foremost steps towards growing your food, gaining a lot of popularity as people strive to go off the grid.
Plants potted and grown in containers can thrive on small patios, windowsills, or even balconies if you take care of their water and sunlight. There is a wide variety of plants that you can grow using this method, including herbs, perennials, veggies, annuals, and shrubs.
Suitable Plants for Container Gardening
- It is best to plant native plants rather than exotic ones. Native plants are easier to maintain than exotic ones.
- Plan for the season and make your purchases accordingly. Do not get carried away or overwhelmed by all the cute little plants you see in the shop.
- If you are interested in starting your kitchen garden, the best vegetables for container gardens include tomatoes, peas, leafy greens for salad, and herbs.
- Annual plants suitable for container gardening are fuchsia, wax begonias, geraniums, and marigolds.
- Perennial plants ideal for container gardening are daylilies, sedges, hostas, and ferns.
Benefits of Container Gardening
1. Best for Urban Areas
Urban dwellers always feel restricted in terms of options for potting their favorite veggies or herbs. If you live in an apartment or a tiny home but are interested in growing your food, start by searching for what is best to grow in a container garden. There is a wide variety of vegetables that grow fast but might not be suitable for container gardening. So, you have to choose wisely.
2. Less Weeding Among the Plants
You might envy some of your neighbor’s extensive gardens or open spaces where they have tons of plants potted; however, know that the bigger an in-ground garden is, the bigger is the issue of weeding. It is one of the most prominent advantages of container gardening. The enormous gardens also come with the arduous tasks of weeding, tilling, pruning, and mulching.
Container gardening is a lot less work as there is significantly less weeding in a few plants potted in small plants.
3. You Can Move the Plants Around
If you live in a tiny home or an apartment, you might want to move around your plants so that they can catch more sunlight or due to seasonal changes. Container gardens are mobile. You can move some plants in the summer spot according to their needs.
4. Lower Risks of Diseases
Growing plants in your large garden at home always posit risks of soil-borne diseases. Although several soil test kits are available online that educate you a lot about the nature of the soil in your garden, there is always a high risk of several soil-borne diseases.
Container gardens do not have this risk.
5. They Look Esthetically Pleasing
We have all been in awe of lush green plants potted beautifully in an apartment’s balcony overlooking a great view. Plants spread a peculiar sense of liveliness everywhere. This is why you need to start container gardening. Your tiny home will look full of life with various natural colors spread all across your balcony or windowsill.
6. No Need for Heavy Gardening Equipment
The most significant advantage of container gardening is that anybody can start it. If you have even a teeny tiny bit of interest in gardening, you can begin container gardening right away. There are no heavy tools required for this practice. You can quickly start with some containers, potting soil, seeds, and some essential tools.
7. Teaching Value of Life to Children
Gardening is a fantastic hobby and a valuable skill. If you have children in your house, you can teach them the value of nurturing a living being and generosity. Children can help with the gardening chores too and learn the skill simultaneously.
8. Financial Benefit
Indeed, you cannot start growing all your food right away by container gardening. Nevertheless, you can start by planting some herbs, such as cilantro, parsley, oregano, etc. This way, you can start saving up money gradually. Once you master the art of planting other commonly used veggies, you can save up large amounts of money.
9. Keeps You Active
A recreational hobby, such as container gardening, helps you stay active. Living around nature implies breathing pure air, eating healthy, and staying upbeat. Taking care of plants also incorporates a routine in your otherwise haphazard life.
10. Mental Health Booster
Gardening is very soothing and relaxing for the mind. It fosters a calm and composed mind which is the foremost prerequisite of mental well-being. Gardening also acts as a form of therapy for frustration, anger, depression, or honing concentration. The laborious task of pruning and planting helps relieve the tensions and alleviate negative emotions.
It is also helpful in instilling positive habits and a sense of responsibility in the gardener. All in all, gardening helps in improving the overall mental health of people. Watching something grow from a bit of seed to a full-blown plant is very comforting and conscience-arousing. The sense of responsibility kicks in when you know you are accountable for its proper growth and nourishment.
11. More Accessibility
Container gardening makes it easier to look after the plants. You do not have to go out and carry out your gardening chores. Container gardens can be looked after by anyone in the house – including the children, elderly, or people with limited mobility.
12. Suitable for Renters Too
If you have always been renting homes and wished to have a garden, a container garden is the best solution. It is suitable for renters as the edible pots can move with you.
Container Gardening is For Everyone
Container gardening can let people living in small spaces enjoy these benefits too. You can beautify your tiny home and care for your mental well-being by starting container gardening. The best thing about container gardening that we like the most is that it has no restrictions on space or big heavy tools.