Hello, condo-dwelling green thumbs! If you have even the tiniest space, there are gardening possibilities.
Whether it’s your balcony or lanai (or any of those other spots), just take some time to spruce up that dull dead lawn with lush greenery and flowers – all without much effort at all. I mean who doesn’t want an easy life?
Houseplants are great for apartments, but if you want to be really efficient with space there’s no need to limit yourself. Herbs and vegetables can also thrive in pots! As long as they get enough light (and don’t mind being close together) these low-light growers will amaze you with how much produce ends up on your plate without even needing extra soil or sunlight—just water them when needed then enjoy their beauty each day.
Tips on How to Grow Plants in Your Condo
Planting the right kind of plants in your apartment garden can be one small step toward making it feel like home. While there are some hardy and forgiving species that beginners might not want to give up on, all containers need specific care if they’re going to flourish inside their pot — here’s what you should know before choosing which ones!
Light (Sunlight)
Sunlight is the key to a healthy garden. If you live in an apartment, it’s tough getting enough sun exposure due to both height restrictions and pollution from tall buildings that block out the direct sunlight for parts or all day long depending on where they are located within your city limits – but there still might be hope! The best way forward? Rooftops provide almost guaranteed full-sun coverage (unless another building happens alongside). And if growing indoors year-round isn’t possible/ desirable because of housing laws then use LED grow lights instead which emit a nearly identical spectrum as natural lighting so plant roots won.
Water Supply
Watering your container garden can be a pain if you don’t have easy access to water. You might consider buying an automatic watering system for when it is most needed, or just take advantage of natural rainwater!
Soil
You can’t just use regular soil for your garden because it will compact in pots and limit access to oxygen, preventing water from flowing through. So instead you need a potting mix that’s fluffy yet well-draining; this helps keep roots healthy by efficiently circulating air around them with an increased amount of space available at the bottom where moisture collects due to its being slightly sterile so there are no diseases or pests brought inside along with having some perspiration properties.
Weight restrictions
When you plant a garden, make sure to find out if there are any weight restrictions. The soil in an apartment can become very heavy when wet and triple its original load – window boxes will need securing against windowsills while balconies typically require approval from landlords before construction begins because they’re often located near higher levels of the building (such as on roofs).
Accessories
Before you head out to the nursery to buy plants, draw out a quick diagram of your space. Then, consider where you’ll put hardscape pieces and accessories.
Items to consider include
- Window boxes
- Water feature
- Plant stands
- Table
- Chairs
- Bench
- Settee
- Oversized planting pots
- Lights
- Rug
Get more ideas on accessories for your balcony garden and see the items at work. Get a few balcony garden ideas here!
Let’s not forget Plants!
The key to enjoying your condo balcony or patio garden year-round is to include evergreen foliage plants. This way, when winter’s chill puts the flowering plants to sleep, you’ll still have greenery.
Shady gardens
You might be surprised at the variety of plants that can grow and even thrive in the shade. Even some plants you haven’t considered growing as ornamental, such as cat grass or Japanese forest grass, both take well to container growing and shade.
Consider these shade-tolerant plants as well:
- Scottish Tufted Hair Grass
- Fubuki Japanese Forest Grass
- Coleus
- Dichondra
- Bleeding hearts
- Viburnum
- Fuchsia
Container plants for full-sun balconies and patios
- Calibrachoa
- Verbena
- Petunia
- Lantana
- Canna lily (gorgeous foliage and flowers!)
- Portulaca
- Hibiscus
Plants to block prying eyes (or wind)
Street-level condos, or that located downtown, surrounded by others with big windows can still be private. The strategic use of tall plants will help keep prying eyes or gusty winds at bay.
Tall and dense is key here. Or, use shorter plants on stands to elevate them. Consider the following:
