It is a common misconception that you have to have a spacious garden in order to grow your own fruits and vegetables. Although people associate homegrown produce with living in a house, there are actually many ways you can add more plants to your small space. And not just any plants, but plants that bear perfectly edible fruits and vegetables you can grow in an apartment.
So, if you set your mind to it, you can place a few plants that grow your favorite fruits and vegetables on your balcony or windowsill. In that way, you can always be sure that you are eating food that was grown organically. That is, you will always be confident that the veggies and fruits you eat were not subject to any pesticides, herbicides, or other harmful substances frequently used to enhance taste and size.
In addition, eating organically grown food is beneficial not only for your health but also for your finances. No longer will you have to rush to the supermarket and spend exorbitant amounts of money on non-GMO produce. Also, another benefit of establishing your little fruit and vegetable apartment garden is that the remains of your homegrown produce can be used for home composting.
In light of these benefits, let’s take a look at fruits and vegetables that you can successfully grow in an apartment.
Avocados
Avocados are famous for being ridiculously easy to grow in apartment conditions. You just have to keep the pit after you eat the avocado, wash it well, and stick a few toothpicks into it.
- The toothpicks serve to suspend the avocado above a pot of water.
- The less pointy bottom half of the avocado seed should be immersed in water.
- After only a few weeks, your avocado is ready to be transplanted into a pot.
- Make sure the container is placed in direct sunlight.
Lemons
Lemon trees are famous among gardeners as they do not require anything other than sunlight and water to bear fruit. Lemons can grow in apartment conditions, but the major drawback is that they need at least 8 hours of sunlight per day, while the optimum would be as much as 12. Also, you need to keep the soil moist most of the time.
So, if you are planning to move to a warmer climate, you should definitely consider planting a lemon tree when you settle into your new home. These lovely, fragranced plants are the perfect plants that immediately brighten up the living space with a warm, homely vibe. Also, people who like trees will appreciate this plant, especially after moving from a house with a garden to an apartment.
However, most people who move from a house to an apartment face the issue of having to figure out what to do with their plants, gardening tools, and equipment. With reduced square footage, not only do you have to resolve the question of where to put your beloved plants, but also where you are going to store all the necessary supplies, pruning tools, soil, fertilizers, etc.
Having storage space or a garden shed where you can keep your gardening supplies is certainly neat when you grow fruits and vegetables. In this case, a storage unit is an excellent place for your items after decluttering your gardening equipment and supplies.
Tomatoes
Tomatoes are very nutritional as they are rich in antioxidants and vitamins such as vitamin A, K, C, and potassium. In fact, a single tomato provides 40% of the recommended daily intake of vitamin C!
Tomato is the perfect apartment plant if you live in a warmer climate. You can simply place the seed in a container, place it on your balcony, and later on support the plant with bamboo sticks.
- The pot for a single tomato plant should be at least 6 inches deep.
- Fill the pot with starter soil mix.
- Place the seed a quarter of an inch deep into the pot.
- Water the plant regularly so that the soil is moist but never too soggy.
For growing tomatoes, it is important that the plant gets access to as much sun as possible during the day. Since tomatoes need a lot of warmth to succeed, you also have to manage your expectations. So, it is unlikely your tomato will reach the size of tomatoes grown on farms or in a greenhouse.
Kale
Kale is an extremely healthy vegetable that has another great benefit – it grows in small apartments.
Similar to tomatoes, growing kale necessitates only:
- a 6-inch square pot,
- soil with fertilizer
- regular watering.
Note that you need to water kale on a daily basis. Also, in the summer months, make sure you place the kale pot into a shade as their leaves can get damaged by the sun.
However, if you plan to maximize the garden space in your small apartment, you might have to make some compromises. Removing some of the surplus furniture and other belongings is a good idea – especially if you keep them on your balcony. And if you need help with packing and moving the furniture out of your home, you should consider hiring a moving company to help get everything packed in no time so that you can establish your fruit and vegetable garden as soon as possible.
Herbs
As you probably know, most herbs are quite easy to grow indoors as they do not require a lot of space. The main benefit of growing your own herbs is that you can spice up your meals with fresh rather than store-bought herbs.
And there is nothing more to it. You just need to place the pots with the herb in a place where they get enough exposure to sunlight. Also, most herbs need only small amounts of water, so be sure not to over-water them. Alongside the fruits and vegetables you can grow in an apartment, herbs are a great way to start off your apartment gardening journey!
Author Bio: Joanna Keith is a horticulturist and a blogger. She often helps interior and landscape designers devise sustainable, but realistic indoor and urban gardens. She is passionate about bonsai gardening.
Photos used:
Potted Herbs
Sliced Avacado
Lemons
Tomatoes