Grow a Small Garden In or Out of Your Apartment

If you’re a green thumb, you’re likely heralding the arrival of summertime. However, if you live in an apartment, you may feel that gardening is out of the question due to limited space. This doesn’t have to be the case, however. You can grow a mini garden inside and outside of your apartment. Read to learn about what starter plants and gardening solutions work well for apartment living in Durango.

Sunlight

Note which windows receive a lot of sun exposure (usually south and west facing windows, unless obscured by structures or shrubs). Depending on which plants you grow, choose the windowsill or counter that has the best source or amount of sunlight. As we all know, Durango and environs receive plenty of sunlight year-round, so there’s no worry for lack of sun exposure for plants.

Accessibility

Is where you plan to have a mini garden easy to access? Or do you have to shuffle around furniture or stand on tiptoe to reach? If your garden is hard to reach, you may be dissuaded from properly tending to it.

Proximity to Heat Sources

One of the benefits of maintaining a mini garden is that it brings a calming and relaxing atmosphere to your space. The last thing your plant or succulent collection should be is a fire hazard: don’t place plants anywhere near a heat source or open flame.

Ventilation

Is the area stuffy or have decent air flow? Or do you crank the AC on max strength? Exposure to cold air can cause plants to starve, so don’t place your garden in direct exposure to AC currents.

Garden Planters

Garden planters are available in way more options than your standard clay pots. You can get wall planters and balcony rail planters in all shapes, sizes, and colors. As always check with your landlord first before installing any of these.

What To Grow

While you may assume you can only grow houseplants in apartments (hello, solitary miniature cacti), there’s plenty of other plants you can grow inside and outside your unit. Here’s some ideas of what to cultivate and plant.

Classic Starter Plants

If you’ve never cared for plants in an apartment before, zebra plant, silver sprinkles, panda paw, and spider plant are just a fraction of the options for starter plants. Low maintenance and mess free (they won’t drop seeds and leaves everywhere), starter plants are just that: perfect for first time green thumbs.

Deer Resistant Plants and Flowers

Southwest Colorado is blessed with beautiful vistas, lots of sunshine… and plenty of deer. If you’re wanting an outdoor mini garden, it’s important to know which plants and flowers won’t be nibbled down by deer. Annuals (plants that live year to year) such as zinnias, dahlias, and California Poppy are ideal to plant in deer country, while perennials (bloom year to year) such as columbine, echinacea, foxglove, and lupine work as well. For a complete list of deer resistant plants, check Bayfield Garden’s list here. With a 32,000 sq. ft. nursery, Bayfield Gardens has more than plenty of options for starter plants, and everything they sell is grown at the nursery.

Harvest Your Own Food

That’s right, you can grow food in your own apartment. Folks have had success growing lemons, avocadoes, bell peppers, salad greens, etc. in small spaces.

How To Grow Tomatoes

Let’s look at how to grow tomatoes in an apartment. First, you’ll need a space that receives plenty of sun exposure, such as a balcony or south or west facing windows. Once the space is cleared, you can grow tomatoes in small planters or pots; a five-gallon bucket works as well, as tomatoes have deep root systems. For beginners, start with one plant, and be sure to use a bush variety. These are perfect for growing in small spaces, unlike indeterminate varieties, which can grow to seven feet tall. Six to eight hours of sunlight a day is ideal, and you’ll want to use slow-release fertilizer. Keep the soil moist but not soaking wet, and water the roots only. Typically, tomatoes take 60-80 days to produce fruit – tomatoes are not a vegetable.

To protect your tomatoes from deer and other critters, use deer or bird netting. You can also use deer repellant, which must be applied weekly. Deer don’t like strong odors, so you can wrap a bar of soap in nylon and tie it to your plants.

Love Flowers? Try Hanging Baskets

If your apartment has a balcony, try floral hanging baskets. These will instantly brighten up a space and are a great way to bring character to your apartment. AJ’s Greenhouse has quite the impressive collection of hanging plants and flowers. They also do custom planters, perfect for those who want a specific combination of flowers. If you’re a true green thumb, be sure to visit AJ’s now as they’re open April through June; click here to learn more about them.

Grow a Small Succulent Garden

Instead of succulents placed at random in your apartment, gather them together for a mini garden. Using shelves or wooden planter boxes, show off your collection of succulents. It’s a great statement piece. If you’ve never had succulents, they’re great plants even for the worst green thumbs. They require little attention, are mess free, and come in all sorts of shapes and colors. Plus, they’re adorable!

Grow Native Plants

One of the challenges of gardening is finding plants that can withstand the elements and seasons of the place where you plant them. As we all know, Colorado experiences four distinct seasons. One way to guarantee easier gardening is to grow native plants, such as blanketflower, blue flax, and firecracker penstemon. These plants have evolved to withstand southwest Colorado’s environment, while also serving as a home for local insects and wildlife. Native Roots Garden Center proudly carries a selection of native plants, and should you have any questions or need help, they’re the people to go to. They have a staff with over 100 years of combined professional experience.

Mini Cactus Collection

Aside from being cute, miniature cacti are easy to care for, as they require little water, and are a great way to bring some color into your apartment. Available in different shapes and sizes, you can arrange the cacti however you like, such as combining them together in one pot, or displaying them in separate pots on a shelf or table.