How to Improve Apartment Gardening With Potting Benches By Rachel Dawson
Potting benches can be an important tool for apartment gardeners. Clutter seems even more evident in small spaces. Potting benches help solve the clutter problem, at least as far as your gardening is concerned. You probably don’t have the room or permission to plant a large vegetable garden or an orchard behind your apartment building. However, you can grow many different plants inside, on your patio, or in window boxes. Wood potting benches provide adequate workspace for your gardening activities, storage to keep your supplies organized, and shelves where you can display some container plants.
If you’re just getting started with apartment gardening, you will need to evaluate your surroundings before you bring home a load of plants. Different plants respond in different ways to sunlight levels, frequency of watering, temperature and humidity. Now, there are ways you can manipulate these factors, but if you need a garden that doesn’t require more than low maintenance, you should select plants that will thrive naturally in the conditions of your apartment. Once you have this information, you can begin to research plants that will fit your apartment and your lifestyle. For instance, if you’ve tried to grow indoor plants before but failed to keep them alive, then you might look for plants that don’t require you to water them every day.
The same principles apply to outdoor gardening. Place potting benches outside on patios or balconies to aid in organization and storage. Evaluate sunlight, shade, and temperature here, too, and select plants accordingly. Check for flowers, aquatic plants, green and leafy plants, vegetables, and herbs. If you’ve never tried apartment gardening, you might be surprised at how many options you actually have. A variety of plants will keep things interesting for you. You can also infuse variety into your gardening by employing different containers, not just traditional planters. Hanging baskets also work well outdoors for selected plants and flowers.
Most of the plants you can grow in containers will also grow in window boxes. Window boxes provide additional growing room, whether your primary plants live indoors or out. Or perhaps you want to start off small. A window box is a great place to give gardening a whirl. Window boxes look nice hanging off railings of balconies, not just windows.
If you find that you really enjoy plants, you might consider mixing some of these growing methods. Place potting benches inside by windows to provide space for potted plants in the sunlight. On the balcony outside, grow some vegetables and herbs in a window box. Or using potting benches outside and place hanging baskets on either side of the patio.
Although your space is limited in apartment gardening, you can usually find some room to grow indoor plants. Patios and balconies offer additional or alternate room for growing and displaying plants. Containers and window boxes make suitable homes for a variety of plants. Potting benches help keep you organized, give you gardening space, and even provide a display area for potted plants. Their design makes them suitable furnishings both indoor and out.
About the Author: Rachel Dawson is a freelance writer who strives to make the most of her space.
She writes about potting benches, particularly wood potting benches.
