Bob Baxla

Lots of people think if you live in an apartment you can't do any gardening. There is not a lot of space, and some areas are common with other people. You can't always know that your plants will be safe. Maybe you'll have a balcony, maybe you won't. These are some of the reasons that so many people are resistant to apartment style living. Nevertheless, if you are an apartment dweller, there are many methods you can employ to have and enjoy a variety of plants. The primary goal of this article is to show you how easy it is to garden in a smaller dwelling.

You will have to watch out for your pets. Your pets can be a big obstacle when you are putting together an indoors garden. Cats like to claw the dirt and eat leaves of your plants. Dogs may simply tear the plants out of the pots, so they can play with them. They can knock the containers over while they are playing. If you have pets, I'm sure you know how curious they can be when anything new is introduced into their home. Keep a close watch on your pets to make sure they don't demolish your plants before you get to enjoy them. Some kind of barricade or gate may be helpful in keeping your pets out of your garden area so they don't tear everything up. True, this probably won't be easy in limited space, but it might be the only solution to this particular problem.

Buy some good quality grow lights for your plants. You probably have preconceived notions about what people use grow lights for. In reality, if you don't have a spot that has full sunlight access, your plants may need a grow light or two to thrive.

If you have grow lights, there are more places you can put your plants because you can use areas that are shady or that have little sunshine. Do a little digging and see if you might be able to find a few at garage sales or second hand stores-this will help you save quite a lot of money in the long term as brand new grow lights can sometimes be expensive.

Learn everything you can about square foot gardening. Composting is the secret of the success of this type of organic gardening. You will find that this strategy is good for more than one reason. It gives you a better chance of growing your own organic garden in a small amount of space. You learn how to easily produce compost, thereby saving money, when you set up a mini composting system in your kitchen, patio, or balcony. Since you'll only need small amounts of compost, you can hook up with a compost system that is compact. Furthermore, by composting, you will have less kitchen refuse to carry to the trash and you will be supporting our environment. The strategies you can use to create your apartment garden are unlimited. Many folks have beautiful gardens in their homes without the benefit of a balcony or patio. The secret? Study up on indoor gardens, plan your space and plants in advance, and exercise some patience. Don't expect instant success. A perfect garden is a dream come true if you don't give up. It may take a little time to create exactly what you want but, with patience and work, it will happen. The next step? Get out there and get started!