Though you may tend to see apartments as a far cry from the idyllic white picket fence surrounding a lush, green yard, today’s apartments can still be conducive to gardening. At Jason Cohen Pittsburgh, we’ve seen many tenants get extremely creative with their indoor gardens.
Gardening, inside or out, provides many benefits. In addition to the nutrition from eating fresh vegetables and using fresh herbs, you’ll save money on groceries while knowing what pesticides are used and what is in the soil. Tending to the plants can lower stress and help to avert depression. It is also very convenient to have fresh herbs on hand for any recipe.
Plenty of vegetables and herbs will grow inside with the correct lighting and temperatures. With proper maintenance, you can have fresh vegetables and herbs all year no matter what the outside temperature. Some vegetables thrive in full sunlight while others can be places near a window that receive less light. With a small amount of research, you can decide which are best for the layout of your apartment.
Radishes and leaf lettuces are normally planted from seed outside in the early spring. These vegetables and many others, die out in the summer due to the heat. If you have air conditioning, these can grow all year from a south-facing window. A pack of seeds cost a few dollars providing food throughout the year. This is less than one purchase of the same vegetable. You can also add peas and spinach if you have enough space. If you decide to grow peas, remember that they grow on a vine so have a small trellis ready to support them.
Some easy herbs to grow are basil, cilantro, and parsley. To grow these, you do not need the fancy contraptions and gadgets that you see in many stores that can cost hundreds of dollars. All you need is some potting soil, herb seeds, and pots. A south-facing window is recommended so the plants get plenty of sunshine.
Planting pots can be constructed in an assortment of sizes and shapes. You can even use old cooking pots filled with dirt. If you are handy, you can build a salad table to match your décor. There is no shortage of vessels for sale in local gardening and hardware stores or online.
Your first growing season may seem daunting. In gardening, you will have some failures. It can be the result of many different things such as old seeds, over or under watering, and incorrect lighting. Learn from your mistakes and try again. Read the plants as they grow. If they are growing in one direction, rotate them from time to time so that the entire plant gets sun. Water them on a set schedule. Make sure to transplant if the plant outgrows the pot. Add in flowers to bring color to your inside oasis.
As your garden grows, so will your confidence. After one season, you can collect seeds from the plants so you will not have to buy new seeds. You can also grow new plants from the scraps of the old ones. For onion and garlic, plant the cut off roots in some dirt and see what happens. Water the new plants frequently.
Have fun while eating healthier, saving money, and experimenting with different plants and containers inside your Jason Cohen Pittsburgh apartment.
Jason Cohen (Pittsburgh) 