Finding The Space To Grow Fruit

How many times have you seen the prices of fresh produce and wished that you could just grow your own fresh fruits instead? It would be nice, but not everyone has the space available to grow a fruit garden in their yard or home... or do they? While any kind of gardening is a space intensive project, not having a huge area you can devote to your garden shouldn't prevent you from growing fruit at all. You just have to think creatively, plan out your space, and make some smart choices and before you know it you'll be biting into some fresh, juicy fruit for dessert!

(Photo credit: Wikipedia)

The first thing you need to do when planning out your limited space is to look at exactly how much you can or want to spare for your fruit, along with what kind of fruits you'd like to grow. Thinking logically of course, even a small fruit tree is going to take up a LOT more space than a patch of strawberries so you have to be prepared to work with what you have. When planning space many people often look outwards when in fact thinking upwards can do just as well. Try using poles or cages to give plants something to grow on that won't take up as much space as growing the plant out over more garden space. Hanging planters work well, too!

Speaking of planters, container gardening is a great way to get fruits growing in a smaller space. You can keep your plants exactly where you want them and, with proper care, make sure that they won't grow over or out of control. Planters can be anything as fancy as decorative ones you might find at a home improvement or gardening store, or as simple as a pot, barrel, can, or other space-appropriate container that your fruit plant will grow and thrive in.

Last but not least, don't feel like you have to grow a ton of fruit; you're not growing to stock a store, just your own fridge. Pick out which fruits you're interested in growing and do the math on how much space just those fruits growing will be taking up. If you end up under your limit and want to grow more, then great! If you end up over, simply plan on either scaling back how much you want to plant, or maybe cut back and even grow fruits in cycles, depending on what kind of fruit it is and how permanent the plants are.

The last thing that you should ever feel when you're planning your garden is that you won't be able to just because of limited space. Fruits are delicious, healthy, whole foods, and having them fresh off of the branch or vine is the best way to enjoy them. If you have the time, money, and are willing to put forth the effort to maintain your fruit garden, your space should be no obstacle to the sweet taste of victory!

Tips for Growing Succulents

Succulents can be a visually interesting addition to your garden, and they are especially great as borders or for walkways. There are many different varieties, with different foliage colors and shapes, and many varieties are very low maintenance and easy to grow. They can also do well in container gardens and indoor pots, so they are a very versatile addition no matter what kind of garden you have.

They are fairly maintenance free and can add color to pots where you are growing larger trees. They also make a nice looking ground cover that may reduce the amount of weeds depending on the type of succulent you choose.

Pink flowers of a succulent plant growing in Orange County, CA. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Placed in multi colored pots, succulents can look quite impressive with contrasting colors in designer gardens and courtyards. They are excellent for smaller pots where they can add color and life to patios and decks provided they get sufficient sunlight.

They also make an ideal plant for the busy apartment dweller where there is only minimal outdoor area and not enough room for larger plants.

They can also withstand winds that might damage other plants grown in these conditions. They are the ideal plant to have in window boxes and come in many different varieties, colors, shapes and sizes.

To ensure that your succulents get the very best in growing conditions, particularly if you are growing them in pots, you will need to buy good quality specially formulated succulent mix. This is generally the same type mix that you would also use for growing cacti.

Slow release fertilizer will help them to remain healthier by supplying them with necessary nutrients throughout the year, and the best time to give them this fertilizer is in spring.

They will grow better when exposed to the full sun as they don't like frosts. Over the summer months you will need to give them sufficient water and that will generally be once or twice a week.

Over the winter months if planted outdoors they should get enough water to only need watering once a month. Obviously you will need to adjust this depending on the climate they are growing in but that is a general guideline to follow. When you water your succulents you should avoid wetting their foliage if possible.

Video: Example of A Small Garden Space Plan

This video shows a really cool little garden space with all sorts of cool design elements. Strategically placed mirrors, pots, sculptures, and plants create a feeling of space and coziness at the same time. The Moroccan theme brings an oriental feel to the place, and a lovely mosaic and interesting table add to the beautiful and unique character of this garden. You can find a lot of pieces like this at yard sales and on Ebay without spending a fortune, and create a lovely and unique garden space of your very own.

Small Garden Ideas Pt 1- How to make a small space garden look larger -- Interview
For more tips and ideas for small space gardens visit: http://www.successfulgardendesign.com/?cat=10 In this video, professional garden designer Rachel Mathe...

Container Gardening: Growing In Baskets

Gardening in baskets can be a lovely way to have a small container garden. Flowers look especially beautiful in baskets, and if you have a small garden space, you can make use of vertical space by hanging the baskets at different levels. Not only will this maximize your available space, but it also gives a lovely multi-layered look to your garden!

If you are growing plants in baskets there are a few things that you will need to take care of if the plants are to survive. Obviously you will need to start with the best and healthiest seeds or plants. It is important that you choose good quality container mix too. There are proprietary hanging basket mixes that you really should use as they have been developed to provide the best growing conditions in these unique situations - when the soil is often hotter and dries out more quickly.

A hanging flower basket in Victoria, British Columbia. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

For aesthetics you will probably want to get the basket looking as 'full' as possible so you will be cramming the plants in. It is best to put the larger plants in the middle of the basket with smaller plants trailing out to the edges and the sides.

The larger the basket the better chance your plants will have to survive and they will also require less maintenance. To prevent the plants from drying out in the sun and the wind, aim to get maximum foliage coverage over any exposed soil.

As with all plants no matter where they are growing, water will be essential, and with baskets more care is required than normal. You can place a water trough between the plants and the liner to maintain a place to hold water that would normally seep through the liner.

In warmer weather you will need to water the plants more often and this is best handled with a long watering wand, which makes reaching the plants easier.

Occasionally, where you have baskets that are easily moved, you can soak the entire basket in a tub of water. If the basket has been quite dry you will need to soak it until the bubbles stop rising.

Always use quality organic liquid plant feed to ensure your plants are getting all the nutrients that they require. You can also add compost to the potting mix when planting your baskets.

If you take the time to give your basket plants the additional care that they need, you will be rewarded with a pleasant addition to any living area - either indoors or outdoors.

Video - Beautiful Organic Container Garden

This gorgeous video shows lots of amazing pictures of a beautiful container garden, along with some great tips for planting and maintaining your organic container garden, composting, controlling pests naturally, ideas for things to plant, and more. Enjoy the lovely pictures, and ideas for your own container garden! (Remember we're on our winter schedule now, so this is the last post for this week.)

Garden By Nature.wmv: Organic Container Garden Fall 2011- Spring 2012
A photographic walk through our first real Organic container garden. We had a lot of fun growing some of our own food, learning from nature and applying what we have learned to container gardening. So far vegetable gardening is paying off for us. I h...

Video - Growing Vegetables In The Shade

In this helpful video, John explores some vegetables that grow well in the shade. Shade can be quite a challenge for gardeners, particularly if you are limited in your garden space and don't have many options for where to place your garden. But all is not lost! Remember that fruiting plants (e.g. tomatoes, peppers, etc.) generally need more than 6 hours of full sun per day, which may be doable in the middle of summer for many, but if not, roots, tubers, and leafy vegetables often do quite well in partial shade - some even better than in full sun. This video explains why this is, and what are some good vegetables to choose for your shady spaces. Some of them are unique and interesting vegetables that you may not have considered, so you may even find a new gem for your garden that you just love! (My parents grew many of these when I was growing up, so I have fond memories of Jerusalem artichokes and chufas!)

Growing Vegetables in the Shade - What Can I grow?
John of www.growingyourgreens.com shares with you his experiences in growing vegetables and other food crops in the shade. Watch this video to learn which vegetables tend to grow better in the shade, and find out what happens when something is labeled...

Video - 4 Quick & Simple Trellis Ideas

Here is a great little video demonstrating 4 different types of trellises with varying degrees of mobility and functionality, but they are all super easy to do, and a couple of them are so simple it's hard to believe I haven't used them before! The last one does require an existing structure, which you may or may not have, but the first 3 are all extremely cheap and easy and require almost no work to construct.

Trellises are great for small gardens (or even container gardening), as they allow you to make use of vertical space, and also give your garden more visual interest. A wide variety of crops (and of course flowers) may be trellised, from tomatoes, to cucumbers and melons, to beans and peas, and then some.

Check these out, and get your spring garden off the ground! (Pun intended.)  :-)

4 simple Trellises
There are easy and cheap ways to add height and structure to your garden with these easy to make structures and trellises

Trellis-Building Supplies:
   

Container Gardening Tips for Newbies

Well, we're getting into winter now in many areas of the country, so many of us gardening addicts are turning to our winter pastimes, such as container gardening! Check out this article for some great tips on starting a lovely container garden to sustain your green thumb through the winter.

Image via WikipediaWe won't be posting on Thursday, as most of our readers will be busy spending time with their families, but be sure to check back on Saturday for some great gift ideas for gardeners, just in time for shopping season!

Container gardens can create a natural sanctuary in a busy city street, along rooftops or on balconies. You can easily accentuate the welcoming look of a deck or patio with colorful pots of annuals, or fill your window boxes with beautiful shrub roses or any number of small perennials. Whether you arrange your pots in a group for a massed effect or highlight a smaller space with a single specimen, you'll be delighted with this simple way to create a garden.

Container gardening enables you to easily vary your color scheme, and as each plant finishes flowering, it can be replaced with another. Whether you choose to harmonize or contrast your colors, make sure there is variety in the height of each plant. Think also of the shape and texture of the leaves. Tall strap-like leaves will give a good vertical background to low-growing, wide-leaved plants. Choose plants with a long flowering season, or have others of a different type ready to replace them as they finish blooming.

Experiment with creative containers. You might have an old porcelain bowl or copper urn you can use, or perhaps you'd rather make something really modern with timber or tiles.  If you decide to buy your containers ready-made, terracotta pots look wonderful, but tend to absorb water. You don't want your plants to dry out, so paint the interior of these pots with a special sealer available from hardware stores.

Image by LollyKnit via FlickrCheaper plastic pots can also be painted on the outside with water-based paints for good effect.  When purchasing pots, don't forget to buy matching saucers to catch the drips. This will save cement floors getting stained, or timber floors rotting.

Always use a good quality potting mix in your containers. This will ensure the best performance possible from your plants.

If you have steps leading up to your front door, an attractive pot plant on each one will delight your visitors. Indoors, pots of plants or flowers help to create a cozy and welcoming atmosphere.

Decide ahead of time where you want your pots to be positioned, then buy plants that suit the situation. There is no point buying sun lovers for a shady position, for they will not do well. Some plants also have really large roots, so they are best kept for the open garden.

If you have plenty of space at your front door, a group of potted plants off to one side will be more visually appealing than two similar plants placed each side. Unless they are spectacular, they will look rather boring.
Group the pots in odd numbers rather than even, and vary the height and type. To tie the group together, add large rocks that are similar in appearance and just slightly different in size. Three or five pots of the same type and color, but in different sizes also looks affective.

With a creative mind and some determination, you will soon have a container garden that will be the envy of friends and strangers alike!

Have a very Happy Thanksgiving!

Container Herb Gardening Tips

For those growing a container garden, an herb garden is one of the easiest things you can do. Herbs are great to grow in containers for several reasons:

1. They typically don't need a lot of space, and most don't get super tall, so you can grow them even in smaller pots.

2. Many grow well indoors year-round, so you can have fresh herbs always at hand!

Image by blackeiffel via Flickr3. Some herbs are very aggressive growers, and can be very invasive in your regular garden. Confining them to pots helps prevent them from taking over where you don't want them to.

4. You can often grow different kinds together in one pot. Herbs are something you often need a variety of on hand, especially if you like to cook from scratch, so it's nice to be able to grow a number of them even if you don't have much space.

5. They are usually quite easy to grow, and you can save lots of money growing your own fresh herbs rather than buying little expensive packets of them at the store all the time.

Here are some recent helpful articles on successfully growing herbs in containers:

3 Tips For A Great Container Herb Garden | Home Gardening Tips Moncton
Image via Wikipedia In case you are like me, I absolutely love the smell of contemporary herbs. Nevertheless, shopping for contemporary herbs at the.
Publish Date: 12/18/2010 8:04
http://www.backyardgardeningtips.com/garden/3-tips-for-a-profitable-container-herb-backyard/

Container Gardening: Container Herb Garden
In this video, you'll learn how to use an old farmer's market basket to make a great container garden. Fill it with your favorite herbs and your cooking will be full of flavor all summer long.
Publish Date: 01/22/2011 4:53
http://www.mainrecipes.info/blog/?p=21809

Planting a Container Herb Garden: Plant Height and Layout for ...
A container herb garden can be more than functional. It can be beautiful! Here are the plant height ranges and the recommended planting layout for a pot of kitchen herbs.
Publish Date: 04/15/2008 13:54
http://www.suite101.com/content/planting-a-container-herb-garden-a50861

Video - Easy Container Gardening

Here is a quick and very helpful video on setting up your own container garden quickly and easily. She gives some tips for cheap container ideas, as well as each step of setting up your container garden. To make your garden organic and sustainable, be sure to use natural fertilizers or even better - make your own compost! (This blog has many articles on composting, and if you are short on space, you can even compost in an enclosed container that doesn't take up a lot of room (I have mine right on my patio!).

Container Gardening - How to Start an Easy Basic Garden
Please be sure to subscribe to Naztazia's channel! This is a how-to video on growing fruits and vegetables in containers and planters instead of a traditional in-ground garden. Also known as container gardens or container gardening. These types of ga...

Related articles on Container Gardening:

• Essential Tips For A Successful Container Garden (allhome-improve.com)
• 5 Tips For Container Gardening (backyardgardeningtips.com)
• What You Have To Know On Container Gardening! (backyardgardeningtips.com)
• 5 Step by Step Tips For Gardening in Containers (hbb2obm.com)

Easy Tips on Caring for House Plants

Many people worry a lot when it comes to caring for their plants.  When talking about house plants, there is no need to worry.  There are just a few things you need to consider. 

Image via Wikipedia1.  Watering
Overwatering kills most houseplants. Looks can be deceptive, so to see if your soil is dry enough to water, try the finger test.  Insert your index finger up to the first joint into the soil.  If the soil is damp, don't water it. 

2.  Feeding
Foliage plants usually have high nitrogen needs, while doe flowering plants, K2O is needed. Slow release fertilizers can be mixed with the compost.  However, certain plants like cacti and orchids need special fertilizer.  Feed plants during their most active growth period.

3.  Lighting
Plants like Sanseveria and Aspidistra require no sun.  They can be placed away from a window.  Spider plants need semi-shade.  You can put plants like these near a window that does or does not get sunlight. Check the label to see what your plant needs.

4.  Temperature
Most houseplants can survive in cool or warm temperatures, but drastic fluctuations of temperature may not be good for them.  One thing that most plants cannot survive is gas heating. And if you have a plant that likes warm conditions, don't put it near an air conditioner in the summer.

5.  Humidity
Some houseplants require a humid environment. One tip to maximize humidity is to put the pot inside a larger pot and fill in the gaps with stones or compost to keep in the moisture.  Grouping plants together often creates a microclimate that they will benefit from. If you want, you can spray them with water once or twice a day depending on the temperature. 

6.  Re-potting
Some plants require re-potting for optimum growth but there are others that resent having their roots disturbed. Or their roots system may be small enough that they don't require re-potting.  One way to check if your plant needs re-potting is to turn it upside down.  Tap the pot to release the plant and check its roots.  If roots are all you see, then re-pot. Sometimes the roots will come out of the pot. In this case, you should either cut them off or re-pot the plant.

You just need to give your plants a bit of care, and in turn, you'll reap the benefits.  Indoor plants not only add to the beauty of your décor, but also give much pleasure to the indoor gardener - particularly those trapped inside for the winter!

Indoor Gardening & Houseplants: Recommended Resources:

Creating an Indoor Herb Garden

Fresh herbs can make a world of difference in your meals.  Instead of buying them at the grocery store and getting too much at once or a bunch that isn’t as fresh as it could be, grow your own.  Grow a variety or just your favorite, in a window box or on the kitchen counter.  It is an easy introduction to indoor gardening.

To start your own herb garden you have two options, you can go to your local nursery and purchase some seedlings or grow your own from seed.  Either way is fine, but if you are a novice the seedlings are the way to go.

Image via WikipediaOnce you have your seedlings at home, you can replant them or for the first season you can leave them in the small plastic pot that they come in.  If you do decide to replant them, do not pack in the soil too tightly and place a small amount of gravel or woodchips at the bottom of the pot for good drainage (and make sure there are a couple of small holes in the bottom).

If you want to grow your herbs from seeds, follow the instructions on the package carefully and use a container large enough to accommodate future root growth.  Herbs also like air circulation, placing near an open window when it's warm enough out can provide both the sunshine and air movement that they need to thrive.

Image by ReeseCLloyd via FlickrIf your herbs are growing too large for their pots, you can separate a portion of them (including the roots) and transplant them outside in the spring or summer time.  You will double the amount of herbs you can grow.  On the flip side, if you already have an outdoor herb garden it is a simple matter to take a portion of each plant indoors to have fresh herbs all winter long too.

And of course read the recommendations and information that comes with your herb plants -- not all are suitable for indoor gardening. (For some ideas to try, see below.)

Related articles on Indoor Herb Gardens:

• Start Growing Your An All Natural Herb Garden, Inside Your Home (backyardgardeningtips.com)
• 5 Step by Step Tips For Gardening in Containers (hbb2obm.com)
• Growing Tips for Herbs in Cold Climates (brighthub.com)

Getting Started in Container Gardening

Sometimes, the urge to garden might be quelled by other circumstances, such as living arrangements or space constrictions. If you live in an apartment, you can’t really operate a full garden, just because you don’t really have a yard! One of the best solutions for this problem is to grow plants in containers. You can hang these, or just arrange them on your patio, window sill or balcony. Just a few baskets or pots, and your whole living area will look much classier and nicer.

A benefit of growing in small containers is the fact that you can move them around to suit your needs. If you rearrange your furniture and you think that the plants would look nicer in another area, it’s no trouble at all to scoot them over. As long as the lighting is about the same, your plants shouldn’t mind the transition at all. Another benefit of the containers’ versatility is the fact that you can adapt it to simulate any environment depending on the type of soil you fill it with and where you place it.

Image via WikipediaIf you are trying to make an aesthetically pleasing arrangement of containers and plants, you can adjust the containers to be at different heights by hanging them from the ceiling or placing them on supports. Hanging them will allow you to make the most of the space you have. This is called “vertical gardening”. If you pull it off right, you can make a very pleasing arrangement of plants while conserving your valuable space.

If you live in an apartment, you know how important it is to conserve space! One method of vertical gardening is the use of a wooden step ladder. If painted correctly, you can arrange all the plants on it in a beautiful, stylish cascade of color.

The maintenance of container plants takes slightly more time, since you have to water more often and go around to each individual container. However, the square footage for container plants is much less than that of an actual garden, so the time spent on maintenance and watering is more balanced. It is important that you don’t over-water your container plants, as this can be just as fatal to their health as under-watering.

When choosing containers for your plants, you’ll want to buy them all at once along with some extras in case they break or you add more plants later. You don’t want them to be all the same shape and size, but definitely the same style so that the compliment each other. Plastic containers are the best and require the least amount of watering, but if you want to stick with clay or earthen pots then you should line the inside with plastic. This helps it retain water more, as the clay will soak up water. (Just make sure if you do this, that you poke some holes in the bottom so that excess water doesn’t sit and drown the roots of your plants!)

Image by LollyKnit via FlickrAnother thing to remember when buying pots is the fact that the size of the pot will ultimately constrict the size of the plant. Make a careful choice of pots according to what you wish to grow in each one. If you search for the plant you chose on the internet, you should be able to find specifications as to how much root space it should be given. This can even be an advantage for you if you choose a plant that can grow very large. If you only have a limited amount of space for it, you can constrict it by choosing a pot that isn’t large enough to support huge amounts of growth, and this will keep the plant smaller

If the benefits of container gardening sound appealing to you, you can start planning out your container garden today. If you write a list of all the plants you desire to have, you can do the necessary research to find out what size and shape of pots you should get. After that, it’s just a matter of arranging them in a way that makes your home look the nicest.

Related articles on Container Gardening:

• Grow Container Vegetables (hbb2obm.com)
• Container Gardening for the Fall Season (brighthub.com)
• Chron.com: Want to garden but don’t have time or energy? Try containers (chron.com)
• Decorating with container gardens (seattletimes.nwsource.com)