Grow a summer garden on your balcony, patio or porch with 5 easy tips
Summer is just around the corner! It’s the perfect time to stop and smell the roses, or better yet, grow a garden of your very own!
Maybe it’s been a dream of yours for a while, but you lack the space to make it happen? No big deal — consider pots!
Pots are a great way to grow vegetables, herbs or flowers when you have limited space.
Get your green thumbs ready because we have five tips to help you make it happen.
1. Look up at the sun!
Does your balcony, patio or porch face the sunny south or shadier north? The amount of sunlight that pours onto your space will help dictate what plants you can add to your pots.
Let’s use herbs as an example.
If you’re planning to grow a herb garden and have a sunny balcony: rosemary, thyme and basil are great options for you.
While herbs that dislike dry soil, such as mint, parsley and coriander, tend to do well in the shade.
2. Choose your pots wisely
Who said you needed a yard to build a beautiful garden? Not us! It’s easy to build a garden with the space you have by using containers.
The first step in growing in containers is choosing the right size pot for your plants.
For example, tall-pots are best for deep-rooted plants, shrubs and small trees, while smaller pots are ideal for shallow-rooted plants and flowering bulbs.
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Ceramic and terracotta pots are the best for growing herbs, as the material does not dry out the soil as quickly as plastic or metal pots.
Speaking of hydration, make sure your containers have drainage holes that will allow water in the soil to drain freely.
3. Fill pots with high-quality soil
Now that you have your pots picked out, it’s time to fill them.
To grow a successful container garden, you will need a good quality potting mix that contains the right blend of ingredients to create an ideal growing environment for roots, while also providing good water drainage and necessary airflow.
Additionally, a good quality potting mix contains plant food to give your plants a healthy jumpstart!
Miracle-Gro® Moisture Control® Potting Mix helps protect against overwatering and underwatering. (Photo credit: The Weather Network)
4. Feed your plants
Just like people, plants need to eat in order to thrive.
Regularly feeding your plants ensures they grow properly to produce beautiful flowers and tasty vegetables that you can enjoy all summer long.
A month after planting, you should begin feeding your garden with all-purpose plant food to help plants continue to grow strong and bountiful
Simply mix the plant food with water in a watering can and apply it to your plants. It’s a quick and easy solution that will give you spectacular results!
Keep all your plants healthy, happy, and well fed with Miracle-Gro® Water Soluble All Purpose Plant Food (Photo Credit: Miracle-Gro®)
5. Harvest & Enjoy!
You created a beautiful garden, way to grow! But when is it time to harvest?
The best time to pick tomatoes from your garden is when they just begin to change colour and are firm to the touch.
Herbs with leaves should be harvested before they flower, so it's recommended you use sharp, clean scissors or clippers when it's time.
And don’t panic now, but yes, you should cut flowers! Cutting flowers not only promotes further growth, but you can enjoy a beautiful arrangement that brings life to any room.
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With these easy steps, you’re well on your way to transforming your smaller space into a beautiful and bountiful garden that you can enjoy all summer long!
(Thumbnail credit: Getty Images)
