Gardening has many benefits, from stress reduction to healthy food (if you’re growing fruits and veggies!). But, if you’re living in the city and still want to exercise your green thumb, you’ll want to get a little creative. The good news is you don’t need a backyard to enjoy some gardening. You can start growing produce and flowers right in the city center. Here are a few tips to consider on your path to becoming an urban gardener:
Borrow Some Land
Community gardens are a great way to find space and make friends at the same time. Whether free or for a nominal fee, you can nurture your little plot of dirt without any kind of outdoor space attached to your apartment. Gardening clubs are another way to learn about gardening in a social atmosphere.
Build a Container Garden
These trendy gardens are the perfect solution if you’re tight on space – you simply plant in containers instead of in a larger area. They’re easy to reconfigure, so a great choice if you might be moving or just like to change things up. A good garden store or nursery will have experts to help you select the ideal pots for your space and climate.
Think Vertical
Plants like cucumbers and tomatoes grow up, not out, making them the ideal veggies to grow on a patio. Strawberries can also be hung in vertically hanging containers.
Buy a Kit
There are some attractive and innovative indoor gardening sets available online, which come with everything you need to start an indoor garden—a nice first step for a beginner.
Try Hydroponic Farming
This new technology uses no soil to grow, so it’s a clean, easy solution for urban gardeners that is quickly growing (no pun intended!) in popularity.