Creating A More Comfortable Home

Do you want to grow your own food? Are herbs and spices enough, or do you want some vegetables that you can really sink your teeth into? There are a lot of ways to get a level of gardening you want without having your own ground for a garden, but there are some seasonal limits unless you plan accordingly. Here are some options and common pitfalls to avoid as you look towards planting your own food indoors and outdoors.

How Big Do These Things Get?

One thing that shocks many people is how much the plants can grow and how bad that can be for people with limited space. Even with cutting and trimming, herbs such as basil and chives can get long enough to reach across property lines and wave hello, albeit very slowly, to the neighbors as they creep up the walls and wrap around anything thin enough to grasp.

Be sure to look up the specific plant variety before planting. Although there are always exceptions, you can get a good idea of what most seeds will yield, and may be able to avoid dealing with giant plants unless you have a special mutation in the seeds or a particularly amazing set of growing skills.

Trim your herbs often, and consider investing in a dehydrator. If your property doesn't have any rules against tasteful decorations, you can use twine or other types of string to tie off your herb clippings and tie them to hooks on your windowsill, porch, or an outdoor planter.

Outdoor Planters And Seasonal Management

If you have a small yard or at least an outdoor area that you're allowed to use, outdoor planters are great for growing larger plants. Fruits and vegetables can be managed easier if you have a structure for vines and stacking tiered pots. You can even buy outdoor planters online if no local stores carry them.

Keep in mind that trails of water can be problematic for your neighbors, so try not to flood your pots. Excessive watering can wash away soil and nutrients, so it's not really a good idea for your plants to begin with. Especially when dealing with plastic pots or other pots that don't absorb water, you can drown your plants with too much water by dislodging their grip on soil and blocking their ability to absorb soil nutrients.

During colder months, many crops will die because of cold weather exposure. You'll need to either take some final clippings of your plants and collect the seeds or get an indoor planter as well. Contact a gardening supplies professional to discuss available planters and other accessories for herbs and small crops.