SmallGardenIdeas |

Easy Guide to Growing Microgreens

themicrogardener.com

Anne has so many great gardening posts on her site, The Micro Gardener. (themicrogardener.com)

In this post, she explains everything you need to know to grow microgreens in your garden.

She begins:

“Second only to sprouts, microgreens are the quickest food crop we urban gardeners can grow! If you have limited time, space or gardening skills let me introduce you to growing microgreens. Tasty, nutrient-dense ‘fast food’ in just a few easy steps.”

Then she discusses:

The difference between microgreens and sprouts
Benefits of growing microgreens
Which seed varieties of microgreens can you grow
4 steps to growing microgreens
Lots of helpful tips
Recipes
Seed Suppliers

One of the things I like is that you can grow microgreens anywhere: on sunny windowsills, balconies, patios, rooftops, porches etc.

To read Anne’s complete post, click on the Easy Guide to Growing Microgreens link below.

Easy Guide to Growing Microgreens

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Easy Guide to Growing Basil

themicrogardener.com

Basil is one of my favorite herbs and is pretty easy to grow. This post by Anne explains everything you need to know to grow basil in your garden.

Anne begins:

“As a gardener and cook, I couldn’t bear to have a garden without Basil. This fragrant herb is not only grown for its flavour but also its many health benefits. I use it in our kitchen as much for its delicious taste as I do for its medicinal properties.

Interested in growing basil? Try it in a pot, garden or on your kitchen bench as sprouts or microgreens.

Every year, I allocate ‘prime real estate’ space to basil in pots, as well as around my garden. Read on for how you can use this versatile herb.”

She goes on to discuss:

Which variety of basil should you grow
The many uses for Holy Basil (Ocimum Sanctum)
How to grow basil (including a very cool tip on when to plant)

Click on the Easy Guide to Growing Basil link below to read Anne’s complete post.

Choosing Fruit Trees for Small Gardens

themicrogardener.com

Anne is a gardener in Australia who shares some tips for selecting fruit trees for small gardens.

She begins her post with:

“I grow a LOT of fruit trees in a small space. Some in containers, others in the garden. It’s highly productive and I grow kilos of fruit every year. Some fruit trees are young and on their way to producing. Others are putting food on the table regularly!

Here, I grow a lot of tropical fruit trees like bananas, papaya, mango, mulberries, citrus and peaches. It takes time to get to know each fruit and how much space they require to be productive.

It can be overwhelming if you’re just starting out growing fruit trees, so I hope these tips help you avoid expensive mistakes.”

Then she shares 5 tips for growing fruit trees in your garden. Some things you’ll learn:

What should guide you in picking fruit trees to grow
What to assess in your garden that will help you pick the right fruit to grow
What type of fruit trees are best for balconies, patios and small spaces
Growing fruit in containers
What you need to know about pollination

It’s a great, fact-filled post that will help if you’re considering growing fruit trees in your small garden space. Click on Choosing Fruit Tree for Small Gardens link below to read Anne’s complete post.

Choosing Fruit Trees for Small Gardens

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What Is Japanese Wabi-Sabi Gardening

gardeningknowhow.com

I had not heard of Japanese Wabi-Sabi Gardening, so I read this article with interest. What I like is that wabi-sabi techniques can be used in any type of garden.

Ilana begins by explaining what wabi-sabi is:

“Wabi sabi can be defined as “beauty in imperfection” and can incorporate asymmetry, incompleteness, impermanence, and simplicity. In addition to gardens, wabi sabi influences many other aspects of Japanese art and culture, such as the tea ceremony and pottery making, and it is also seen as a way of life.

A garden based around wabi sabi incorporates natural and manmade elements in a way that allows visitors to appreciate their humble and imperfect forms. This typically involves using not only plants but also stones and weathered manmade objects as design elements.”

She then explains some ways to implement this gardening technique is your garden. Here are a few:

Choose plants and objects that will transform as the seasons change and the elements go to work on them.
Adding plants that provide natural textures in different seasons

Click on the What Is Japanese Wabi-Sabi Gardening link below to read Ilana’s complete post. It’s very interesting and well-written.

What Is Japanese Wabi-Sabi Gardening

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Growing 5 Best Heirloom Tomatoes In Pots

balconygardenweb.com

There’s nothing that tastes better than a sun-warmed tomato fresh from the garden. The good news for people with small garden areas including balconies, patios, and urban gardens is that you can grow full-size heirloom tomatoes in containers! This post by Tina explains everything you need to know.

Tina begins:

“If you don’t have space for a garden, there is no reason why you can’t enjoy deliciously, ripened tomatoes. Heirloom tomato plants grow exceptionally well in containers.

Most heirloom tomato plants grow well in a container so long as you know how to grow them properly.”

She then discusses:

The difference between determinate and indeterminate tomato varieties
The Top 5 heirloom tomato plants
Tips for growing heirloom tomatoes in containers

If you want to grow tomatoes in containers this year, check out this great post. Click on the Growing 5 Best Heirloom Tomatoes In Pots link below to read Tina’s complete post.

Growing 5 Best Heirloom Tomatoes In Pots

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Humidity-Absorbing Houseplants

gardeningknowhow.com

If you live in an area where there’s excess humidity, one way to reduce that humidity is to grow certain plants in your home. This post explains the benefits and recommends specific plants.

Bonnie begins the post with:

“Winter mold, mustiness and damp in the home are caused by excess humidity. The problem happens in warm, muggy regions too. Dehumidifiers and other solutions can have some effect but plants are a prettier, more natural way to remove some of the clammy air and damp ambiance. Humidity absorbing houseplants serve dual purpose as they harvest the moisture they need from the air and bring the outdoors in.”

She discusses:

Benefits of Reducing Humidity
How Plants Can Reduce Humidity
Specific Plants That Reduce Humidity

Great post! Click on the Humidity-Absorbing Houseplants link below to see Bonnie’s complete post and recommendations.

Humidity-Absorbing Houseplants

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Small Garden Ideas

bhg.com

I think that you can create a garden in almost any space you have, whether it’s a small pocket garden, balcony garden, rooftop garden etc.

This post shares 17 different ideas for small gardens. It’s a slideshow that shows container gardens, adding color to shady garden spaces, welcoming wildlife, vertical gardening and more.

Doug begins the post:

“A small garden space doesn’t mean you can’t have the garden you want. Here are our favorite ideas for small garden ideas, including small patio garden ideas, to help you maximize your space!”

The post is a slideshow post. Just click on “Next” or “Prev” to navigate through the various garden ideas.

Click on the Small Garden Ideas link below to see all of Doug’s great ideas.

Small Garden Ideas

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How To Build Wooden Birdhouses

craftynitti.com/

Birdhouses are a great way to attract different varieties of birds to your yard or garden. This post includes photos of different wooden birdhouses, helpful tips, and instructions on how to build a wooden birdhouse.

The post begins:

People like me who love birds, having a beautifully hand-crafted birdhouse can be a wonderful addition to their outdoor space or if they have landscape.

A beautiful and sunny spring morning in your garden, lovely fresh breeze, birds chirping and tweeting in the birdhouse and a cup of coffee, isn’t that what you call a perfect morning? Living in an apartment, I certainly know what I miss every single morning, but those who are blessed with lots of outdoor space where they can have birdhouses, they know what an amazing experience that is. Trust me it’s an absolute delight to have a birdhouse in your home.

To see the complete post and build instructions, click on the How to Build Wooden Birdhouses link below.

How To Build Wooden Birdhouses

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Best Fruits To Grow In Container Pots

http://balconygardenweb.com

If you would like to grow fruit in containers, this post is very helpful. From the introduction:

Not only the vegetables but fruits can be grown in pots too. Here are 14 best fruits to grow in pots.

Buy a disease free potted plant from a reputed nursery or online and start in a small to medium sized pot (3-5 gallons) and then repot the plant gradually into the bigger ones. A 20-25 gallon size pot is an ideal one for a fruit tree in the container.

Then the post goes on to discuss the 14 best fruits to grow in pots on your balcony or patio or rooftop garden. There are photographs and links to detailed instructions for each fruit.

Best Fruits To Grow In Pots

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55 Small Urban Garden Design Ideas And Pictures

shelterness.com

Shelterness has gathered photos of 55 different urban gardens that may provide inspiration for your own garden. From the introduction:

“In case you doesn’t live in suburbs but want a beautiful garden – don’t worry. We’ve gathered lots of small urban garden design ideas for your inspiration.

Those of you who doesn’t live in suburbs or somewhere in a forest might still want to have a beautiful garden in your backyard – we’re here to help. Small urban gardens could be used as for growing vegetables as for simply relaxing outdoors. A city garden needs a careful planning but can become an awesome outdoor “room”. We’ve already shared with you amazing urban terraces and now we’re going to show you some amazing ideas for small urban gardens.”

Then the post provides photos of a wide variety of urban gardens. Here are just a few:

Urban Garden with Pond