Blog

Apartment Garden Blues (Blog): Why I Love Container Gardens

Details: Published on Friday, August 23 2013 10:05; Written by Alexandra Martin

Balcony Garden Flowers For those of us who live in apartment gardens with balconies, we don’t have much of a choice when it comes to what types of gardens we can keep. We will have either container gardens or no gardens at all. It’s that simple! But here are 5 reasons why container gardens are better than any other garden.

5. Container gardens are easy to move. Apartment gardeners with a little plot of land off their patio can grow some plants in the ground. But what happens when you move? Container gardens allow apartment renters to move their entire gardens with them. Some plants can be dug up and put in pots, but others won’t tolerate that, or they will be too large. Plus, when you’re ready to move, you won’t want to do a ton of work in the garden to get ready for your next apartment garden. A lot of renters move often, and container gardens make moving just a little bit easier.

4. Container gardens can have interesting containers. Whether it’s a recycled container or an antique plant pot, container gardens allow small-space gardeners another way to be creative. You can make a hobby out of collecting, selling and trading interesting plant pots. You can even paint your own!

3. Container gardens can have plants that wouldn’t normally survive the winter. If you live in a cold climate, it is easier for you to bring container plants indoors to overwinter them. If you plant less hardy plants in the ground, they will die if kept outdoors during the winter. Buy a couple of grow lights and set aside a corner of your living room to grow plants during the winter. The extra greenery and light will keep you in higher spirits during the cold and dark winter months.

2. Container gardens have fewer problems. While this isn’t always true, it’s easier to keep an eye on a small container garden rather than a large garden. Deer, rabbits and other pests can eat up your plants and ruin your garden quickly. With a small garden that’s close to the house, wildlife will be less of a problem.

1. Container gardens are low-maintenance. My favorite part about container gardens is that they’re low-maintenance! Because apartment gardens are small, we are forced to keep just a few plants. While this may seem like a burden (and it often is), it really cuts down on the amount of work that must be done.

Check out next week’s blog, where I’ll talk about the downsides of maintaining container gardens in apartments.

_______________________________________

Alexandra is a professional writer from Southern California who grows vegetables, herbs, lots of aloe vera and one giant Boston fern in her balcony garden. She also grows dracaena, pothos and English ivy indoors. She loves traveling and birdwatching in addition to gardening.

Apartment Garden Blues (Blog): My New Apartment Garden

Details: Published on Friday, August 16 2013 14:16; Written by Alexandra Martin

Balcony Container Garden No Light

I recently moved to a new apartment complex, and now I have a whole new balcony garden space to work with. Unfortunately, I couldn't find any nice apartments in my price range that had big, sunny balconies, so I had to go with a medium-sized shady balcony. The new apartment is nice and quiet (my biggest requirement!), but the garden will be severely limited because of the low light. (You can already see the spearmint becoming spindly and struggling to get enough light.)

At my first apartment, while I was in college, I was spoiled. I had a giant balcony that faced south. I also had a private staircase that led to this balcony. I grew all sorts of light-loving plants, including vegetables, corn (which didn't do very well), trees and beautiful mammoth sunflowers. At my second apartment, things were a bit darker and not as nice, but I did have a big balcony that got some light.

This balcony is small and has no light. It's what I like to call a "cave." Not only does it face north, but it also has an awning over it and trees outside, so no light gets in. Pictured are the container plants that I think might survive in the darkness. From left to right there is a tiny saguaro cactus that you can't see, mint, English ivy, a dracaena plant and golden pothos. While I'm staying at this apartment, the garden will be very small. Luckily, though, my city just approved a proposal that a vacant lot will become a community garden. Maybe soon I can get a small plot of land just for myself!

_______________________________________

Apartment Garden Blues (Blog): Centennial Farm at the 2013 OC Fair

Details: Published on Friday, August 09 2013 13:07; Written by By Alexandra Martin

Centennial Farm OC Fair & Event Center Each year more than a million people visit the OC Fair. Last year 1,257,335 visited, and I was one of them! Two weeks ago we again made our annual trek to the fair at the OC Fair & Event Center in Costa Mesa, Calif., for this year's fair (themed "Come & Get It"), which runs from July 12 to August 11. Since it was founded in 1989, many plants and animals have been on display at Centennial Farm, the 3-acre demonstration farm that resides at the OC Fair & Event Center. And during the fair, the farm is at its peak, and signs and volunteers are everywhere to help fair-goers learn more about farm plants and animals.

Crops are grown at Centennial Farm and livestock kept in the Millennium Barn to be used as an educational tool for the public, especially children, so they can learn where our food comes from and how it is made. Because of this, picking crops is strictly prohibited, even though during OC Fair time, so many plants look so ripe and juicy! Centennial Farm staff and volunteers harvest the crops and donate them to Second Harvest Food Bank or placed in a food bin so farm visitors can take produce in lieu of a donation. In addition to the many crops grown at Centennial Farm, there is also a rare and tropical fruit tree section, a rose garden, herb garden, succulent and cactus garden, salsa garden and low-water garden. During this year's OC Fair, there were displays dedicated to square-foot gardening and dahlia flowers. There is also a permanent vermicompost display where kids can see a giant compost pile with red worms in action!

One fun aspect of the Centennial Farm is the cow milking by machine twice a day at the Millennium Barn. You can watch the milking. Call (714) 708-1619 to see what the milking schedule is, since the schedules may vary. Other animals that you can see, touch and learn about at Centennial Farm are bees, chickens, oxen, cows, pigs, sheep, goats, peacocks, rabbits and more.

The Centennial Farm isn't just open during the OC Fair. I admit it's at its peak during the fair, but you can always go visit for free. Regular hours for the public are Monday through Friday from 1pm to 4pm and Saturday and Sunday from 9m to 4pm (tours are also available). Admission is free, but you may need to pay to park at the OC Fair & Event Center. Visit the Centennial Farm's website and call (714) 708-1619 if you have any further questions.

Millenium Barn at Centennial Farm