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This post will be linked to in the first page, but I wanted to go ahead and get a sort of Outline set up.

We have many regulars in this thread who live in
a. A dorm
b. An Apartment

who still show an interest in gardening. Therefore, this reserved post will include tips, hints, and advice from fellow space-restricted gardeners.

Information For Everyone
Pots and Planters: Your standard containers. They should drain at the bottom. Hanging Planters also come in handy for strawberries and smaller tomato varieties. You can get these anywhere, or even make them yourself!
Dishes: Many ceramic pots come with them, but you can get plastic dishes real cheap at Lowe's, Home Depot, Wal-Mart, etc. Place them under your pot so the water doesn't go to waste. They'll keep your soil moist.
Soil: There are several types. Some actually say they aren't meant for vegetables/fruits, so read labels carefully.
Compost and Mulch: See where your municipality takes yard waste. Do they bring it to a recycling center to get chipped/composted? If so, is the compost and mulch available to the county's residents? A lot of the time it is. This is FREE soil/mulch for you right here. It's great for amending tired soil or poor quality soil whether in a yard garden or in containers. Check your county's recycling program website and see if it's available.
Peat Pellets: Nifty little pellets. They expand when you soak them, and make for a nice, nourishing "mini greenhouse" for seeds. Most of the time, you can plant the entire pellet in the pot or ground when the seedling is big enough.
Cages and Trellises: Items made for plants that tend to get heavy with the vines. It gives them support and something to crawl on. It's highly suggested you cage your tomatoes and cucumbers, for example.
Zones: Keep in mind your zone. Accommodate your plants/growing season according to what Zone you live in to maximize your growing success. For example, I live in Zone 9a, a generally hot area with mild winters. I grow vegetables which are more tolerant to excessive heat and possible droughts.

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Dorm & Apartment
It's understandable students want to liven up their dorm with a plant. Plants make people happy! Sadly, many dorms only offer one window with a little ledge and not much else. There are ways to manage, though!

Herbs: Cafeteria food a little bland? Spice up your meals by keeping a windowsill full of basil, mint, rosemary, thyme, cilantro, parsley, etc.
Tea: Catnip and Lemongrass can be steeped and made into some nice teas.

If you have a little more room to spare, keep reading below.

Apartment
Many people nowadays live in an apartment. Many apartments have an outdoor patio or balcony, which can come in handy for a little container garden. If you're new to gardening, it's probably a good idea to label your pots.

Fruits/Vegetables that can grow well in a little patio-container setup:
Determinate Tomato Plants: Determinate tomatoes or "bush" tomatoes are short, compact plants that usually produce fruit at around the same time, and then die. On average, they grow about 4 feet high, give or take a few feet. Due to their size, they are ideal for containers. They may or may not need to be caged, but it's a good idea to do so, anyway.
Cherry and Grape Tomatoes: Most cherry tomatoes are of the Indeterminate variety, which means they sprawl out more and have longer vines. Indeterminate Tomato Plants can grow up to 9 feet tall or so and need to be caged or trellised. They also keep giving fruit until they are killed. For a cherry type, try hanging them upside down!
Strawberries: These are also popular to place in a container that hangs.
Peas: Delicious little peas such as Sugar Snap can easily grow in a container on your patio or windowsill. They seem to yield a lot, so if you're big on peas, you might want to check them out. Since peas have a mutualistic relationship with bacteria, it is important to supply them with the bacteria. Most potting soil you buy from the store are sterile or don't have the bacteria. So instead, mix a handful of outside soil into the mix when planting peas, or you can buy inoculate. But the first choice is cheaper.
Peppers: Bell Peppers always come in handy when snacking or cooking. For a little more zing, try a Jalapeno or Habanero. Peppers like dryer soil, so keep that in mind.
Cucumbers: Another plant that needs to be caged.
Zucchini: Beware. Zucchinis are the gift that will keep on giving.
Radishes: Only take about a month or two to grow, and they are fantastic in salads and soups. The bigger you let your radishes grow, the spicier they will get though. Pick 'em while they're still small.




This post will be constantly updated as more people submit their tips. <3
Contributors: Taki Okura, Oriole Lyric, Sai-kun

Dabbler

Taki Okuda
User Image - Blocked by "Display Image" Settings. Click to show.


This post will be linked to in the first page, but I wanted to go ahead and get a sort of Outline set up.

We have many regulars in this thread who live in
a. A dorm
b. An Apartment

who still show an interest in gardening. Therefore, this reserved post will include tips, hints, and advice from fellow space-restricted gardeners.

Information For Everyone
Pots and Planters: Your standard containers. They should drain at the bottom. Hanging Planters also come in handy for strawberries and smaller tomato varieties. You can get these anywhere, or even make them yourself!
Dishes: Many ceramic pots come with them, but you can get plastic dishes real cheap at Lowe's, Home Depot, Wal-Mart, etc. Place them under your pot so the water doesn't go to waste. They'll keep your soil moist.
Soil: There are several types. Some actually say they aren't meant for vegetables/fruits, so read labels carefully.
Peat Pellets: Nifty little pellets. They expand when you soak them, and make for a nice, nourishing "mini greenhouse" for seeds. Most of the time, you can plant the entire pellet in the pot or ground when the seedling is big enough.
Cages and Trellises: Items made for plants that tend to get heavy with the vines. It gives them support and something to crawl on. It's highly suggested you cage your tomatoes and cucumbers, for example.
Zones: Keep in mind your zone. Accommodate your plants/growing season according to what Zone you live in to maximize your growing success. For example, I live in Zone 9, a generally hot area with mild winters. I grow vegetables which are more tolerant to excessive heat and possible droughts.

Dorm & Apartment
It's understandable students want to liven up their dorm with a plant. Plants make people happy! Sadly, many dorms only offer one window with a little ledge and not much else. There are ways to manage, though!

Herbs: Cafeteria food a little bland? Spice up your meals by keeping a windowsill full of basil, mint, rosemary, thyme, cilantro, parsley, etc.
Tea: Catnip and Lemongrass can be steeped and made into some nice teas.

If you have a little more room to spare, keep reading below.

Apartment
Many people nowadays live in an apartment. Many apartments have an outdoor patio or balcony, which can come in handy for a little container garden. If you're new to gardening, it's probably a good idea to label your pots.

Fruits/Vegetables that can grow well in a little patio-container setup:
Determinate Tomato Plants: Determinate tomatoes or "bush" tomatoes are short, compact plants that usually produce fruit at around the same time, and then die. On average, they grow about 4 feet high, give or take a few feet. Due to their size, they are ideal for containers. They may or may not need to be caged, but it's a good idea to do so, anyway.
Cherry and Grape Tomatoes: Most cherry tomatoes are of the Indeterminate variety, which means they sprawl out more and have longer vines. Indeterminate Tomato Plants can grow up to 9 feet tall or so and need to be caged or trellised. They also keep giving fruit until they are killed. For a cherry type, try hanging them upside down!
Strawberries: These are also popular to place in a container that hangs.
Peas: Delicious little peas such as Sugar Snap can easily grow in a container on your patio or windowsill. They seem to yield a lot, so if you're big on peas, you might want to check them out.
Peppers: Bell Peppers always come in handy when snacking or cooking. For a little more zing, try a Jalapeno or Habanero. Peppers like dryer soil, so keep that in mind.
Cucumbers: Another plant that needs to be caged.
Zucchini: Beware. Zucchinis are the gift that will keep on giving.
Radishes: Only take about a month or two to grow, and they are fantastic in salads and soups. The bigger you let your radishes grow, the spicier they will get though. Pick 'em while they're still small.




This post will be constantly updated as more people submit their tips. <3


smile a small edit to the Peas: Since peas have a mutalistic relationship with bacteria it is important to supply them with the bacteria. Most potting soil you buy from the store are sterile or don't have the bacteria. So instead, mix a handful of outside soil into the mix when planting peas, or you can buy inoculate. But the first choice is cheaper. smile

Dapper Fairy

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Random suggestion for the home gardener.

See where your municipality takes yard waste. Do they bring it to a recycling center to get chipped/composted? If so, is the compost and mulch available to the county's residents? A lot of the time it is.

This is FREE soil/mulch for you right here. It's great for amending tired soil or poor quality soil whether in a yard garden or in containers. The mulch will help keep weeds out and moisture and temperatures more constant.
Check the website of your country recycling program and see whether you can bop by the center and pick some up for yourself.

For larger loads, some recycling centers even do delivery by the square yard for a small charge.

For a container gardener like me, composting is a must. The soil doesn't get enriched again year to year with dead matter, the plants have nothing to go on but what you give them, they can't stretch their roots far to get nutrients like plants grown in the ground can.
I fold the exhausted soil with rich, black compost every year before I plant again and this ensures the soil stays viable. It also means I'm not sitting out there with the pots, upending big heavy pots of soil and refilling them from the bottom. Topsoil can get expensive.

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Added both of your contributions. <33 Thanks a lot!

Dabbler

Sai-kun
Random suggestion for the home gardener.

See where your municipality takes yard waste. Do they bring it to a recycling center to get chipped/composted? If so, is the compost and mulch available to the county's residents? A lot of the time it is.

This is FREE soil/mulch for you right here. It's great for amending tired soil or poor quality soil whether in a yard garden or in containers. The mulch will help keep weeds out and moisture and temperatures more constant.
Check the website of your country recycling program and see whether you can bop by the center and pick some up for yourself.

For larger loads, some recycling centers even do delivery by the square yard for a small charge.

For a container gardener like me, composting is a must. The soil doesn't get enriched again year to year with dead matter, the plants have nothing to go on but what you give them, they can't stretch their roots far to get nutrients like plants grown in the ground can.
I fold the exhausted soil with rich, black compost every year before I plant again and this ensures the soil stays viable. It also means I'm not sitting out there with the pots, upending big heavy pots of soil and refilling them from the bottom. Topsoil can get expensive.


smile My dad use to go to the Municipality to get compost, he doesnt any more though. Though I made a small compost pile for myself and my little plot

Dapper Fairy

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Oriole Lyric
Sai-kun
Random suggestion for the home gardener.

See where your municipality takes yard waste. Do they bring it to a recycling center to get chipped/composted? If so, is the compost and mulch available to the county's residents? A lot of the time it is.

This is FREE soil/mulch for you right here. It's great for amending tired soil or poor quality soil whether in a yard garden or in containers. The mulch will help keep weeds out and moisture and temperatures more constant.
Check the website of your country recycling program and see whether you can bop by the center and pick some up for yourself.

For larger loads, some recycling centers even do delivery by the square yard for a small charge.

For a container gardener like me, composting is a must. The soil doesn't get enriched again year to year with dead matter, the plants have nothing to go on but what you give them, they can't stretch their roots far to get nutrients like plants grown in the ground can.
I fold the exhausted soil with rich, black compost every year before I plant again and this ensures the soil stays viable. It also means I'm not sitting out there with the pots, upending big heavy pots of soil and refilling them from the bottom. Topsoil can get expensive.


smile My dad use to go to the Municipality to get compost, he doesnt any more though. Though I made a small compost pile for myself and my little plot


I've thought about composting myself, but since my yard doesn't have a lot of free space, if the municipality does it for me mess free, I'm just going to take the short drive up there and grab me some instead XD
It's all local stuff anyway, full of local nutrients and bacteria and other goodies.

Dabbler

Sai-kun
Oriole Lyric
Sai-kun
Random suggestion for the home gardener.

See where your municipality takes yard waste. Do they bring it to a recycling center to get chipped/composted? If so, is the compost and mulch available to the county's residents? A lot of the time it is.

This is FREE soil/mulch for you right here. It's great for amending tired soil or poor quality soil whether in a yard garden or in containers. The mulch will help keep weeds out and moisture and temperatures more constant.
Check the website of your country recycling program and see whether you can bop by the center and pick some up for yourself.

For larger loads, some recycling centers even do delivery by the square yard for a small charge.

For a container gardener like me, composting is a must. The soil doesn't get enriched again year to year with dead matter, the plants have nothing to go on but what you give them, they can't stretch their roots far to get nutrients like plants grown in the ground can.
I fold the exhausted soil with rich, black compost every year before I plant again and this ensures the soil stays viable. It also means I'm not sitting out there with the pots, upending big heavy pots of soil and refilling them from the bottom. Topsoil can get expensive.


smile My dad use to go to the Municipality to get compost, he doesnt any more though. Though I made a small compost pile for myself and my little plot


I've thought about composting myself, but since my yard doesn't have a lot of free space, if the municipality does it for me mess free, I'm just going to take the short drive up there and grab me some instead XD
It's all local stuff anyway, full of local nutrients and bacteria and other goodies.
yeah its much more convenient if you don't have the space or obsessive of keeping everything look tidy.

Too bad the municipality isn't very closer to my house and have a nice place behind the shed where I'm planning on building a new compost lane.

Also in the fall I would dig the first few feet or so of soil and bury a layer of fallen leaves then bury them, most of the time they're all gone by spring rolls around. biggrin

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We're kind of drowning in Celebrity tomatoes now. Imagine like 20 plants, all with fruit ripening at the same time.

We might need to start canning and/or giving some away!

Dapper Fairy

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Taki Okuda
We're kind of drowning in Celebrity tomatoes now. Imagine like 20 plants, all with fruit ripening at the same time.

We might need to start canning and/or giving some away!


Dunno how dedicated you guys are, but maybe next year you can try staggered plantings so that some plants mature later than others so you get a steady stream of tomatoes through the season rather than all of them in one shot.
Though even when your celebrities are exhausted, your heirlooms should still be producing.

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I'll bring that up to dad. I know he likes to be drowning in tomatoes since he eats them with everything.

I'm glad we have a long planting season. He said he wants to plant more in late summer.

Hopefully my heirlooms will be alive and kicking still.

Dapper Fairy

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Taki Okuda
I'll bring that up to dad. I know he likes to be drowning in tomatoes since he eats them with everything.

I'm glad we have a long planting season. He said he wants to plant more in late summer.

Hopefully my heirlooms will be alive and kicking still.


Determinates tend to have a huge blow out setting of fruit, but my determinate last year had a second setting towards the end of the season.

If the conditions are right, I think the heirlooms should keep producing, but they're very prone to stop setting cause of high heat. That's what happened to mine towards the end.

Dabbler

Taki Okuda
I'll bring that up to dad. I know he likes to be drowning in tomatoes since he eats them with everything.

I'm glad we have a long planting season. He said he wants to plant more in late summer.

Hopefully my heirlooms will be alive and kicking still.
I agree with Sai, when you have close ripening fruit they start signalling to neighboring plants to start too.

So plant them a little further apart next time.

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They're not terribly close to one another. Dad's been growing produce longer than I've been alive. I trust he knows what he's doing more than I do.

It's not like it's an overwhelming issue. *shrug*

Dabbler

Taki Okuda
They're not terribly close to one another. Dad's been growing produce longer than I've been alive. I trust he knows what he's doing more than I do.

It's not like it's an overwhelming issue. *shrug*
Hm then this year must be just an awesome and fruitful year! (shot for pun) ow...

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Ba dum-tshh!

Some of the veggies aren't doing well at all. The carrots.. gah.

I think I was scammed with the carrot seeds, because instead of growing carrots, I grew a patch of grass.

I filed a complaint with the vendor and he offered a refund or a replacement pack. I opted for the latter but I haven't heard from him since.

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