Starting your own herb garden can seem difficult – especially if you live in a small apartment. But limited space is no longer an obstacle to growing your mini garden. You can turn your balcony, window sill or empty space in your apartment into a thriving little garden. So if you want to use that green thumb of yours, here are some ways that you can grow your own urban garden.

Find space for your garden

Before you start planting anything, the first thing you need to do is look at the space that is available to use in your apartment. Look at how big that space is and how much sunlight it gets. This will help you determine what kind of containers you can get and what type of plants you can grow. Make sure that your container has a hole in it, preferably around the sides and about 3 cm from the bottom, to provide proper drainage.

If you are looking for inexpensive containers, mason jars are great for single plants and you can easily place them on a windowsill. Discarded shipping pallets are also good to use when you want to grow a vertical garden so you can save on space. You can also get hanging baskets to hang your plants from the ceiling if you have no floor space available.

Choosing your plants

Once you have chosen your space and your containers, the next step is to choose the plants that you want to grow. There are a variety of things that you can plant in your miniature garden, like tomatoes, garlic, basil, salad greens and radishes. If you’re a first-time gardener, you should start by growing Mint as it’s very easy to take care of. Make sure to keep it in an area that gets lots of morning sunlight and to water it once a day.

Rosemary is also a great herb to plant as it compliments many dishes. Make sure to plant it in a container that is 16 cm deep with sandy soil and to keep it in bright sunlight for eight hours a day. Cilantro is another herb that is fun to cook with and that grows fast. Keep in mind that once it’s harvested it doesn’t grow back, but you can then always plant some more.

Planting your garden

When it comes down to planting your garden, there are a couple of things that you need to be aware of. Firstly, don’t wear anything that you like as it will get dirty. Make sure to wear an old shirt and pants just in case you get any soil on them. The next step is then to choose the right soil.

In most urban areas the soil is polluted, rocky, sandy and depleted of nutrients. You’re better off going to a gardening store and getting proper potting soil. While you’re there, you’ll also want to grab some fertilizer. If you’re not sure what kind to get, ask someone there and tell them the soil type and plant that you will be using it on. From there they should be able to help you out.

It may take some time and effort to set up your urban garden at first. But after some time, you’ll find the experience not only relaxing but also rewarding as you’ll soon have plenty of herbs and vegetables to use in your own kitchen.