Moving to a new home doesn’t always include a large yard to garden in. As home prices continue to rise, more and more people are moving into apartments or condominiums. Or perhaps downsizing is the reason for moving. For those that still want to garden, fear not- container gardening is the wave of the future!

For starters, if you love to grow your own produce, while you are shopping around for your new abode, ask your realtor to only show you properties with south or west facing patios. Your plants will be guaranteed more sunlight this way, and most fruit and veggies need ample sunlight to do well.

When purchasing pots to house your plants, consider buying multiple sizes that will nest together. Because there will be limited storage area in an apartment or condo, you will be happy you did this once autumn arrives.

Once your moving company has moved you in and you’ve begun to settle into your new home, it’s time to start gardening. Even if it’s winter you can still grow many herbs and plants indoors in the windows or inside the patio door. Make sure you use pots with drainage holes. Fill these pots with a soil that’s specifically for potted plants (i.e. potting soil). Don’t use regular garden soil. Garden soil is too dense for potted plants. Potting soil is specially formulated to not hold too much water, thereby helping to prevent your plants roots from rotting.

There are many new potting soils on the market today that are enriched with moisture holding ingredients. This is especially helpful if your patio receives a lot of sunlight. Because potted plants tend to dry out much more quickly than those planted in the ground, choosing a potting soil that has these additives is a good choice. Just follow the directions on the package, as there are usually instructions to wear gardening gloves and to wash thoroughly after handling such soils.

Many container gardens, much like high rise apartment buildings and condos, go up instead of out. Take advantage of every square inch of patio real estate you can. Install hooks to hang baskets full of beautiful flowers or overflowing strawberry plants from. Use the vertical bags that you can fill with soil, and then add dwarf variety cherry tomato plants, etc. for a scrumptious hanging garden. Get creative!

Remember to feed your garden! As time goes on, container plants use up the nutrients found in the potting soil. They need a steady diet of new nutrients provided to them. There are several varieties of fertilizer, and it all depends on what you’re growing which one you should use. If you find you are running low on time to research which fertilizers are best for what you’re growing, a multi-purpose one is the way to go. Ensure you dilute it properly so you don’t end up “burning” your plants. Apply it to the soil, not the leaves. And only fertilize as often as the fertilizer package says to. Many people water their plants but forget to feed them….do not forget this important step!

So remember- yes you’ve moved or will be moving into a smaller space. But that does not mean you can’t have an amazing garden out your patio door. Have fun deciding what to include in your brand new beautiful container garden!