Urban gardening for minimalists

I love gardening, even though for much of my life I didn't have access to my own outdoor space. I also live in a climate where the growing season is about four months long (if we're lucky). If all you have is a windowsill, you can still create a cool, minimalist urban garden.

Why garden? It makes our spaces look more lively, we can grow flowers instead of buying (and then tossing) bouquets, and plants make great gifts.

Container Gardening

Container gardening is easy. You can grow a variety of herbs and other small plants with minimal care; they often just need water and a sunny window. You can buy plants at garden centers, farmer’s markets, grocery stores or home improvement stores.

Have pets? You can try this adorable little cat garden, or make your own using pet-safe seeds.

To grow my own plants, I use yogurt cups, a bag of potting soil, and seeds I saved from the previous year. I like to grow marigolds, since they're easy to start, and last until autumn if transplanted outside. Just rinse out the yogurt containers, poke a few holes in the bottom, fill with soil, and add seeds and water. Place in a cardboard box or saucer to catch extra soil/water, and let it sit in a warm, sunny location.

Buying specialized "greenhouse" kits are expensive, but it can be tough to keep container gardens safe when you have pets nearby, or keep plants a little warmer in a cool place. Here's a tip: you know those clear plastic zipper bags that linens come in? Save those and put your plants inside. Voila, instant mini-greenhouse.

Seed "Bombs"

I've been gardening for years, but I just heard about these recently. Seed bombs are little spheres of seeds and paper, compost, or clay that you can just toss and let grow. They’re great to involve kids in gardening, and they can be used as party favors. You can buy them on Etsy here or make your own.

Community Gardens

Many cities have community gardens that you can join. In a community garden, volunteers donate time and/or plants and then bring home their share of the harvest. If there isn't one near you, look into starting one, especially if your school or workplace has a little land that isn't used.

And if all else fails, most places don't object to flowers being planted, especially if someone volunteers to water and weed them.

For more ideas, check out The Minimalist Writer on Pinterest.

Photo originally by Markus Spiske on Unsplash