Gardening 101
Gardening Basics
This is the second spring/summer season that I have lived in my apartment, and have outdoor space. I knew I would want plants on our terrace, something to make the space feel more lush and relaxing! But with purchasing plants outdoors comes the responsibility of keeping said plants alive. Some flowers would be so beautiful, but it was fleeting. The direct sunlight that floods the balcony from noon until 7pm would roast most flowers and dry up plants until they were shriveled and past the point of saving.
If you don’t have a backyard with grass that does not mean you can’t have a garden. I have a terracotta tile terrace, that came with 2 empty flower boxes and a hose. It was a far cry from the outdoor oasis I was imagining.
But with a little TLC, I knew it could be a space we would love and spend so much time in.
Do Your Research - Use Your Resources
I knew this Spring I would need to get a head start on researching the right type of plants to survive the climate here. Whatever I had done last summer, wasn’t working. All the pots were barren by October!
Check with a Pro Gardener: Luckily, my Mom is a great gardener and I had her on speed dial throughout the process. She provided valuable knowledge on when in the season to buy plants, what kind would be best for my environment, and how to pot them appropriately.
Ask a Plantsman on the Staff: If you are shopping at a nursery, the people working there are experts and are extremely helpful in guiding you to the right plants!
Plant Tags: When you buy plants at a nursery, they come with a plant tag that describes the key information. I keep these with the plant so that I know what it is and how to care for it!
Books & Online Tools: There are plenty out there! I’m in the process of learning more myself.
What You’ll Need
A Gardening set: At the minimum, you’ll need some gloves and a trowel.
Potting soil: I like Miracle Grow, which you can find at many other stores like Target.
Watering can: I have a pitcher I got from Home Goods that I love, but I’ve seen so many fun watering cans on Magnolia Market!
Pots: Pick them after you choose your plants so you make sure to get the appropriate size and proper drainage for the plant you purchased. This can be tricky!
Where To Get My Fave Supplies:
Magnolia Market
Target
Home Goods
Terrain
Home Depot
Choosing Plants + Utilizing the Plant Tags
I get about 7 hours of full and direct sunlight on the terrace throughout the summer. The city is also very hot from mid-June through August, which means the soil will get dry as well as some of the leaves on the plants if not getting the proper hydration.
When shopping for indoor plants in the past, I knew when I went to the flower district on West 29th street that I should ask for low light and low water plants. When I started shopping for outdoor plants I went to the same stores, and described the conditions. In the beginning I wasn’t really getting honest advice about what could survive in this light, and if I picked up a pretty plant and asked how if it would work the store clerks almost always said it would be fine. Then I realized that was not the case. After a while I learned that anything inside the store was meant for indoors only, and the small selection on the sidewalk was all that was meant for outside.
Front of Plant Tag
When shopping for plants, carefully read each plant tag, and if a plant does not have one then ask the sales clerk and describe your conditions very specifically. This way they know you’re knowledgeable and you won’t be duped into buying that $250 banana tree.
I knew that the only plants that could survive would be full sun plants or part sun plants. There is only 1 area in the corner that actually gets some shade, so I have a pant that thrives in shade there.
Back of Plant Tags
Know What Your Plant Needs
Water appropriately: If the plant of flowers are looking limp and leaves are hanging rather than standing up towards the sun, this might have to do with lack of water.
Check the soil, not just the plant- is the soil dry? The plant needs water. Is the soil wet? The plant needs drainage, there is too much water. Just because your plant leaves are turning brown at the tips doesn’t mean it needs MORE water, it could mean it needs LESS. Either way, the roots are not getting the hydration they need and the issue will worsen until the roots are made happy.
Plants need just the right amount of water to thrive. If you don’t have a backyard where you are planting in a garden bed, then you are probably planting in pots. Make sure your plants that need drainage are placed in a pot with holes and a draining dish. I’ve had a lot of experience with this issue!
Make sure your plants are getting the sun it needs: Full sun means LOTS of light. If you see your plant leaning towards the sun, it means it needs more. If it is leaning away from the sun, it means it wants less. Not all plants may do this but I’ve seen it many times with my own.
Re-potting Your Plants
Don’t sleep on this important step! You came home with a new plant and it’s in a plastic pot with holes at the bottom. Roots are formed and it may look happy - but this doesn’t have a drainage dish meaning the plant will leak water every time you water it. I like to re-pot my plants into something more permanent in the first few days I bring it home.
Seeds vs Transplants
Do these seed packets you can find in a grocery store really work? So far in my experience, YES! But if you want the easy choice, go for the transplants!
Seeds might be cheaper but it’s MUCH harder to grow a plant from seeds. Sometimes it yields nothing.I brought tulip bulbs back from Amsterdam, planted them last Spring, and never saw 1 tulip. However this Spring I tried a growing vine and some lavender, and so far both are thriving!
Initial lavender and vine sprouting
Progress on lavender!
Lavender is one of my favorites, smells amazing and so easy to take care of!
If you are growing seeds…
Make sure to follow the steps on the back of the packet for instructions! Here is what I learned from seeds:
Learn how they sow: Some seeds sow right in soil! But my lavender seeds needed to be removed from the packet weeks prior to planting and placed in a wet paper towel before going into soil
Most seeds need to be planted at a specific time of year, check the dates!
Check the depth - if it says 1/4” that is important!
Garden Tour
Check it out!
Next, I’ll be sharing more on what’s in my Garden!