Apartment Gardening Options?

[CraftyFaerie]

Hi I'm new here and I'm looking to get back into gardening. I used to help my mom with flowerbeds when I was a kid but we always had a house and plenty of yard to work with.

I live in an apartment with my boyfriend now. This apartment is better than the last one since we have a balcony but....no yard. No ground space.

I'm obviously going to have to use containers but what kind works best with what I want? I want to plant things we're actually going to use so I had these in mind:

• white sage
• mint
• nettle
• tomatoes
• garlic
• catnip
• yarrow
• lemongrass
• parsley (it's crazy expensive around here)
• basil
• oregano

I'd love to grow some sweet potatoes and regular potatoes or some fruits but that doesn't seem very practical given my location. I'd also love some time of lettuce or other green.

It's dark and my friend has my camera (she had a baby!) so I will get a pic up tomorrow of my balcony.

[Greth]

Well, I don't see any reason you couldn't grow all of those in containers on a balcony. Try for some large and deep containers, and put several herbs in each. Lettuce will work in containers too, especially the salad repeat picking varieties.
Potatoes/sweet potatoes I think you would need a lot of planting space to produce a good amount, I would forget about those on a balcony. (And pressure the boyfriend to move to a house!)

Big hug for friends baby, lol, mine is 11 months old now.

[Nibbs]

Welcome to Gardenbuddies, Joy! Container gardening can produce an amazing amount of fresh herbs and produce. I don't know what kind of light you get on your balcony. Most things grow well with diffused light, but things like tomatoes may be a little bit more of a challenge. However, even 'stringy' plants can produce fruit. As for containers, I agree with Greth. Make sure there is drainage, though.
Happy gardening!

[CraftyFaerie]

Oh the boyfriend already knows this is the LAST apartment. I can't even find a community plot around here.

Is there any hope for fruits? We eat all kinds.

[Greth]

You can get dwarf varieties of fruit which will grow in containers, many varieties are available, even some multigrafted ones so that you can have several varieties from one small tree, or two crosspollinating varieties. And how about berries and vines? You could grow grapes or passionfruit.

Hehehe once you got all of your ideas going on the balcony, BF will be desperate to get out of the Sumatran jungle!
You are welcome to use 5 acres out the back if you like! I can see that transport might be a problem, though.
Joy is my middle name, lol. Ive always liked it, but thought my parents could have had a more practical wish for me, like Patience...

[CraftyFaerie]

People always expect Joy but they don't always get it. Lol!

Small apples would be ideal (BF loves loves loves apples) and grapes would be wonderful. I'd give anything to grow some strawberries. Now the only questions is where to purchase some of these seeds and when's the best time to plant all of them. I wish I'd paid more attention when my mom and dad would lay flower beds.

[Greth]

I don't know Virginia climate, but if it isn't frosty, you could be starting tomato, basil, parsley and mint seeds now. If it is a bit frosty, start them indoors and then move them outside once the weather improves. Parsley takes ages to germinate, herblore has it that it must go nine times to the Devil and back, actually about 6 weeks. Or you can jump one step and buy seedlings from the nursery.
Nurseries will only stock seedlings when the time is right to be planting in your area, so they can be a good guide. If they aren't stocking tomatoes yet, then it is too early to be growing them. And you can always ask the staff for help, they will be more than happy to give you good local advice.
Garlic you can sprout from the garlic heads from the supermarket, dump them in water and they will start to sprout, or you might find some already sprouting. Winter is a good time to plant those. Plant in midwinter, harvest in midsummer. For the others, you would have to look for potted plants in the nursery. Most will be freely available, white sage is very rare and hard to find here, dunno whether it is easier to find in the US. It is used as an incense to concentrate meditation. Nettles are generally weeds, but have herbal uses. You are unlikely to find them in a nursery, maybe ask friends who have gardens. We get them in places where the sheep rest.

Things like strawberry seedlings will be available in nurseries from spring. You can buy strawberry planters, which are large pots with openings in the sides. Bit expensive, but a good way to grow lots of strawberries in a small space.
Fruit trees and vines? I dunno, here they sell them mostly in autumn/winter.
If there are any Gardenbuddies in or near Virginia who can recommend good suppliers, please help me out here!

[CraftyFaerie]

You've been such a help! I'm going to try to find some local nurseries next Saturday to scope out. Burpee's is also looking pretty good.

I'd already determined I was going to be sprouting garlic from heads from the market. I don't need them in the quantities they're being sold in and it's a lot cheaper to buy a bulb or two from the store.

[CraftyFaerie]

Nettles work great on the boyfriend's dandruff.

[Snuzi]

You can try dwarf citrus trees in large containers or dwarf bananas.

also, welcome to GB!!!