Plants in your Small Space Design

 

Houseplants add life and character to your home, patio and balcony. They will also improve air quality. However, they can also take up valuable space on your floors and table tops, which is an important factor if space is limited

 The best solution when adding plants indoors or out is to look for space you might not be using or would normally overlook.

If you have a free corner in your space, you can add hanging plants and floor plants. Avoid plants that produce a lot of lateral growth. Palms and the corn plant (which is tolerant of low light) are great for small spaces because all their foliage is at the top. Consider trailing plants like the sweetheart vine for hanging planters.

By the bottom of the plant grouping you could add colorful plants or garden art.

You have just used a space that is often overlooked and you will find by softening the edges of a space you will create a larger feel.

Its easy and fast to adapt an existing floor screen or replace it out for one that can hold potted plants. Add a window box to a window or place glass shelves higher in the window to give a feeling of extended space.  You may want to replace the pillar candle in a candle sconce with a small potted plant.

Wall-pocket planters will add color in the tiniest of spaces. Hang them nice and high. I also place small mirrors near the plants to add more light and carry the color of the plants.

You’d be surprised by the impact of a single tendril of ivy running down the length of your wall. Baby tears and other creepers are another good choice.

Wall pocket can often be picked up at garage sales or a thrift shop for pennies. And the vintage look will add character to you room, patio or balcony.

And my favorite addition to any room is a vertical garden, or “living wall”. Each garden wall has it own unique look.

If your plants are for patio and balcony areas you may wan to consider how hardy they are. Will they handle wind and cold? Should they be brought in during the winter or just protected from wind and the elements?

One final consideration in adding plants to a small area is to carefully select the plants. You will only have room for a few in a small space design so try and get a few plants with height, a few vines and plants with a little color. You may also have to consider plants for low light areas.

Tip: Remove plants from the wall for watering to avoid damage to floors, walls or rugs.

How to Read and Select Fertilizer for the Garden

 

All backyards, gardens and plants will sooner or later need some type of fertilizer. But what do those numbers mean on the back of fertilizer bags and in gardening books?

If you plants are growing slowly, are turning yellow or look thin and scraggly you need to add supplements, or fertilizer, to the soil.

If you are familiar with the numbers and initials NPK you will be able to select the proper plant food you need for your lawn or garden areas.

Fertilizer numbers are known as NPK. They are represented on the package by the percent of each nutrient in the mix such as 10-10-10, 20-10-10, 5-5-5 etc.

A quick reference to remember what each number does is thinking UP (first number, nitrogen is for green growth), ALL AROUND (middle number, phosphorus/flowers), DOWN (last number, potassium is for root growth). Gardening success = Up, All around, and Down!

The first number: N stands for nitrogen.
Nitrogen promotes green growth. Use high nitrogen (20-10-10) for lawns leafy vegetables and young shrubs and trees.

The middle number: P stands for phosphorous.
Phosphorus encourages flowers and fruits. Use high phosphorus like 10-20-10 on perennials and annuals.

The last number: K stands for potassium
Potassium (Potash) encourages roots to grow. Use high potassium like 10-10-20 for establishing new plants and feeding root crops.

There are other forms of nutrients that will also add nitrogen, phosphorous or potassium to your soil. Online garden websites, your local Extension Office and gardening books will provide any additional information you might need.