Gardening is a wonderful hobby, but what can you do if you don’t have that backyard space? Window gardens are becoming an increasingly popular choice from residents across Dallas, helping them to spruce up their interiors. Of course, it’s not only about making the interior of your home more attractive. Gardening has been proven to have a positive impact on both your mental and physical health.
Whether it is planting herbs to use in the kitchen or adding a splash of color with beautiful and fragrant flowers, how do you start your own window garden? To help you, we’ve put together our top tips for creating the perfect window garden in your home.
What is a Window Garden?
Before looking at the best tips for starting your own window garden, we thought it was first important to understand exactly what they are. As the name suggests, a window garden is a small area inside your home where you grow plants and flowers.
This is a very cost-effective and convenient style of gardening that can be used in any property with large windows, no matter whether it is an apartment or a large home. Before beginning their home garden, you will need to make sure that your chosen window enjoys long periods of sunlight throughout the day and is able to maintain a consistent temperature. This will ensure that your plants will not be at risk of damage from too much shade or excess heat, or cold.
Building a Space For Your Garden
Once you have found the perfect location in your home for your window garden, it is time to start building your space. The first thing that you will need to do is to construct the area that you are going to place your plants in.
You will need a space nearby your window or on your windowsill that is big enough to house your planter. If your current surface area is not big enough, then you could consider bringing a bookshelf or a table right in front of the window to expand your available space.
If you are looking to create a larger, multi-tiered solution, then there are many options available. You could purchase a ready-made indoor garden or try constructing your own. Building your own can be very easy, and you can repurpose bookshelves, planks of woods, and even glass shelves to create yours.
Once you have created a big enough surface area for your indoor garden, you then need to decide on the containers your plants will grow in. This could be anything such as traditional flowerpots and upcycled mugs and plastic bottles to even self-constructed solutions,
Whichever option you choose, it is vital that you add drainage holes in the bottom and place them on top of a saucer or some kind of container. This will allow water to flow through the soil freely, without having to worry about the water leaking out and damaging your window.
Pretty or Practical?
Once you have constructed your perfect home window garden, it is then time to decide how you will use it. Do you want to create a beautiful and fragrant centerpiece to add a splash of color to your home? If so, planting indoor flowers can transform any interior.
When choosing the flowers to plant in your Dallas window garden, it is important to choose the right solutions. Some flowers will not thrive in indoor conditions; for example, while it is possible to grow flowers such as geraniums, they need a lot of sunlight which might not be possible. Instead, options such as the cardinal flower, English daisy, or snapdragon can thrive in shady areas. Many homeowners often overlook flowing bulbs such as daffodils, but these flowers can be a fantastic addition to any window garden.
Of course, window gardens are not just about planting flowers. Many homeowners start their window garden in order to grow herbs and vegetables to cook with. There is a huge amount of choice to choose from, many of which will depend on the level of sunlight and temperatures that your garden receives. Herbs such as thyme, rosemary, oregano, and mint are amongst the most popular, while vegetables such as tomatoes, spinach, and chilies are also great additions.
Taking Care of Your Garden
With your window garden built and chosen flowers or herbs planted, it’s time to start taking care of them. There are many factors that will decide on the quality of the plants you’re able to grow, but some top tips to remember:
1) Check The Sunlight They Receive
Sunlight is an essential requirement for plants to grow. However, certain types of plants require different levels of sunlight each day. That is why it is important to understand the requirements of those plants that you are going to be growing.
It is also important to remember how the sun moves around your window not only over the course of the day but also throughout the year. This will allow you to work out the best position on the windowsill for your planters, ensuring your herbs and flowers are always getting the right amount.
2) Water Them Regularly
Unlike plants in your backyard, your indoor garden will not benefit from rainwater. This means that regularly watering them is crucial to ensure that your plants are able to thrive. At the very beginning, you should make sure that you are evenly watering each planter to help the soil to settle.
From there, you will need to follow the instructions for the plants or herbs that you are growing in terms of how frequently they need watering. Over or under watering your plants could result in damage, stopping them from growing as well as they should.
3) Check the Temperature
Another very important consideration to check regularly is the temperature of your window garden. As the sun’s rays pass through the window, it can push temperatures up far higher than would normally be experienced in a backyard.
That is why it is important to regularly check the temperature in your window garden. If you are finding that the area is getting too hot, consider moving your plants. If that’s not possible, then consider swapping the flowers to those plants more suitable to higher temperatures.
4) Choose Your Soil
Soil is another crucial factor in how well your plants will grow. Potting soil is often the best choice for window gardens, ensuring your flowers, herbs, and vegetables get all of the nutrients that they need.
Final Thoughts
Starting a window garden in your home offers a huge array of benefits. However, before starting out on your journey, it is important that you do your research and know the best style of planter and the right plants for your home.
Of course, if something doesn’t work the first time around, or you are looking to change your gardening approach, it is very easy to start afresh with your home garden.
Come by Jacksons Home & Garden today to speak with one of our plant experts about starting your window garden!