91原创

By Jim McGregor/Special to 91原创 Advance Times

For the green thumb, one of the challenges that comes with downsizing is leaving the shrubs, the flower beds, and the vegetable gardens behind.

Living in an apartment or townhouse, however, doesn鈥檛 have to mean living without plants.

Pam Erikson says that is one of her more frequent questions from customers at Erikson鈥檚 Daylily Gardens in North Otter.

鈥淎lmost every day we have someone come in and tell us they have downsized but still want to garden. My first question is to ask if their deck or patio is in a sunny or shady location. Certain plants will do well in direct sunlight and others will do better in a shaded location.

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鈥淟ilies do well in the sunlight and for the shade, hostas do well. Or, we are now selling a lot of dwarf hydrangeas, some are only one foot by two foot and some are larger, but they won鈥檛 get huge,鈥� she notes.

Some gardeners come from large properties and love to fill their space, while others are wanting to scale back and use just annuals like petunias and impatiens to have a bit of colour.

A good idea is to sketch out a design, where the pots or containers will be placed, and take measurements, she recommends, so they know the limit of the size and number of plants they can place in an allotted space.

鈥淵ou should have this information before heading to the garden centre,鈥� Erikson says, also advising people to make sure gardens of any size are not going to break any existing strata rules and regulations.

Talk to the resident manager and let them know what鈥檚 planned, and get approval for the project, if required.

The choice of container is important, Erikson elaborates.

鈥淧ersonally, I love the heavy-duty pots. They may be more expensive but if they are triple glazed they will never crack. If you are in a condo, on a balcony, you might not want something that heavy, so you can go with a fibreglass or plastic pot. The cheaper ceramic pots are susceptible to the cold winters and they will crack,鈥� explains the 91原创 Advance Times Green Thumb columnist.

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Once you know what you want, Erikson says, using the right soil is paramount.

鈥淐hoosing the right potting mix is key, so roots don鈥檛 rot. To get the proper drainage, I recommend a 50 per cent fine bark, 25 per cent peat moss, and 25 per cent perlite.鈥�

Erikson points out that people can purchase moisture meters, which will give a good indication of the soil conditions in a container.

鈥淲ith the potting mix, make sure to use a good fertilizer. I use a 14-14-14. If you put it on in April, it will last the whole season.鈥�

Hanging baskets are another great way to display trailing plants, and it leaves tabletops for plants that are best seen at or below eye level.

Small trees add tranquility and tropical plants appeal to an indoor setting.

Above all, choose plants that thrive in 鈥測our鈥� specific garden conditions, look good, fit well in the space, and appeal to 鈥測ou,鈥� Erikson says.

People can search out types of plants and more gardening tips at .

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