So You Want to be a Gardener?
When the staff at Apartments.com decided it would be a good idea to have some gardening articles available on Apartment Living, it seemed simple enough. Dirt, a flower or two, a watering can, and poof! An apartment garden is born. Then we started doing our research, and were coming across some strange terms. Perennials. Annuals. Germination. pH balance. Suddenly, horrifying flashbacks to high school chemistry filled our minds. If that’s what gardening about, count us out! However, not wanting to be responsible for the downfall of potted plants and herb gardens among apartment dwellers, we decided to forge ahead and create a beginner’s guide to the world of gardening. Yes, we’ve even translated “germination” and explained why you should NEVER refer to soil as “dirt” again. So grab your notebooks and pencils and please raise your hand if you have a question. May your roses be bountiful and your parsley pleasing after consulting this manual!
Lesson 1: Soil is NOT dirt
We were raising our brows in confusion as well, but here’s the truth: Soil is a non-renewable natural resource made from the weathering of rocks. It takes anywhere from 100 to 1,000 years to form just one centimeter. It’s precious stuff! It contains 13 of the 16 nutrients essential for plant growth. Soil also protects air and water quality and ensures human and animal health. Dirt, on the other hand, is the black layer currently forming on your bathroom floor. In gardening, soil or a mixture of soil and other organic materials is used.
Lesson 2: Perennials and annuals are actually opposites
A perennial is a plant, usually a flower that grows and lives for more than two years. They usually produce one flower crop each year. Annuals are plants that have one life cycle a year, from seeds to blooms and back to seeds. Annuals are like used cars; cheaper in the short run but they die very quickly and they’re very maintenance intensive to keep alive.
Lesson 3: Fertilizer is a Super-Charger
Plants, like people, need a wide variety of nutrients to grow. Plants get nutrients through air, water, soil and the decay of other plants that have died. As we just learned, soil contains most of the nutrients plants need, but the small sample you buy at the garden center does not necessarily contain all those nutrients. Fertilizer is the Flintstone vitamin equivalent for your young plants. It fills in any nutritional gaps and helps plants to grow as quickly as possible. Too much fertilizer, however, can harm plants so it needs to be used frugally.
Lesson 4: A hardy plant won’t give up
A hardy plant is one that can withstand the climatic conditions in the area where it is grown. If annuals are the used cars of the plant world, then hardy plants are like the all-weather cars that don’t give up easily. Half-hardy refers to plants that will not survive hard weather conditions, but can survive warm seasons and mild winters. Some experts believe that bamboo is the hardiest plant in the world, which would explain why bamboo symbolizes good health. Some of the hardiest indoor plants include the weeping fig, peace lily, philodendron and the dragon tree. Hardier plants cost more initially but will last longer.
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