Top 13 Plants For Apartment Gardeners

"Apartment Gardening" may sound like the name of a rock band, but it's actually a new trend attracting city dwellers who lack garden space. With judicious use of sun-dappled space, you too can enjoy juicy tomatoes, leaf lettuce and other garden-grown food.

The trick is to know the types and varieties of vegetables and herbs capable of producing decent "crops" when container bound. Selecting the right variety is extremely important, so we've included this information in our list.

Start the seeds in a warm area with enough sunlight roughly four to eight weeks before transplanting into their final container. Most vegetables should be transplanted when they develop two to three leaves. You can use nearly any type of container, as long as they suit the size listed below. Green onions and radishes can be grown in a cake pan as their roots are shallow.

Read on for detailed information regarding the top 13 plants ideally suited for apartment gardens. Keep in mind most vegetables need a minimum of six to eight continuous hours of sun per day, even if we've indicated they can handle partial shade.

1. Broccoli
Container: 2 gallons per plant
Transfer those adorable broccoli starts after 10 to 14 days, leave them in full sunshine and harvest in 12 to 14 weeks.

2. Carrots
Container: 1 gallon per 2-3 plants. Use pots 2-inches deeper than the carrot length.
Carrot seeds can be planted directly into your container. Grow in partial shade in a cooler portion of your apartment.

3. Cucumbers
Container: 1 gallon per plant
Cucumbers require lots of sun and will take 50 to 70 days to grow from seed to harvest.

4. Eggplant
Container: 5 gallons per plant
Eggplant should be transplanted 6 to 8 days after planting. These purple beauties require lots of sun and will be ready to harvest in 90 to 120 days.

5. Green Beans
Container: 2 gallons minimum. Space plants 3-inches apart.
You'll need some type of trellis for poll green beans so they can climb. Apartment dwellers with balconies can cover the surrounding fence with chicken wire. If growing indoors, try a tomato frame or a cat's cradle made from twine. Germination requires 4 to 6 days but you'll enjoy an early harvest of 60 to 90 days.

6. Green Onions
Container: 1 gallon per 3-5 plants
Easy-to-grow onions will germinate in 6 to 8 days and require partial shade, but they won't be ready for plucking until 80 to 100 days from planting.

7. Leaf Lettuce
Container: 1 gallon per 2 plants
Start leaf lettuce seeds and transplant them after just 3 to 4 days. Grow in partial shade and pick the leaves after 45 to 60 days.

8. Parsley
Container: 1 gallon per 3 plants
The oh-so-useful parsley germinates in 10 to 12 days, should be placed in partial shade, and is ready to harvest in 70 to 90 days.

9. Peppers
Container: 5 gallons per 1-2 plants
Germinating in 10 to 12 days, both hot and regular peppers require full sun and must grow 90 to 120 days before they're ready to harvest.

10. Radishes
Container: 1 gallon per 3 plants
Transplant radishes to their new homes after 4 to 6 days and leave them in partial shade for 20 to 60 days.

11. Spinach
Container: 1 gallon per 2 plants
Spinach is a fast grower, usually requiring only 2 to 3 days for germination and 30 to 60 days for cultivation.

12. Squash
Container: 5 gallons per plant
It takes 5 to 7 days to germinate squash. Plants should be left in full sun for 50 to 70 days before harvesting.

13. Tomatoes
Container: 5 gallons per plant
Container tomatoes require love and care, but smaller varieties take just 7 to 10 days to germinate. Grow them in full sun for 90 to 130 days, then pick and devour.

For more on this topic, see our post "9 Ways to Save Money Gardening."

Photo by Ebury Publishing