GARDENS

Gardening in small spaces

By Collin Kelley

Gardening space is often at a premium If you live in an apartment, condo or townhouse. But if you’re itching to scratch your green thumb, here’s a few ideas to get you started.

The easiest way to get started with growing plants in small spaces is to try container gardening. If traditional clay or plastic planters aren’t your thing, think outside the pot and look around your home for alternatives. If the planter is big enough to hold soil and permits adequate drainage – by punching or drilling holes – then you’re ready to grow.

Be mindful to select the right size pot for your garden. Don’t go too small or you run the risk of inhibiting root growth as well as creating a challenge to keep the container hydrated.

If you don’t see a planter idea around your home, check out yard sales, thrift shops, or a neighborhood message board. But don’t use anything that once held toxic chemicals or is rusted. And be sure to wash the container before you plant.

If you want to use a wooden planter, consider treating it with a clear waterproof latex sealer to extend its life and durability. Some container suggestions: milk crates, bottles, jars, fish tanks, old toolboxes, glassware, coffee mugs, pallets, or even one of those shoe organizers you hang on a door. The latter happens to be perfect for growing herbs.

For something a bit bigger – to grow lettuce, kale, spinach, and other greens – try recycling an old desk or dresser to create raised beds. One of the easiest and most efficient ways to garden in a small space, like on a balcony or patio, is to find an old shipping pallet and flip it vertically to create growing shelves.

Now that you’ve got your containers, here’s a few tips from Pike Nurseries (pikenursery.com) on how to actually grow a small garden.

Sun: The most important rule for beginning a container garden

is to group plants together based on their sun requirements. Gardeners should get acquainted with their space to determine lighting – ranging from full sun (with more than six hours of direct sunlight), partial sun or shade (with three to six hours). to full shade (with less than three hours) – before choosing their container garden plants.

Soil: Fill a pot with potting and container soil that contains fertilizer and wetting agents to prevent pots from drying out too quickly. A helpful tip is to place a coffee filter at the bottom of the container near the hole to keep soil from spilling out, but still allowing proper drainage. Leave two to three inches at the top to mix in a fertilizer like Dr. Earth Root Zone – a nutrientpacked organic fertilizer that reduces transplant shock and helps establish roots. Fill in areas around the plants with more potting soil.

Water: Gardeners also want to plant species with similar water needs, ensuring no under- or overwatering takes place. Container gardens should be watered two to three times a week, increasing this to seven times a week when temperatures are at their hottest. Container gardens require more attention, so use the touch test to determine water needs; if the top one to two inches of the soil feels dry to the touch, water until it begins to drain out of the bottom. Be sure to get rid of excess water in the saucer to prevent rotted roots. Water globes and waterabsorbing granules are useful tools to ensure plants receive enough water.

Fertilize: Fertilize containers every four weeks with a blend of natural and organic compounds in Dr. Earth Annual Bloom to keep annuals thriving or every three months with Osmocote Outdoor & Indoor Plant Food that controls nutritional release.

All that’s left is to decide what to grow in your small garden. Although we’re in the middle of the summer, there’s still plenty to plant, according to the Georgia

Cooperative Extension Service (extension.uga.edu).

Some suggestions: Cauliflower, pole and lima beans, butterpeas, cucumbers,

GETTING OUTDOORS By Collin Kelley

Following federal, state, and local guidance, the Chattahoochee River National Recreation Area (NRA) has eased COVID-19 restrictions and increased recreational access.

The National Park Service (NPS) has allowed commercial services on the river to resume, including Nantahala Outdoor Center, Deep South Fly Anglers, Shoot the Hooch, River Through Atlanta, Kayak Classes of Georgia, Tie One On, $10 Tubing, and High Country Outfitters.

The park, which has units located along the river, charges a $5 entrance fee. Look for signage at each parking area on how to electronically pay the fee. “We welcome visitors back to the park for increased recreation opportunities in Chattahoochee River NRA,” said Acting Superintendent Ann Honious.

“We ask visitors to remember to recreate responsibly, by recreating with the people in your household. Give others plenty of room whether you are on a trail, at a boat launch, or in a parking lot.

eggplan, okra, bell pepper, and some varieties of tomato can be planted in July. For flowers, try marigold, cosmos, cleome, and

Chattahoochee River NRA increases access to park

dwarf sunflowers. Follow the CDC social distancing guidelines for staying six feet away from others. Be prepared to cover your nose and mouth if you’re near others.”

Honious said that the NRA is working closely with the NPS Office of Public Health, using CDC guidance, to ensure public and workspaces are safe and clean for visitors, employees, partners, and volunteers.

When recreating, the public should follow local area health orders, practice Leave No Trace principles, avoid crowding and avoid high-risk outdoor activities.

Details and updates on park operations will continue to be posted on our website nps.gov/ chat and social media channels. Updates about NPS operations will be posted on www.nps.gov/ coronavirus.

A new NPS report shows that 3.4 million visitors to Chattahoochee River NRA in 2019 spent $152 million in communities near the park. That spending supported 2,160 jobs in the local area and had a cumulative benefit to the local economy of $213 million.

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