Gardening by the Foot

Being the owner of a small yard or just a roof top terrace, doesn't prevent you from having a beautiful, well maintained garden. For a garden that will enhance your surroundings and make you the envy of the neighborhood, just follow these simple tips.

1. Keep Your Borders Clean

Always keep your garden borders tidy. Take a step back and look at your borders. Trim back any plant growth that creeps over the edges and pinch off any spent blooms and dried leaves from your plants and flowers. Not only will this keep your garden looking green and colorful, it encourages plant growth.

2. Weed Your Patch

The easiest way to maintain the beauty of your garden is to keep it weed free. Weeds compete with your garden plants for nutrients and moisture. Weeding your garden will keep it healthy and beautiful.

3. Pinch Your Tops

Many foliage plants respond to having their tops pinched, with a spurt of growth. Pinching off the tops of your garden plants encourages them to fill out and produce more blooms. Pinching also prevents some plants from overgrowing and becoming leggy.

4. Fertilize

The use of a fertilizer may also encourage your garden's growth. Remember, because your garden is small, fertilizers should by used sparingly and no more than once or twice a month.

5. Watering

It's important to ensure that your small garden is always well watered. A good rule of thumb is to give your garden a thorough watering once a week. This provides an ongoing source of water for your plants and encourages deep root growth.

6. Pesticides

As a general rule, the use of chemical pesticides should be avoided. If it does become necessary to use pesticides in your small garden, your local garden center will provide you will effective organic alternatives. These organic alternatives will help control plant predators without the risks associated with chemical pesticides.

7. Contain Your Garden

If your yard really is too small for a garden or if you only have a terrace to call a garden, don't despair! Take a trip to your local garden center or greenhouse. Today, there are an amazing variety of plant containers in as many shapes, textures, sizes and colors. An almost infinite variety of plants and flowers will flourish in containers that you arrange.

There are no limits to gardening in small spaces, whether it's your yard, a roof top terrace or a window sill. Use these seven tips along with your imagination and creativity. In no time at all, you'll have a garden to be proud of!