You might not have the garden of your dreams in base housing, but you can still have a garden! You don’t have to wait until you live in a place all your own. Here are five ways you can have a garden while you live in base housing.
Kiddie pools aren’t just for swimming
Have a green thumb but don’t want to pay the high lumber costs? Grab a hard plastic kiddie pool from the store and drill one-inch holes spaced a foot apart from each other throughout the bottom and sides. Lay down mesh within the pool and pick up equal parts garden soil, compost, and your seeds from the store.
Check yourself before you wreck your plants
Understanding your climate zone and what time of year you should plant certain seeds can help your garden thrive. Heat tolerant tomatoes will thrive in the summer sun, whereas pumpkins aren’t excited to sunbathe till the weather stays under 90° consistently. As much as you want a plumeria bush in your Alaskan backyard, you might have to wait till you get a little closer to the equator. If you can’t wait, keep pots indoors for even temperatures.
Elevate your garden goals!
If you have a bad back, you can get an elevated planter that stands at waist height! The height also keeps puppies out. Grow a green waterfall over the edges with vine plants like zucchini and watermelon!
Put it on the shelf.
Wall gardens or pallet gardens have become all the rage in places where there isn’t much ground space to use. If you don’t want to replace grass when you move, you can buy shelves and plant cucumbers, tomatoes, and many other vegetables!
Just want a flower garden? Put plants with various heights on your outdoor or indoor shelves. Herbs are easy to grow on your kitchen windowsill.
Fake it till you make it.
Are you living in an apartment without much natural light? Are you only stationed in a place for 11 months while your spouse is training? Fake plants can give you the feeling of being one with nature, without the pressure to water, and you won’t have to say goodbye when the movers come!
Don’t wait to create a garden you love. Whether it’s in the ground or on the shelf, your garden can be a place to make memories, even in base housing.