Many of you may have found yourselves enjoying a new hobby while staying home due to the COVID-19 pandemic. These hobbies have helped us stay sane and productive while being stuck at home. Most people have learned new hobbies like cooking, baking, dancing, and gardening, but these activities do more than keep us from being bored.
According to research done during this quarantine, these hobbies greatly help one’s physical and mental health and help you connect with your passions and identity, which is a good deal for your well-being in general.
Many have turned to gardening in their condo unit during the quarantine. But exactly how do you build your own garden in your living space in the middle of the concrete jungle? Don’t worry, creativity is the key!
The first thing to understand about condo gardening is that huge plant pots are not welcome in your home. It takes too much space and can be a bit dirty. If you’re starting a gardening hobby in your condo, take it as if you’ll be doing indoor gardening.
The key to beginning your condo garden lies within your cupboards. Here are some household items you can use for your indoor plant set-up or condo garden:
1. Old coffee mugs
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Your office mugs may not be fulfilling its role anymore because of your new work-from-home setup, or you may have old mugs that you grew tired of. You can repurpose these mugs and use them as your small pots for your plants. You can turn these into accent plants on your coffee table, night table, and even on your work desk.
2. Teacups
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If you’re a fan of succulent plants and you want a little Alice in Wonderland vibe in your condo garden, then teacups are the one for you. Teacups can become an adorable home for your succulents that’ll fit well inside your condo unit. It won’t take up too much space either!
3. Old picture frame + takeout containers
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With the countless times, you ordered takeout throughout quarantine, you probably have a lot of containers sitting in your cabinet now. Instead of letting it take up space, you can reuse these and transform them into plant pots.
If you happen to have old frames at home, you can repaint these and glue them on top of your takeout containers and transform them into a sleek-looking pot for succulents and small plants you can place in your condo garden.
4. Mason jars
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Go for a rustic look for your garden condo by using transparent mason jars for your plants. These jars will fit perfectly in the corners of your kitchen. You can place herb plants in your kitchen as they help in keeping it tranquil and aromatic.
5. Colander or strainer
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It might seem far-fetched, but colanders are the best alternative containers you can use for your condo garden due to the drainage holes that can help with irritation when you’re watering them. Plus, colanders come in different sizes, including big ones that can fulfill your garden dreams in your condo balcony.
6. Old soup bowls
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Much like your old mugs and teacups, you can use soup bowls to grow herbs and spices which you can also use when you cook your meals for the family! You can now have a condo garden and a small farm at the same time. It can save you some money versus buying ingredients.
7. Glass bottles
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Surely you have empty wine bottles at home after that stressful day at work. You can use these bottles to grow hydroponic plants like spinach and bell peppers. Don’t worry about putting soil in the glass bottles because you won’t be needing it!
Glass bottles can also give off a nice aesthetic look for your condo garden.
8. Deep vases
Longing to house big plants inside your condo unit? You can use your deep vases to house them and control their growth. Using your vases for real plants instead of plastic plants will do you better as indoor plants make you less prone to stress, depression, and anxiety—it’s a perfect way to help you cope up with all that’s happening in the world.
9. Wire hangers
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One important indoor gardening tip you should remember when living in condo units is to go vertical to save up space. You can create a hanging garden in your condo balcony by using some of your old wire hangers to support your plants and hang them on the wall. This can give you extra space in your balcony to chill at after a long day.
10. Old shoe racks
If you don’t like punching holes in your walls, you can still create a vertical condo garden by making use of your old shoe racks. Take it outside to your balcony and beautifully place your plant-filled mugs, teacups, and containers, to create your small yet gorgeous condo garden.
Living the plantita/plantito life
Plants add more character into your condo unit, but the health benefits of gardening go beyond what the human eye can see. Here are just some of them
- Gardening reduces stress – Life can be extra stressful especially now in the middle of a pandemic. To have gardening as your hobby will help you reduce symptoms of depression and anxiety. Plus, M. Vaccae, a healthy bacteria which you can find in the soil can help increase your levels of serotonin.
- It helps you eat healthier – Having your own herb or vegetable garden can help you get fresh produce which is not treated with pesticides. This assures you that you’re eating healthier greens.
- It boosts your creativity – Designing your garden may be quite a challenge, especially if you have no knowledge of garden designing. This can help trigger your creative skills and challenge yourself to create designs that you will love.
Gardening used to be a hobby for those with spacious houses, but that’s not the case anymore. You can create your own garden in your condo unit. At the end of the day, it’s about being strategic and creative in making your condo garden dream come true.
