Starting a garden can be overwhelming at the best of times — there are considerations for the unruly weather of the PNW, types of soil and fertilizer to sift through and mountains of online advice that can lead to more questions than answers. 

Not to mention space — while yards offer room for greenhouses and garden boxes, many people are working with rented spaces like patios. But it’s not time to hang up the gardening gloves or throw in the trowel. Any space can be a garden with a little work. 

I have not ever been referred to as having a green thumb. In fact, most of my planting endeavors have yielded dry, cracked plants getting too much sunlight or produce killed in the onslaught of July heat. My patio provides a small space for pots of herbs or produce, and this year I aimed to be better — to take the time and learn how to be a real patio gardener.

Here’s a fun fact: what we’re doing is called “container gardening,” and it dates back to ancient Egypt! So planting on your patio isn’t far-fetched at all. It has a rich history. No need for fancy greenhouses or large swathes of land. You’ve got everything you need in your apartment. 

First stop is figuring out how much space you actually have for planting. This will inform your choices for pots and even seeds (some plants require more room than you might have available). Mike Kaszycki of Fox Hollow Creek Nursery says that one of the number one mistakes he sees gardeners make is putting too many seeds in one pot. “You have to imagine how big that plant will get,” he says. So the size of your patio is a consideration — can you fit a big enough container for the plant? You’ll also want to determine how much sun this space is given throughout the day. Kaszycki says that this is one of the first questions to ask when picking out seeds to plant. My patio faces east and sits under an overhang (ie: sun in the morning and then lots and lots of shade). 

Armed with this knowledge, it’s time to visit the local garden store and pick out your produce. I chose a heavy dose of herbs and a few more compact vegetable varieties for our patio. Josh Cranford from Emerald Valley Pet, Feed and Garden suggests tomatoes or cucumbers. “Probably the easiest way people can go,” he says. “Those are two plants you can do in a 10 or 15 gallon pot and have decent-sized plants.” 

For my part, I started with basil, cilantro, patio tomatoes (yes, they specifically make a patio variety!) and green bell peppers. 

When asked about natural fertilizers, Cranford suggests “As a liquid, something like Biobizz. You can mix that into some water and water it in.” Kaszycki suggests “Organic stuff because it breaks down slowly.” 

“On a patio the number one thing is that you’re in a semi-closed space, and it heats up and can’t get any reprieve.” Cranford says. “Having shade cloth. Thirty percent shade cloth is helpful. And you’re only going to use that for a few weeks.” He adds, “Monitor what your plants are drinking” because containers can get especially hot.

What happens if you go on a trip? No need to ask your friends to take time out of their day to water your plants — here’s a tip for your very own patio irrigation system! 

Just grab those chardonnay (or, let’s face it, Tito’s) bottles out of the recycling and rinse them out. Fill them up with water at your sink. Now here’s the tricky part: Grab the bottle by the base and swiftly flip it upside down, planting the neck firmly into the dirt next to your plant. You’ll notice that at first it might begin emptying into the dirt, but soon it will slow and stop. 

Now, whenever your soil dries out, the bottle will release a bit of water. Voila! I’ve used this method to water my plants for days at a time before needing to refill the bottle.

As I walk through Fox Hollow nursery with Kaszycki, I’m struck by the variety of plants he points out to me. Lettuce growing in hanging pots and strawberry plants thriving in containers. I ask him what drew him to the practice of gardening. “I took classes at LCC, and it was love at first sight,” he says. And I can see why. Growing your own food and watching it thrive, even in a small space, is something special. While the setup can be intimidating, the final product is worth the wait.

So you’ve set up your patio garden. All that’s left to do now is take care of it. When asked about common gardening mistakes, Cranford laughs a bit and replies, “Loving your plant to death.” Overwatering, he says, is the number one mistake people make. “You think you’re going to give it some more water and then you drown it.” 

Kaszycki agrees saying, “Overwatering or letting it dry out is a classic.” So put the watering can down (for now) and let your seeds do the rest.  

Emerald Valley Pet, Feed and Garden is 88680 McVay Hwy, 541-636-3763, EVGardens.com. Fox Hollow Creek Nursery is 853 West 28th Avenue, 541-232-3899.