any gardeners here?(beginner)

[Young Grasshopper]

i just moved into an apartment with a balcony. i want to start putting some plants out there. does anyone have any tips for a beginner? what kind of plants are easiest as opposed to difficult? i bought a 'boston fern' at home deport. a really small one. the guy at the store recommened i buy a bigger pot, fill it with miracle grow potting soil and transfer the plant to it. also i wanted to grow a few larger plants INDOOR, like 3 1/2-5ft plants in the corners. problem is the areas I want to put them in dont have direct sunlight. is this possible at all?


thanks

 

[deftron]

Most plants don't need constant direct sunlight (they live under the forest canopy in the wild)

Tropicals, ferns, etc work fine..

Heres a link

http://www.thegardenhelper.com/fs~perennials.html

 

[grohl]

you really have to just try it, if you kill it then learn from your mistakes and try again. BTW a real nursery knows lots more than Home Depot. Go to Home Depot for cheap stuff but if you need advice then go somewhere else.

 

[natto fire]

I wouldn't bother with decorative plants myself, and only grow functional plants. There are many herbs that are quite easy to grow, as well onion, garlic, and leeks.

 

[Bryophyte]

Any of the traditional 'houseplants' will work fine for you. They are tried and true plants chosen for their ability to thrive under abusive, low-light conditions. If you want to grow something different, you may have to get a light and timer if the plants require some actual light.

Ask me questions and I'll try to answer them.
<---botanist (with an actual college degree in botany!)

 

[memo]

Originally posted by: Bryophyte
Any of the traditional 'houseplants' will work fine for you. They are tried and true plants chosen for their ability to thrive under abusive, low-light conditions. If you want to grow something different, you may have to get a light and timer if the plants require some actual light.

Ask me questions and I'll try to answer them.
<---botanist (with an actual college degree in botany!)

I'll jump on this advice train Trying to grow about 6 different herbs (cilantro, thyme, rosmary, basil, etc) in two planter boxes. The person at the nursery suggested keeping the soil moist. Should I just touch the top soil and water if it's dry or should I assume that the dirt underneath is a lot wetter than the top and wait?

When do I water?!

 

[Billb2]

Originally posted by: memo
When do I water?!

Talk to your plants, they'll tell you.

That means that you should be taking the time to look at the plants and seeing if they need more/less watering.

Also, planting different plants in the same container makes it difficult to water properly if the plants have different watering requirements.