I do not live in an apartment, but I have a friend that does, and she has agreed to share pictures with me so that I can talk to you about this. EVERYONE can grow vegetables in your apartment, even if you have very limited space. This even includes small houses! It requires putting a small amount of money out, but in the end you will gain more, and save money, by planting some of your own vegetables at home.
This is what you are going to need to buy, they aren't expensive! Pick one vegetable to start with, look up information on that plant, or feel free to message me and I can help you look it up, and then you find the best place locally to buy. For me it's Wal-Mart at the moment, though I am looking at local farmers, or businesses, that I can buy the seedlings at. The first thing that I want to tell you is that you want HEIRLOOM plants, these are the plants that will provide seeds for you the next year to grow. Most hybrids that you buy fix it so that the seeds that are in the plant do not provide seeds that will grow the next year. This is what I was taught very recently, and would like to share with you. So what type of vegetable do you use most? For me it's onions, my little sister is more than happy to say that I always find a way to put onions on my food.
My friend is growing onions, broccoli, squash, and she just bought tomatoes! I got side tracked a little didn't I? Yes? Plants such as basil, tomatoes, cucumbers, etc.. need bigger pots to grow in. Even if you buy a baby plant that is still growing, put it in a bigger pot because moving a plant from one pot to another can put it into shock and it might not recover. Make sure you pick the plant that looks the healthiest out of the bunch, those are the ones that are already growing great. Get a big pot, grab some planting soil, I would get some with some miracle grow in it. The reason that I suggest that is because it will help your plant grow, and you want your soil to stay as healthy as you can, with nutrients that help your plant continue to grow. Now, if you get tomato plants then you want a cage around it, I'll get you a picture for it up soon, I JUST planted a tomato plant and bought one myself. You need one for support, and you'll want the same with cucumbers if you are in an apartment, it will give the plant stability.
You don't have to spend tons of money to do this, in fact you can start with containers around the house, such as two liter bottles cut in half for seedlings to grow, or an old container that you don't use much. See the picture to the left to know what I mean, this is my friends broccoli that she's growing!
Try to keep the plants on a balcony, or in an east facing window, for the longest light during the day. If it's going to be below 50 degrees outside then bring your plants in, if they are to young then it can kill the plant before it ever has a chance to grow. And don't over water the plants. Feel the dirt, if it feels like it still has moister in it then only give it a LITTLE water if you think it needs it. If you over water then the roots can start to rot, get a fungus, or mold. As you can see in the picture, her dirt is amazingly healthy, and she fully intends to replant them once they grow more.
Plants can also be amazing decorations. Not only can they be amazing eye candy, but they will freshen the air in your house, and keep it fresher than you ever thought that it would. The plants can give a more positive attitude to the house, or apartment, as well. A freshness that you can't, or don't, get very often. You can also see that she's used many different types of containers to start her vegetables off! Make sure that you put a hole in the bottom of your container, it gives the plants a more natural feeling flow like in the ground, and if you happen to over water, then it gives the dirt a way to get rid of the access water.
Now, if you have a cat, I was told by a friend that you have two ways that you can keep your cat from using the plants as a litter box, like my little sisters has been doing. Before you plant the vegetables mix Cayenne pepper in with the soil, they don't like the smell, and I think it makes them sneeze. I was also told that it takes away their smell if they have already used it for a litter box once, please make sure to take out their poop, it's not good for the plants. And use a mixture of vinegar and water, white vinegar will do, and spray the plant and top of the soil with it, they don't like the smell.
That's it for today! Feel free to ask questions, give advice for something that worked better for you. We are all learning together! I'll see you next time!