I used to live in an apartment, and the defining decision that led us to move to a house was the desire for a backyard.
I was lucky enough to have somewhat of an outdoor space, but let's use this term loosely: it was a teeny tiny terrace, which I did love, but it was admittedly a little too small when we had guests over in the summertime.
And then there was the gardening side — the one thing I always tried (and failed) to do on my terrace was to grow flowers and herbs. All this time, I thought I wasn't green-fingered. But skip to now, and you'll find wildflowers, an olive tree, and even a (soon-to-be) cherry tomato plant in my yard.
Why am I telling you this? If you're not in a position to move house for the sake of growing some flowers or herbs, then I've found an impressively cheap balcony hack for budding gardeners who'd like to start growing their own produce. And most of it is available at IKEA. Who'd have thought?
As it turns out, using a rolling utility cart to grow a container garden is the small backyard or balcony hack that we've all been overlooking.
A genius way to plant your own produce, and better yet: it's movable should you move apartments or need to bring your herbs inside to protect them from the weather.
@kimyakalisa ♬ Love - The Something Specials & Taylor Olin
This genius IKEA hack requires just a few items and a squeeze of patience when planting. It'll be sure to wow guests and add some color to your dinner plate this summer and beyond.
Better yet? It brings some much-needed life to a balcony or terrace space, and it fits into a corner with ease, so it won't take up much of your precious balcony floorspace at all.
Here's how to get started on yours:
What you need
- IKEA's RASKOG Utility Cart - $29.99 / £19
- 3 potted herbs of your choice
- Fast-draining potting mix — like this bag from Amazon
- Some felt planter liner like this from Amazon
What to do
One of the best things about this utility cart is the fact that its shelves are designed with mesh bases to allow for optimum ventilation.
So, instead of having to drill drainage holes into each shelf to prevent waterlogging, you can keep your toolset in the garage. Instead, a felt planter liner will come in handy.
These are easy to cut to size and are super breathable. This way, your soil won't drain through the mesh shelf bases, but your plants will still drain!
I'd avoid mixing herbs and just stick to one herb type on each shelf. This way, they won't compete for nutrients — some herbs like mint are fast-spreading and will take over.
Depending on what you're planting, it might be smart to place water-loving herbs at the bottom of your cart, as these will get plenty of extra water from the drainage from the middle and top shelves.
It's a good idea to first pop each pot in the center of each shelf (plant inside the pot). Add the soil around the pot and pat it down so everything is compact and tight. Give it a little water.
Then, remove each pot slowly, and you'll be left with a hole from the pot. Remove the herb from the pot and place it in this perfect-sized hole. Water again.
Good to know
When watering, remember that the drainage needs to go somewhere, so you might find it beneficial to pop a tray of some sort underneath the bottom shelf of your utility cart, just in case.
The wheels on this cart are lockable, but these wheels also make it great for moving in and out of the sun. It also comes in 4 colorways — beige/yellow, gray/green, pink, or white.
You should move it inside in extreme weather; just be mindful of your floor and perhaps use a towel to protect from any spillages.
