Author: HairWeavings Editorial Team

Are you tired of red peppers and tomatoes that taste like cardboard? Do you buy organic fruits and vegetables, but wish the prices were lower?

Do you live in a condo, apartment or small space and yearn to grow your own fresh organic vegetables, but think you don’t have room?

The good news is that you can grow an edible garden right on your balcony, patio or kitchen windowsill.

Container Gardening Is Practical and Fun

Container gardening is a great way to grow your own food in a small space, so it’s perfect for apartments and condos, as well as urban homes without a huge yard.

Container gardening allows you to be creative and personal in decorating your environment. You can use recycled pots, found objects, or buy modern containers to suit your décor.

If you’re renting a place, you don’t have to leave your beloved garden behind. You can take the plants with you when you move, creating a movable feast.

You help the environment by growing food right at your home, saving the fuel costs of driving to a supermarket, and the costs of transporting your food from across the globe.

Best of all, you can eat organic food that’s grown without pesticides or herbicides. And you can avoid GMOs (Genetically Modified Organisms) by buying organic, Non-GMO seeds and seedlings.

Here are 5 easy steps to growing fresh organic veggies in containers:

Step 1: Gather Some Containers

Look for pots that work with the kinds of vegetables you want to grow. Size does matter – the bigger the better.

Clay pots are popular because they are a natural material and harmonize with most decors and foliage. Plastic pots are inexpensive and come in a range of colors. You can also use almost any household object, from an old shoe to a baby bathtub, or splurge and buy some sleek modern containers. Have fun finding funky containers that express your personality!

Step 2: Get the Right Soil at Your Local Garden Center

Soilless mixtures are inexpensive, lightweight, and free from disease and contaminates. They help the plants retain water, and also create little air pockets that help the roots breathe.

You should also mix in about 1/3 to 1/2 compost to feed your plants slowly from the roots.

You can buy commercial Triple Mix, which is ready to use. A good composition is 1/3 triple mix OR compost + 2/3 soilless mix.

Step 3: Consider Organic and Heirloom Plants

Look into ordering organic, heirloom seeds. You’ll want to buy organic to avoid pesticides and herbicides on seeds or seedlings.

In What does Heirloom Mean? Barbara Richardson, horticulturist with the National Gardening Association, explains: “Heirloom plant species are vegetables, flowers, and fruits grown from seeds that are passed down from generation to generation. Over time, growers save the seeds of their best plants – whether those are the most vigorous, disease resistant, flavorful, or beautiful.”

So if you’re planting vegetables to improve your health and increase longevity, organic heirloom plants will delight your taste buds and boost your well-being!

Step 4: Buy Your Seedlings and Start Growing

Visit your local garden center, nursery or farmer’s market to buy seedlings to transplant, to get a quick start on the season. You can ask for organic, heirloom varieties.

Start with plants that are almost foolproof, such as tomatoes, cucumber, bush beans, radishes, and leafy greens such as lettuces. There are many varieties of each plant, so ask at the nursery or farmer’s market about plants that are easy to grow in your environment.

Depending on the climate where you live, some varieties of plants will thrive without much care, while others will be more challenging. Go for what grows best in your region.

Step 5: Give Your Plants the Right Conditions to Grow

Plants need the right amount of sunlight and water. Be careful when putting your plants on balcony boxes, because the wind may dry them out more quickly. On the other hand, most people make the mistake of overwatering.

Again, ask at your local nursery, or ask your neighbors who like to garden, what kinds of plants are thriving, and how much water and sunlight they need.

Now get ready to harvest your vegetables and enjoy a big salad, fresh from your container garden!

Check out this book Easy Container Gardening: 5 Steps to Grow Fresh Organic Vegetables in Small Urban Spaces.

Also read, WHEN GARDENING IS YOUR PASSION, GROW VEGGIES INDOORS!

Let’s Have a Conversation:

Have you tried organic container gardening before? What was your experience? Please check out the book below and tell us what you think in the comments section at the end of this article.

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Originally posted at: Katie Maloney’s Chevron Cardigan

I was first diagnosed with Arthritis when I was 40. I was devastated. Suddenly, I couldn’t walk as my ankles and knees were too swollen and painful. I found it hard to lift even a cup of tea as my fingers were stiff and tight with inflammation.

I have never experienced pain like it and my heart goes out to anyone who is experiencing this or something similar today. In my search for ways to help me feel more ease and mobility in my body, I embarked on a personal journey of healing and gentle movement.

My background as a dancer and fitness professional lead me to create a programme of gentle movements which I teach today in my body confidence coaching workshops and classes. And, today, at the age of 63, I have learned how to live with Arthritis or “Arthur” (as I call it) and for the most part, we get along really well. There are still moments when I will experience a flare up; however, I know how to manage them and also to trust that they will pass.

Wellness Routine

As part of my own wellness routine, I love to share the exercises and knowledge that have helped me tremendously in my own journey. I hope you enjoy some of the gentle movements that can help bring more ease to your body, mind and soul.

All of these movements can be done sitting down. Make sure you are wearing loose; comfortable clothing and it may help to play some of your favourite relaxing music as you perform the movements. The key is to give yourself some space and time to connect with your body in this kind, gentle and loving way.

Key Points to Remember

Don’t Rush and Be Intentional

Move slowly and with conscious intention on what you desire from the movement. Every movement has a meaning and a mantra, so focusing on the meaning and mantra along with doing the movement helps you to connect your mind and body in these beautiful mindful movements.

If It Hurts – Stop!

If any movement feels uncomfortable or hurts in any way – stop. Every body is different and honouring your own body is key to making positive changes. All of the movements are designed to be gentle and easy to perform; however, listening to your own body is vital in knowing how much you can do.

Pay Attention to Breathing

Breathe normally throughout the movements unless instructed to do specific breathing in alignment with the movement.

Take Time to Love Yourself

Enjoy taking the time to give yourself this lovely space to connect with your body in such a loving and caring way.

Enjoy These 5 Gentle Movements

#1 Heart Circles

Sit in a comfortable position. Gently take one hand and draw circles around your heart area. You may want to close your eyes as you imagine that you are giving your body more love as you circle the heart area. Breathe normally.

This exercise helps you to hold space for whatever is unfolding in your life. It brings you back to your sacred heart wisdom as you connect with your deepest insights and knowing. You may wish to visualize the colour green washing over your heart area as you make the circles. You can also do this exercise lying down if this is more comfortable.

Heart mantra – I am safe and loved.

Heart circle meaning – To connect deeply with your own heart wisdom and trust yourself.

#2 Self-Hug

This beautiful movement follows on from the heart circles. Sit comfortably and fold your arms across your heart/chest. Feel the touch of your hands on the sides of your arms and be mindful of allowing this self-touch to be kind and compassionate. Imagine you are touching something very precious – you! Take a breath in, squeezing your shoulder blades together as you allow your arms to softly open, bringing them back as far as you can go comfortably.

Imagine your heart opening to new possibilities and more love as you open your arms. Breathe out as you return your arms to the beginning position of your self-hug. Imagine you are embracing new possibilities of health and healing. Repeat as many times as feel comfortable for you.

Self-hug mantra – I love and accept myself exactly as I am.

Self-hug meaning – That you are here for yourself, no matter what. You are showing your body that you are here for you and that you will stand by you.

#3 Clearing the Path Ahead

This lovely calming movement invites you to focus on clearing any obstacles that you feel are in front of you in a gentle, easy and flowing motion. Sit comfortably with your spine long, shoulders relaxed back and down. Bring both hands up to just in front of your heart in a prayer position.

Take a breath in and as you exhale extend your arms forward and then softly push your hands away from each other, sweeping your arms out to the side. Inhale as you bring both hands back to the start position and repeat up to 8 times. Imagine that you are gently separating any clouds that may be in front of you.

Clearing the path ahead mantra – My way ahead is clear and easy.

Clearing the path meaning – That it is easy to move through life in a soft gentle way, trusting the Universe to help you find your way forward with more ease.

#4 Energy Alignment

Sit tall and make sure that your feet are flat on the floor. Place one hand on your lower belly. Gently raise the other arm to the side bringing it right above your head. Turn your hand to the side so that your thumb is facing your body. Gently bring this arm down in a straight line in front of your body until your hand touches your other hand resting on your lower belly.

Gently, change hands and allow the hand that was resting on your belly to now float up to the side and above the head. Repeat the movement, several times, as you keep alternating arms with one arm flowing upwards whilst the other hand supports your lower belly.

Energy alignment mantra – everything comes to me with ease and joy.

Energy alignment meaning – to help promote feelings of being in balance and harmony in your life.

#5 Body Bliss Crossovers

This is a simple and lovely movement to do if you are feeling scattered or anxious. It helps to reassure your body and bring you back into the present moment. Sit tall and relax your lower belly. Gently sweep your right hand down your left arm, starting at the top of the left arm in a loving stroking action. Repeat with the left hand on the right arm.

Keep alternating the arms in a gentle rhyming motion. You may want to rock forwards and backwards gently as you do these movements to create even more resilience and reassurance. Repeat as long as you feel it is necessary. Breathe easily through the movements and focus on being gentle and kind with yourself.

Body Bliss Crossovers mantra – I am safe, I am here, I am free.

Body Bliss Crossovers meaning – to help create more resilience and reassurance within your body. It helps you to feel more balanced and return to the present moment.

I hope you enjoy these beautiful and gentle movements. For more inspiration, movement motivations and tips on loving your body please follow me on Instagram. I would love to have your company and you would be very welcome. Or, join me in the Body Confidence Café community group.

Further read: SOOTHE YOUR PAIN WITH THIS BEAUTIFUL BODY LOVE EXERCISE!

Let’s Have a Conversation:

Do you suffer from a condition that limits your movements, such as arthritis? How does it affect your everyday life? What do you do to soften the pain and make your days more bearable?