A balcony garden can transform a drab concrete patio into a colorful oasis of lush foliage. Balcony gardens are fun to create and help to satisfy the city-dwelling gardener's green thumb. Successful balcony gardens do pose certain challenges. Sufficient sunlight, space and watering issues need to be considered, but with proper planning, know-how, and imagination, most apartment residents should be able to grow a beautiful garden on their patios and balconies.
Balcony Gardens: What to Grow?
Flowers, vegetables, or herbs: all of these are viable options for the balcony garden. The size of the balcony will help to inform the decision as to what kind of garden to grow, as the amount of available space is an indicator as to how many plants the balcony can sustain.
The direction the balcony faces will also help determine the types of plants that will flourish best, as this is directly related to how much sunlight and shade is available.
Wind is also a factor, for if the balcony is especially breezy, a windbreak may be recommended.
Balcony Garden Containers
Container gardening is the most viable option for a balcony garden. Containers take up little space, and provide many different ways to grow a wide variety of plants and flowers. There are a variety of decorative containers and pots on the market.
The balcony gardener may choose from many different materials, including terra cotta, glazed ceramic, artificial terra cotta or stone, wooden barrels, and window boxes; however, lightweight is always the best option for balconies. It is important that the containers have holes in the bottom for proper water drainage.
Potting Soil for Balcony Gardens
A lightweight potting mix is best for container gardening. Most local garden centers will offer packaged potting soils that are ideal for containers; the key is to ensure the mix is not too high in organic matter. For vegetable growing, soilless mixes such as peat should probably be avoided, as the mix is too light and will not offer enough support to plant the roots.
Balcony Garden Tips and Considerations
- Weight Restrictions: Potential balcony gardeners should always check their allowable weight restrictions as a safety precaution.
- Pollination: Balcony gardens can be particularly prone to pollination problems, due to the lack of insect traffic and crosswinds that ground gardens receive. In some cases, hand-pollination may be necessary.
- Space-Savers: Trellises come in all shapes and sizes and are a great way to effectively utilize limited balcony space. If allowable, shelves can be mounted to the wall and can hold small planters. Hooks, brackets and wall-mounted urns are other great balcony space savers.
- Design Accents: Little extras can enhance the beauty of a balcony garden. Furniture, mirrors, chairs, wind chimes, and perhaps a small water fountain can be considered to add depth and charm.
Countless apartment dwellers enjoy the pleasures and relaxation of creating and tending to a balcony garden.The main things to consider in creating the perfect garden are sunlight, space availability, and weight allowances. From there, with a little imagination, the possibilities are endless.
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