The lack of a garden does not have to be an obstacle in growing plants, if our apartment has at least a balcony or terrace. Such abalcony gardenis a perfect solution for residents of large cities who lack their own oasis of greenery. See whatgrowing plants in containersand balcony boxes looks like, what plants to choose for a balcony or terrace, and what to pay special attention to when you want toarrange a garden on the balcony
Balcony garden - flowers in balcony boxes
Balcony garden - selection of plants for growing in containers
Balcony gardencan be colorful and fragrant throughout the season, from spring to fall. Balconies and terraces can be successfully used for planting ornamental species not only of flowers but also of colorful foliage. When choosingplants for cultivation in containers on the balconyit is worth considering the location of the balcony in relation to the sides of the world, because plants that can decorate strongly sunlit niches will not cope in deep shadows, exposed to frosty wind. When planning balcony plantings, it is also worth taking care of the selection of plants that will decorate with their flowers, fruit or leaves throughout the season, as well as in the winter.
Selection ofplants to be grown on a balconyor terrace should be made in terms of their resistance to harsh conditions, low susceptibility to disease, and slow growth in shrubs. If the plants are to grow together in one large pot, their similar requirements to soil conditions are also important.
By creating abalcony gardenyou can successfully plant both annuals, biennials, perennials, as well as shrubs, shrubs and woody plants, represented by very slow-growing forms. Dwarf varieties of evergreen conifers are especially worth recommending, which will decorate the balcony garden all year round, also in winter.
Among flowering plants, the balcony hits are geraniums, both bedding with stiff stems, and ivy-leaved geraniums with drooping shoots, surfinia, fuchsia and begonia.Flower plantings should be supplemented with pots with aromatic herbs. Herbs, among which we can find sun and drought resistant species, can be used to create aromatic compositions on balconies and terraces, providing fresh leaves that are later used in the kitchen. However, from species of rock plants, with a little imagination, you can prepare a miniature mountain landscape.
It is also worth mentioning thatbalcony gardencan be an opportunity to grow vegetables or fruit plants.Tomatoes are most often planted as vegetables on the balcony (they can be obtained from seeds sown in March on a window sill or in May, you can buy a ready-made seedling), while a climbing strawberry has been a hit in recent years, whose slender shoots can be led along supports or allowed to hang freely from the railing . There are also mini fruit trees that can be grown in containers. Thanks to this, your own apples or pears fromof the balcony gardendo not have to be a fiction at all.
Balcony garden - planting plants in containers
Planting plants in containers on the balcony
Choosing the rightcontainers for growing plantson the terrace or balcony is another important thing that must not be forgotten. Pots must be spacious enough for the roots to find enough space for their proper development, but they should also fulfill a decorative function, emphasizing the beauty of the plants grown in them.Concrete troughs, which are still equipped with balconies of many residential blocks of old buildings, are perfect, but also various types of solidly impregnated wooden pots for balconies and terraces
Before planting plants, a few centimeters of gravel drainage layer should be placed at the bottom of the containers, crushed clay pots or expanded clay. Only on such a prepared position you can spread a layer of universal soil in which the plants will be planted.
It is also worth adding a portion of hydrogel to the substrate, which retains water during watering and releases it gradually when the soil begins to dry out. This will reduce the frequency of irrigation and ensure that plants do not suffer from a lack of moisture. Before planting, you can also apply fertilization with slow-release granules, e.g. Osmocote, which will gradually release nutrients throughout the season, supplying the plant roots directly.
Rulecomposing balcony plantingsis the same as for planting in flower beds.The largest specimens should be placed at the back of the containers, while the lower ones should be gradually closer to the front of the pots. When determining the number of plants that are to be grown together, take into account the size that they will achieve after several years of cultivation, so that too dense planting does not adversely affect their decorative qualities later in the cultivation.
Garden on the balcony - plants sold in containers can be planted all season
Aftertaking the seedlings out of thecontainers in which they grew, it is worth loosening the tightly compacted root ball a little and placing them in previously prepared wells, gently kneading the substrate around them. The depth at which the plants will be planted should be 1-2 cm greater than that at which they grew in the containers. Planted plants need to be watered thoroughly to get rid of excess air from the soil surrounding the roots.
Garden on the balcony in winter
Beforethe onset of winter coldsecure the overground part of perennials and deciduous shrubs by wrapping them with corrugated cardboard or several times folded winter agrotextile. You also need to protect the root ball, which is much more prone to freezing than in the specimens growing in the ground. The box in which the plants have been planted should be covered with a warming layer made of polystyrene boards or at least 15 cm with a layer of dry leaves, secured with a flexible net against blowing during strong gusts of wind.
Evergreen plants grown in containersit is worth watering thoroughly before the onset of frosts and shading with non-woven fabric so that the harsh winter sun, combined with drying winds, does not cause winter damage. The method of protection should be the same as in the case of shedding shrubs.Properly cared for plants in containers will be an attractive decoration of balconies and a source of pride for the owner of the garden on the balcony.
