Hanging balcony flowers , blooming all summer, give our balconies and terraces a special charm. They can hang from railings and hanging pots, from which their shoots fall freely. These plants usually grow quickly and bloom profusely, provided that we provide them with the right growing conditions. Seehow to care for hanging balcony flowersand learn about the most popular species from this group of plants.
Hanging balcony flowers, such as surfinie, perfectly
present themselves in hanging pots
How to plant hanging balcony flowers
Hanging balcony flowershave poor frost resistance and are sensitive to frost. Therefore, the date of planting them on balconies and terraces is usually the second half of May, when the risk of late spring frosts has passed. Before that, the seedling of balcony flowers must be hardened, that is, gradually accustomed to the conditions outside, exposing them for the day and hiding them for the night. Unless we bought already hardened plants, then you can plant them immediately.
If you want to grow flowers hanging on your balcony, you should provide them with a suitable position. First of all, they should be planted in containers suspended high, e.g. on a balustrade or under a balcony roof. Then their free-fall shoots covered with lots of flowers will look their best.Hanging balcony flowersshould not grow in low pots placed on the floor.
Forplanting hanging balcony flowerswe will need a flower soil o the reaction ranges from slightly acidic to neutral.Individual species differ in requirements, but for most hanging balcony flowers, soil with a pH of 6-7 will be good.
Before planting at the bottom of the pot, it is worth sprinkling a drainage layer of small pebbles. Expanded clay will also work well in this role. Drainage will facilitate drainage of excess water after watering and ensure that plant roots do not stick to the water. Of course, you should also make sure that the pot has drainage holes at the bottom.After draining, pour some soil into the flowers and gently place the plants. Then we sprinkle the rest of the soil and knead it lightly. It is worth watering the plants immediately after planting.
Hanging balcony flowers - cultivation and care
Cultivation site
Hanging balcony flowersare mostly flowers for a sunny balcony, but at the same time secluded and sheltered from the winds. Flowers hanging from a container are particularly exposed to strong gusts of wind, which can break their shoots and damage the inflorescences.It is also good if the balcony or terrace are roofed, which will protect the plants from rain. Heavy rainstorms can damage the delicate flowers of some plants, especially surfinia.Fertilization and watering
It is also worth remembering about constant watering and fertilizing.Hanging balcony flowersgrow strongly, which means that they have a high demand for water and nutrients. We water and fertilize them regularly, bearing in mind, however, that over-fertilization with nitrogen causes excessive growth of leaves and shoots, at the expense of flowers, and increased susceptibility to fungal diseases. Profusely flowering plants need an increased dose of potassium. Fortunately, properly composed fertilizers for balcony flowers are available for sale, which provide plants with an appropriate balance of nutrients. We dose the fertilizers according to the instructions on the packaging, taking into account the requirements of individual plant species.Winter storage
If we wanthanging balcony flowersto be stored until the next year or to prepare seedlings from them, in the fall, before the frosts come, the plants must be moved to a room protected against freezing temperatures.However, not all hanging balcony flowers tolerate wintering well, so most people buy new seedlings in spring.
Hanging balcony flowers - the most popular species
On salehanging balcony flowersare available in a very large assortment selection. The most popular are geraniums, verbena and surfinas, which come in many varieties that can be grown on the balcony.
Dangling geraniumis perhaps one of the most popular dangling balcony flowers. Prefers sunny positions and fertile flower land. Pendulous geraniums are available in many shades, ranging from white to pink to red. The flowers of these hanging balcony plants can be full or single, it all depends on our preferences. If we properly care for pendulous geraniums and fertilize them regularly, they will certainly grow beautifully covering the entire balustrade of a balcony or terrace.
Surfiniahas only been on our market for a few years but has already gained a huge crowd of fans.Surfinia has goblet flowers similar to the petunia, of which it is a hybrid. The flowers can be full or single, of various colors. Its characteristic and most important feature is its hanging shape. Properly cared for, Surfinia can grow to really large sizes. Thesehanging balcony flowersare sensitive to water shortage, so you should regularly care for the damp substrate of these flowers.
Dangle verbenais a flagship species among hanging balcony flowers, which in the initial stage of growth has raised shoots, but as they grow, they start to hang down. Verbena has flowers of various colors from white through red to dark purple. Blooms profusely throughout the summer, prefers a sunny position, may bloom less in shaded places. Like the other mentioneddangling balcony flowers , verbena does not like drying out and the substrate in the pot should be kept moist.
Lobeliais a delicate plant with small but numerous flowers, white or blue.Suitable for a hanging balcony flower as an addition to other balcony flowers. Pendulous Lobelia prefers sunny positions.
Fuchsiais a thermophilic hanging balcony flower, which looks very good when planted individually in a large container exposed to a sunny position. Fuchsia is unlikely to be suitable for a tray mounted on a railing. It looks better when suspended from the ceiling or in a container on a high landing. Fuchsia is an extremely beautiful hanging balcony flower, though demanding. Properly cared for, however, should delight everyone with its appearance.
Scewola fan-shapedis a balcony plant with overhanging shoots that can reach up to 60 cm in length. It creates charming, fan-like, five-petalled flowers that decorate the plant from June until the first frost. The fan-shaped schevola requires a warm and sunny position, preferably sheltered from the wind. The soil should be fertile but well drained at the same time.Frequent watering is very important in the cultivation of scewola, as the plant does not tolerate overdrying. It is worth supplementing it with multi-component fertilizers for flowering plants, enriched with iron.The group of hanging balcony flowers includes many species such as twig, hanging begonia, bakopa and the like. These beautiful plants can be grown singly or in groups, where they are ideal fillers for erect flowers.
Katarzyna Matuszak
