Author:
Eric.
A garden is an excellent addition to any home. Unfortunately, living in a small space such as an apartment in most cities, it remains a dream. But don't lose hope! If you have a balcony, you can set up a great garden in no time. We will give you some great ideas on how to create and sustain a garden on your balcony.
1.
Things
to grow in your balcony garden
You
can nurture any plant that works with your climate on a balcony
garden. You may choose which plants to nurture depending on your
interests.
Herb
gardens are fun. They bring different fragrances to your balcony, and
you can pick fresh herbs for your meals.
You
can also have a vegetable garden. Some vegetables to plant that are
tomatoes, cucumbers, lettuce, and beets.
Imagine
the joy of picking your own veggies to make a salad or put in a soup?
So rewarding!
You
can also grow fruit such as strawberries, lemons, and blueberries on
your balcony garden.
Flowers
are great as well. Planting flowers and fruits is a great way to
create a pretty and uplifting ecosystem that nurtures your soul and
other life such as butterflies, beneficial insects, and birds.
2.
How
will the weather affect your garden plants?
In
India, we get different weather every three or four months. You can
rotate plants on your balcony according to the seasons.
In
the summer, it's a great time to plant things like tomatoes, carrots,
peppers, beets, and lettuce.
Herbs
like basil, oregano, sage, and thyme will also thrive. Flowers like
Marigold, sunflowers, hibiscus, daffodils, zinnias, and bougainvillea
do great in summer.
During
monsoon season, you can plant veggies that prefer cooler weather and
soil such as beans, broccoli, cucumber, spinach, kale, and lettuce.
Flowers such as gul mohur, lotus, monsoon cassia, and indigo flowers
are great for monsoon season.
In
winter you can still grow some veggies. Try carrots, capsicum, and
cauliflowers.
For
herbs try chives, thyme, and basil. You can also grow some flowers
indoors such as petunias and paper daisies.
3.
How
to design and organize your balcony garden
There
are different ways to organize your balcony garden.
You
need to use the one that will help you maximize space or create a
great ambiance.
You
can create a vertical garden which you do by hanging lots of planters
or pots from a trellis.
A
great thing with vertical gardens is you can set up a drip irrigation
system and cut down on having to water your plants manually.
Make
sure you put your vertical garden where it gets enough sunlight
because plants need it.
Great
plants to grow on vertical gardens are herbs and leafy green veggies.
For plants such as tomatoes, and cucumbers, you can place a large pot
on the ground and use the trellis as the support they climb up on as
they grow.
You
can also hang your plants in small pots around your balcony border.
Other
planters can be hooked on to the balcony railing.
The
other option is to have plants in different pots all over the balcony
where they can get some light. It does not allow you
to
grow a lot of plants but will allow you to nurture a few favorites.
4.
Essentials
for a balcony garden to thrive
- Sun
Although
you can grow anything you like, some other factors will determine
what grows in your balcony garden.
Start
with sun exposure. How much sunlight does your balcony garden get?
Some
plants do not need much sunlight, while others like most herbs
require between 4 -6 hours of sunlight each day to thrive.
Pick
the plants that will get enough sunlight on your balcony for a
prosperous garden.
The
location of your balcony will also matter. Balconies on higher levels
receive more sunlight than those on the ground level.
If
your terrace is mostly shady, it's a great place to plant ferns,
begonias, English ivy, and peace lilies.
For
a balcony that receives a lot of sun, strawberries, basil, lettuce,
and tomatoes are great.
You
can also companion plant, which means planting flowers that help each
other to thrive. For example, leafy plants can
be used to shade
plants that do not require lots of sunlight.
-
Soil
Soil
is another balcony garden essential. It's easy to get good quality
soil that can drain well from a gardening supply store or a
garden in nearby farms. You
can put gardening soil in pots of any size depending on the plant
size and growth potential.
You
will find help with soil from the people you buy flowers or seeds
from for your balcony garden. They can also tell you the best
pot size and how
much sun each plant needs so you can plant them strategically for
great results.
-
Gardening equipment
You
don't need a lot of tools to grow a garden on your balcony. Get a
small trowel to dig through the small pots or planters and a
watering can to make it easy for you to water your plants.
You
may also get a spray bottle for spraying organic
pesticide solution
whenever
nasty pests like aphids try to attack your veggies
or flowers. If
you like working in soil with your bare hands, that's fine; but if
not, a great pair of gardening gloves are
inexpensive and will protect your hands as you work .
-
Water and fertilizer
Of
course, you will need to water the plants. It's also a good idea to
buy some organic fertilizer or compost tea because all plants need
some nutritious food
to grow properly.
Fertilizer
comes in liquid form that you can mix in water, or grainy stuff you
can mix in the soil. If you go to a gardening supply place or a plant
selling center they will give you ideas on what to use
for fertilizer and where to buy it.
5.
Starting
a balcony garden
To
start a garden, you can start with seeds. You will find them in
garden supply stores, and they always have instructions on
the
back on how to grow them.
Another
option is to visit a nursery and buy already germinated seedlings.
Nurseries always grow out seeds and sell the seedlings
to garden enthusiasts. Buying seedlings from nurseries will save you
time and energy so you can just start planting
the herbs or veggies
in a pot when you get home as opposed to making your own
mini-nursery.
As
for flowers, you will find them from flower sellers in many roadside
flower businesses. Any time you buy a plant or seedling from someone,
always ask how to care for it. You can always go back
to the same place in case your plant has problems, and they will give
you advice on how to tackle them.
6.
Tips
to help you care for your balcony garden
Plants
on your balcony will thrive based on how you care for them. Ideally,
to grow a great garden on your balcony, you only need lots
of interest and commitment.
If
you have a hard time with a plant, you can research online about it
or visit your garden supply place for advice.
You
will find answers that will help you change any of your negative
gardening habits, and your plants will thrive.
Once
in a while, you will find pests such as aphids and white flies in
your garden.
Another
great idea is to use organic pest solutions for your balcony plants.
Research on them and try each one until you find one that works.
The
most crucial step to having a balcony garden is to start it.
Once you
do; take care of the plants by ensuring they get enough sun, water,
and fertilizer.
Give
the plants a lot of attention and do not be afraid to ask for advice
from other gardening enthusiasts, pest control experts and
organic farmers. After some trial and error, you will have the garden
of your dreams and be an expert gardener yourself. Go for it!
*************
Editor's Word: That was such an immensely useful guide from Eric!
Their
pest control products
are safe for the environment. Go check their services out.
*******
Infinite
Love,
Siri.
