How to Start a Small Balcony Garden

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How to Start a Small Balcony Garden

Do you feel like you haven't used your balcony's full potential? So what if it's too small for entertaining purposes? Instead of filling it up with brooms and unused items – you can turn it into a luscious urban garden. And as a matter of fact, now is the perfect time to start a container garden. The weather is sunnier, the air fresher – you have all the necessary ingredients to start planting! And by the time summer comes around, you'll be treated to a harvest of aromatic herbs, and juicy, organic vegetables and fruit ready to be savoured. If you're ready to grow your own urban garden, here's how to do it.

Pick the Right Containers

When choosing balcony planter boxes for your garden, make sure to go for something that offers plenty of depth for promoting root growth. Unlike ornamental plants, vegetables and fruit need a lot of container space to grow properly. Usually, a planter that's 18-25cm deep is ideal for root development. If you are worried about forgetting to water your garden, or simply are too busy to do so regularly, going for self-watering balcony planter boxes can prove to be a great solution. These planters come with a water reservoir at the bottom which can provide the plants with weeks-worth of moisture and save you from worrying about watering them frequently.

Provide Great Soil

First of all, don't just use any soil you come across as it can come with weed seeds, insects, or fungal diseases. With that being said, it's best to purchase a potting mix with sterile soil from your local garden centre. Make sure it has a loose and light texture that offers good drainage. A combination of materials such as peat moss, vermiculite, fine bark pieces and some organic compost matter is the ideal mix for potted plants. You can additionally use liquid fertiliser from time to time to increase the number of nutrients in the soil.

Choose Container-friendly Plants

If you're striving for success, it's best to choose plants that are suitable for the conditions on your balcony and which thrive well in containers. If you have a really small amount of space, you obviously shouldn't consider growing pumpkins, zucchinis, or other large vegetables. When choosing your seeds, make sure to check the label that says how much space and sunlight that particular plant needs. Some veggies that thrive beautifully in a variety of conditions are green beans, spring onions, bell peppers, and cherry tomatoes.