We explain how to successfully plant the balcony in this guide.
Check the load capacity
The first thought that should come before planting is the statics of the balcony. In and of itself, it is important that small balconies in particular are not placed under excessive strain. Especially if an entire raised bed is planned, this involves a lot of soil and a correspondingly high weight. In this case, an inspecting look is very important to ensure the statics.
On a smaller scale, planting a balcony that is otherwise safe to walk on is usually not a problem. Ultimately, the available space also plays an important role. If the balcony is to continue to be used as a normal outdoor area in the future, an appropriate buffer must be planned. But even with little space there is the possibility of achieving wonderful results.
The right vessels
This is followed by a question that gardeners do not need to ask themselves in a classic garden bed. Because there all the plants and seedlings are simply placed in the ground. An artificial condition must first be created on the balcony. Depending on whether the focus should be on flowers or growing vegetables, different variants are conceivable. We would like to take a closer look at the two most important types below.
Matching plant pots
Plant pots usually offer a single plant the opportunity to thrive on the balcony. Buyers have the advantage that there are many different variants available on the market. In this way, your own optical requirements can also be taken into account. In fact, just a quick look on the Internet is enough to become aware of suitable options. Here on this page, for example, you can find suitable offers that can be considered.
If you want to start gardening, it is of course advisable to invest in pots of different sizes. Because ultimately it depends on the preferred plants what volume is necessary.
The raised bed
If you want to harvest some fresh vegetables on the balcony soon, the raised bed is usually the better choice. There is also a solution for this that is particularly suitable for the balcony at home. We are talking about a so-called raised table bed. This is a structure that stands on solid feet and does not reach all the way down to the ground. On the one hand, this creates the practical possibility of storing something under the raised bed. This can be an advantage, especially on a small balcony. On the other hand, this type of construction usually has a positive effect on the expected overall weight. In this case, you can even do without a floor fleece.
At the same time, with a little skill you can also construct a raised bed yourself. There are numerous suitable building instructions on the Internet that can be put into practice with a little wood, for example. This approach of course offers the advantage that the raised bed can be flexibly adapted to your own ideas.
The correct layering is extremely important in every raised bed. The work is not done by simply filling up some soil. As experienced gardeners know, such a raised bed usually consists of five different layers, which are usually constructed from bottom to top as follows:
- Pottery shards, pebbles and trees
- Earth
- Green waste or leaves
- Manure or compost
- sifted compost or potting soil
The lower layers are deliberately designed to rot over time. In this way, they produce some heat, which is urgently needed by the plants on the surface. On the other hand, they gradually release nutrients that can be accessed by the roots. It is also possible to use such a raised bed for several years. Only after it has been in use for about seven years is it necessary to change it to ensure fresh nutrients again.
The correct planting
There are a few aspects that should be taken into account when choosing the right plants for the balcony. Traditionally, a balcony is oriented towards the south or west. In this way, enormous heat can arise there, especially in the summer months. The focus should therefore be on those plants that rely on a lot of sun and that cannot be harmed by intense heat so quickly.
On the other hand, the nutrients in the raised bed pose a challenge when it comes to choosing plants. There is still plenty of compost and soil to be found there, especially in the first year. As a result, heavy-feeding plants that need exactly those nutrients in large quantities should be used at this time.
These include, for example
- Broccoli
- Cauliflower
- Celery
- Leek
Second year
From the second year onwards, the medium feeders are in demand, among which there are also some very interesting plants.
These include, for example
- garlic
- Carrots
- Radish
- Fennel
- Spinach
Third Year
In the third year, the focus is instead on the weak eaters, who rely on fewer nutrients to thrive.
In this case the choice is obvious
- Lamb lettuce
- Radish
- Arugula
A natural vegetative change occurs almost automatically in this way.
