The easy-care flowers for balconies and terraces are not only suitable for inexperienced hobby gardeners - people who have little time to look after their flowers in the balcony box for professional reasons also love them. There is simply nothing more beautiful than sitting on the balcony in summer and being surrounded by beautiful flowers.
Which are easy-care balcony plants?
Flowers can grow on every balcony. There are flower boxes for this that can be attached to the railing or hanging from it using various fastening options. You can also plant flowers in pots and other containers, hang them on the wall or hang them freely from the balcony ceiling above. So there is enough space, which plants are easy to care for? However, it is important to ensure that the flowers are also suitable for sunny or semi-shady locations. Plus, you don't have to wait until summer, you can welcome spring with colorful plants. Most of the time it is the flowers that are not so common, are not so sensitive and don't mind a forgotten portion of water. The classic easy-care balcony plants include:
- Geraniums
- Petunias
- Tagetes
- Incense
- Fuchsias
- Lavender
- Pansies
If you want to be comfortable, plant your balcony boxes so that they have something blooming all season long. This can be done, for example, with flower bulbs for tulips, crocuses, snowdrops, etc. However, pay attention to how tall the individual plants grow and when they bloom. Since these bulbs are in the lower layer of potting soil, you can easily plant primroses, pansies or busy lizards on them, as these are also the flowers that sprout in early spring to summer. You can either replace them with some of the plants mentioned above or completely replant the box or pot.
Popular plants for pots and containers
Just as plants are selected for the flower boxes, they can also be planted in pots and tubs. Pots are also placed on terraces, where of course there is usually a lot more space available. Popular plants for the pot are:
- Citrus plants
- Palm tree species
- Olive tree
- Oleander
- lantana
When selecting plants for the pot, care should be taken to ensure that they are perennial and do not grow too large. They need to be moved to winter quarters, which can often lead to space problems. The same requirements when it comes to potting soil and fertilizer also apply to potted plants.
Planting flower boxes and pots
Suitable planters are available in all types of gardening stores. Not only the different sizes, but also the different materials ensure that everyone can find their favorite box. You can hang the flower boxes on the outside of the railing, you can hang them on the inside (takes up space) or mount them on top of the railing. There are suitable brackets for everything. Alternatively, there are also individual pots in special designs that are placed on top of the railing. No matter what you choose, this is how to plant a flower box correctly:
- First spread a layer of expanded clay on the bottom of the box.
- If possible, place a layer of fleece for flowers on top.
- Then add a layer of good potting soil on top.
- Place the plants inside without a pot if desired.
- Fill all around with potting soil.
- Don't flush with the top edge, but leave a finger's width of space.
So when watering the plants, the water cannot run over the edge and drip down. When buying flower boxes, you should also pay attention to good and stable quality. A filled flower box can be quite heavy and should therefore not be made of thin plastic. In addition, the soil dries out very quickly when it is hot.
Care and fertilizer
Good potting soil has a portion of fertilizer added to it, so that you don't need to fertilize the freshly planted flowers immediately. However, depending on how profusely the plants bloom, they may need additional fertilizer after just two weeks. It is also important that the flowers in the pot and box are supplied with sufficient water. The warmer the temperatures and the higher the balcony or the more exposed to sunlight it is, the more water the flowers in the box need.
Tip:
Place small water-filled bottles upside down between the flowers - this is an emergency water ration for hot days.
The soil should not dry out completely; if the potting soil is bone dry, it will then only absorb water very poorly. Often the necessary water does not reach the roots or runs past the inner walls of the flower box and out again at the bottom of the drainage holes. It is better to give water in small portions than to let it dry out. But wet potting soil is also not good for the plants. It promotes root rot and is a good foundation for moisture-loving pests. Most of the time, however, the plants rot from below.
More examples of easy-care balcony plants
Anyone who has a garden or a balcony asks themselves every year anew which flowers should decorate the outdoor area this year. The selection is varied and so the decision is usually not that easy. However, if you are looking for balcony plants and potted plants that are as easy to care for as possible, you can at least narrow down your selection a little.
- Pelargonium, which has a wide range of uses, has been one of the most popular balcony plants for many years. It is considered one of the easiest balcony plants to care for, because regardless of whether it is in a sunny or shady location - the pelargonium grows and thrives. Even if it gets very dry, this plant doesn't hold it against its owner. So if you have little time or simply don't care about caring for flowers but don't want to miss out on their splendid colors, pelargonium is the best choice.
- In addition, the noble pelargonium is also perfect because it not only has very large flowers that are visible from afar, but also a bright range of colors from white to blood red to squeaky pink. Although noble pelargoniums are not considered to be quite as robust and resistant plants, they do not require a lot of work.
- If the balcony is in the shade, the Busy Lieschen is ideal. New varieties bring warm pink tones and become a highlight in the flower box.
While the flowers mentioned are more likely to be placed in hanging baskets or in flower boxes on the balcony parapet, there are also many plants that, as potted plants, transform the balcony into a summer dream:
- Palm trees are always particularly popular because they are the epitome of Mediterranean flair. But bamboo is also always popular or even small fruit trees whose fruits can even be harvested.
- The orange or cherry tree in miniature brings freshness to the balcony and also to the plate.
- If you would like to enjoy fresh herbs in salad dressing, you can create a real herb garden in a flower pot on the balcony that is delicious, fresh and easy to care for at the same time.
