Living in a high rise apartment will leave you with little or no outdoor space to grow a garden. However, that does not necessarily mean you need to give up your green thumb. There are plenty of ways you can grow a garden in your home in the only outdoor space you have, the balcony. So without further ado, here are some tips that can help you transform your balcony into a green oasis.
Check the space
Before starting to grow a garden in the balcony, you need to check the available space in the area. You can grow a garden even in a cramped space with effective planning. If there is little or no space, you can always opt for a space saving vertical garden. Take into account that you would need to have some space to move around in the balcony after placing all the plants as well. So plan the layout of your garden accordingly.
Check the weather conditions
Another important thing you need to check is the weather condition of the region you are living in. This will enable you to buy only those plants that would survive in the specific weather zone. Also ensure that you take into account the micro-climate of the balcony garden. Check how much light it receives per day, how sheltered it is from winds and other elements like rain and how much shade it receives in a day. This would help you choose the best plants for the conditions in your balcony.
Choose the plants wisely
Check with a local flower or plant shop to select the base types of plants for your balcony garden. Chances are these plants will remain in their containers for life. Hence, you would need to choose those plants that are adaptable to container life. This would prevent the need to move these plants from the container to an outdoor space after they outgrow the same.
Choose the right containers
It is always considered wise to not go by the looks alone but also the material when it comes to choosing containers for your balcony garden. Terra Cotta containers are better than plastic ones as they contain better drainage facilities than the latter. Ensure to choose containers that come with drainage holes at the bottom as well as saucers to collect the runoff after watering. Also make sure you buy frost proof containers if you would need to place the plants outside in the winter as well.
Choose the right kind of soil and compost
Different plants require different kinds of soil mixes. So choose a soil mix that suits the specific plant you are buying. You can also go for all-purpose mixes that work well for many plants. When it comes to compost, buy ones that are suited for containers. The compost used for containers would come with extra nutrients to boost growth, and hold water for longer periods.
Choose a watering can
Woman Watering Plant In Container On Rooftop Garden
Depending on how far the water faucet is located from the balcony garden, you may want to invest in a water can. If the faucet is far away, you can use a large sized watering can that would offer ample water to all the plants in the garden without forcing you to back and forth repeatedly for refills.
Choose extra feed for the plants
Remember that the plants in your balcony garden would be growing up inside containers. As such, they would use up all the nutrients in the soil pretty soon. You would need to give them some extra feed from time to time in order to boost their growth. Opt for a liquid feed which you can add to the soil once every fortnight or so for the same purpose, and watch your balcony garden thrive.
There are many ways you can make use of the balcony in your home to grow a garden. From choosing the right plants and containers to maintaining soil composition and watering right, these tips can help you raise the garden of your dreams in your balcony.
