The garden on the balcony is an increasingly popular trend in recent years. In fact, growing herbs and vegetables helps to live better, condensing the positive effects of gardening in a few pots. Beyond the benefits for physical and psychological health, however, the potted garden also has a decorative value. Plants add color and beautify the environment. The important thing is to choose the right ones and go beyond traditional pots.
In this article we will explain how to make a small vegetable garden on the balcony , beautiful as well as functional. With a little imagination, you can enjoy the fruits of your labor and leave guests speechless. Garden on the balcony, the kit!
To get started, you need a kit for. By browsing the internet and in specialized shops, you will find ready-to-use sets. Otherwise, you can assemble it yourself in just a few steps. Let’s see together what you need to get started.
- Expanded clay, to be placed at the base of the vases. It keeps the soil moist and avoids water stagnation. Use a sheet of non-woven fabric to keep it separate from the soil.
- Universal or specific soil for the plants of your choice.
- Organic fertilizer. If you have a very large terrace, you can even use a composter to make it at home.
- Pots of different shapes and sizes, depending on what you want to grow. Going on with the reading, you will find a paragraph dedicated only to the pots for the garden on the balcony .
- Seeds and seedlings, of course. Which, specifically,
we will see in the next paragraph. - Gardening gloves, to protect you from sharp twigs and thorns. In fact, remember that the soil can carry various diseases, especially if your urban garden is frequented by cats and birds.
- Scoop, to create holes in the ground in which to repot the seedlings.
- Hoe, to loosen the ground and aerate it.
- Rake, for tilling the soil and collecting the vegetables that grow underground.
- Mini watering can, to give water to even the smallest plants.
- Spray, to moisten the leaves when the dry season arrives.
Vegetable plants on the balcony
The plants of a vegetable garden must first of all be useful; otherwise, we might as well focus on the classic flowers. On the other hand, the potted vegetable garden that we offer you also has a strong decorative value. For this reason, you need plants that meet both requirements. In addition, they must also be easy to grow and robust , to thrive even in alternative design solutions.
Tomatoes, courgettes and aubergines are classic garden plants , but in this case avoid them. In fact, to grow luxuriantly, they need large pots that are not very suitable for a designer vegetable garden. If you have a large terrace, you can place them in a corner dedicated to slightly more traditional crops. Let’s see what thevegetable plants on the designer balcony.
- Mint , a great protagonist of Mediterranean cuisine and able to grow anywhere. As beautiful and fragrant as it is, mint is in fact a weed that needs very little care. Also ideal for the boldest balcony gardens .
- Wild strawberries , small and beautiful to look at. In spring they are dotted with white flowers, which in summer become tasty bright red pearls. Being wild plants, they grow relatively easily almost everywhere. Just make sure you have deep, dimly-lit pots that are watered consistently. Since the first phase of their growth is slow, you should avoid sowing and buy the seedlings directly.
- Basilico , a classic of the city garden . To thrive, it only needs sun and plenty of water.
- Chilli , which adds a touch of color to the whole. On the market you will find seeds and seedlings belonging to different varieties. One of the most beautiful is the Bolivian Rainbow chilli, whose fruits are purple when unripe and turn red as they mature.
What pots for the garden on the balcony
On the market there are pots for all types of plants, large and small. For a home garden , they must be at least 10 cm high and ensure good water drainage. In some of the cases we will see below, you can use traditional vases in combination with decorative vases. This way you avoid stagnation and get impactful results.
When it comes to balcony garden pots , terracotta is the best material . We are talking about a breathable and insulating material, as well as beautiful. Unfortunately it costs more than average and weighs a lot, so it lends itself little to crowded balconies. Alternatively, use geotextile fabric pots ; they are easy to wash and breathable and, in some cases, foldable.
Having made the necessary clarifications, how to make a small vegetable garden on the balcony in fact The vegetable garden in a chest of drawers
Let’s say you have an old chest of drawers that has not been used for years, beautiful but not in line with the design of the bedroom. If the drawers are sturdy enough, you can recycle it for your urban garden . Just open the drawers to different lengths and use them to house your plants. In this regard, you have two options.
- Use the drawers as supports for pots and saucers . The seedlings are in their fabric pots, light and flexible. If you want, you can move them elsewhere at any time.
- Turn the chest of drawers into a vertical garden . If the cabinet is very sturdy, line the inside walls with clear plastic and drill holes in the bottom of the drawers. Pour a layer of clay, covered with a sheet of non-woven fabric and the soil. At this point, pour the plants directly into the chest of drawers.
The vegetable garden with boots
You have found some old galoshes that you no longer use .
Turn them into cute vases, like they do in Copenhagen . If you don’t have colored rubber boots, take a tour of the flea markets: you will find many for a few euros.
To turn boots into pots for the balcony garden , follow these steps.
- Wash the galoshes thoroughly, both inside and out.
- Drill holes in the sole to allow for drainage.
- Fill the boots with clay and potting soil.
Galoshes are excellent pots for strawberries and other berries , which need moisture and a lot of space in depth. For sage and other plants that need fairly dry soil, this is best avoided. The vertical vegetable garden
If you have little space but don’t want to give up your garden on the balcony , get a fabric object holder to hang. They are sheets with many pockets on top of each other, which can be purchased for a few euros in home improvement stores. They are usually used to keep slippers at the entrance or soaps in the bathroom.
- Hang the glove box on a balcony wall with a metal rod. Choose a spot that is as light and undisturbed as possible .
- Mount a couple of sticks or a wooden grid behind the frame. This prevents it from sticking to the wall and leaves room for the water to drip.
- Fill the pockets with dirt, keeping an inch below the edge.
- Sow (or transplant) plants that need little space. Wild strawberries, mint and chives will do just fine.
These are just a few ideas for making a beautiful, comfortable and fragrant balcony garden . Let your imagination travel and bring a piece of countryside to your home!
