In this guide we will clarify how to manage the planting of the balcony.
Check the load capacity
The first thought that should be put forward before planting is the statics of the balcony. In and of itself, it is important that small balconies in particular are not overburdened. Especially when a whole raised bed is planned, this is accompanied by a lot of soil and a correspondingly high weight. In this case, it is very important to take a close look to ensure that the statics are correct.
To a lesser extent, planting a balcony that can otherwise be safely accessed is usually not a problem. Ultimately, however, the space available also plays an important role. If the balcony is to be used as a completely normal outdoor area in the future, a corresponding 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 plants and seedlings are simply put into the ground. For this, an artificial condition must first be created on the balcony. Ever
Depending on whether the focus should be more on flowers or the cultivation of vegetables, different variants are conceivable. We want to take a closer look at the two most important types in the following.Matching planters
Planters usually give a single plant the opportunity to thrive on the balcony. Buyers have the advantage that there are many different versions available on the market. In this way, your own optical requirements can also be taken into account. In fact, a quick look on the Internet is enough to find out about 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 buckets of different sizes. Because ultimately it depends on the preferred plants which 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're talking about
a so-called raised table bed. This is a construction 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 stowing something under the raised bed. This fact 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 total weight. In this case, there is even no need for a floor mat.
At the same time, a raised bed can be constructed yourself with a little skill. There are numerous suitable building instructions on the Internet that can be put into practice with a little wood, for example. Of course, this approach has the advantage that the raised bed can be flexibly adapted to your own ideas.
The right layering is of enormous importance in every raised bed. The work is not done with just replenishing some earth. As experienced gardeners know, such a raised bed usually consists of five different layers, which are usually built up from bottom to top as follows:
- Pottery shards, pebbles and wood
- Earth
- Green cuttings or leaves
- Manure or compost
- sifted compost or potting soil
The lower layers are deliberately meant to rot over time. In this way, on the one hand, they produce some heat that the plants on the surface urgently need. On the other hand, they gradually release nutrients that can be tapped from the roots. Incidentally, there is the possibility of using such a raised bed for a few years. Only after it's about over
Has been in use for seven years, a change is necessary in order to provide fresh nutrients again.The correct planting
There are a few aspects that should be considered when choosing the right plants for the balcony. Traditionally, a balcony faces south or west. This can create enormous heat there, especially in the summer months. The focus should therefore be placed on those plants that are dependent on a lot of sun and that even intense heat cannot affect so quickly.
On the other hand, the nutrients in the raised bed pose a challenge when it comes to choosing the right plants. Especially in the first year there is still plenty of compost and soil to be found there. As a result, strongly consuming plants should be used at this time, which exactly need those nutrients in large quantities.
These include, for example
- broccoli
- cauliflower
- celery
- leek
Second year
From the second year onwards, the middle consumers are in demand, among which some very interesting plants can also be found.
These include, for example
- garlic
- Carrots
- radish
- fennel
- spinach
Third year
In the third year, the focus is instead on the weak eaters, who depend on fewer nutrients to thrive.
In that case, the choice is striking
- Lamb's lettuce
- radish
- arugula
A natural one vegetative variety comes about almost automatically in this way.
