table of contents
- Know the distances in the flower box
- Number of flowers in the balcony box
- Distances according to type of flower
- frequently asked Questions
Flower boxes provide space for a lavishly blooming splendor of flowers on balconies. In order for them to grow healthily and bloom for a long time, it is important to know how many plants to put in a flower box.
In a nutshell
- each plant requires individual plant spacing
- the larger the box, the more plants can be stored in it
- too close a distance leads to impaired growth
- Number of flowers in flower boxes depends on the plant growth
- too many plants encourage fungal attack
Know the distances in the flower box
When the first balcony flowers are to move into the window boxes in spring, they are usually small specimens that want / have to grow strongly in the next few weeks. So that you can do this, you have to pay attention to the planting distance of each individual flower. This means that you should already know this when purchasing in order to know how many plants are per
Flower box are needed. In most cases, the plantings look very puny and "full of holes" at first. But that should be accepted, because if the minimum distances are not observed, there is a high risk of not enjoying the planting for a long time.
Usually irreparable damage occurs:
- Supply disruptions through to the death of the plants due to insufficient space for roots to spread
- No or limited root growth reduces plant growth
- Competition with neighboring plants results in an insufficient supply of nutrients, often reduced flower formation and rapid flower wilting
- higher water requirements and thus increased risk of dehydration
- Depending on the plant species, possible restrictions on the supply of light due to the formation of shadows
- Risk of fungus formation due to insufficient ventilation if the planting is too narrow
Number of flowers in the balcony box
The number of plants to be placed in a flower box depends primarily on the size of the box. The usual sizes are described below with information about the average number of plants:
| Length of the flower box | Number of flowers |
|---|---|
| 40 centimeters | 1 to 2 |
| 50 centimeters | 2 to 3 |
| 60 centimeters | 3 to 4 |
| 80 centimeters | 4 to 5 |
| 100 centimeters | 6 to 8 |
| 120 centimeters | 8 to 10 |
Note: The data are average values that can vary significantly depending on the type of plant. Basically, however, experience has shown that the maximum number of plants is a guideline value that should not be exceeded.
Distances according to type of flower
For example, a rib fern (Blechnum spicant) grows significantly with a maximum width of 15 centimeters "Space-saving" than the miniature 'Mandarin' (Rosa 'Mandarin'), which can spread up to 30 centimeters and would like to. Accordingly, more specimens of the narrower plant variety fit into a flower box than of the wider varieties. However, it is not only the growth width that plays a role here, but also the associated demands on the substrate. As a rule, larger balcony flowers remove more moisture and nutrients from it. For this reason alone, the minimum distance between the individual balcony flower varieties should always be observed.
Below are the ten most popular Flowers for window boxes including the recommended planting distances:
| plant | Distances between individual plants |
|---|---|
| Begonias (Begonia) | about 20 centimeters |
| Elven spur (Diascia) | 25 to 30 centimeters |
| Hard-working Lizzie (Impatiens walleriana) | 20 to 30 centimeters |
| Fuchsias (Fuchsia) | around 15 centimeters |
| Geraniums (pelargonium) | Distances between 20 and 30 centimeters three liters of soil per plant |
| Daisies (Leucanthemum) | between 30 to 40 centimeters needs a thick earth cover of about 15 centimeters, therefore only put in deep boxes |
| Petunias (petunia) | 20 to 25 centimeters |
| Marigold (marigold) | Small seedlings about 15 centimeters large varieties between 40 and 50 centimeters |
| Convertible rose (Lantana) | between 40 to 50 centimeters |
| Zinnia (Zinnia elegans) | about 30 centimeters |
Tip: In principle, you should not put balcony plants in flower boxes until mid-May after the ice saints, because until then frost is still possible, which in the worst case, especially young plants sensitive to frost, freeze to death leaves.
frequently asked Questions
Since you should keep a planting distance of between 20 and 30 centimeters with geraniums, a planting between three and five specimens is possible.
You can plant four fuchsias or set a mix of flowers, for example, fuchsia, petunia and hard-working lizards. Find out about the planting spacing of the balcony flowers that you would like to plant and then combine them so that they fit into the existing box size.
A minimum and a maximum distance are often given so that you can decide whether you want a dense or a loose growth pattern. With geraniums, for example, this means that you have to keep at least 20 centimeters to the neighboring plant and Another plant should be planted after 30 centimeters at the latest, so that there are no unsightly gaps in the flower box develop.
