Going potty on your balcony!

Work out which plants will survive and thrive

If you have a sunny aspect most things will do well. Even if you don’t there are shade loving plants although mostly you’ll have to opt for greenery rather than floral colour – hot colours generally need the heat of the sun. Don’t be afraid to mix flowers with herbs and vegetables. Herbs are tolerant of a broad range of conditions. Cherry tomatoes can add a fabulous ping of colour and these days come in a range of shades from yellow through red and orange to black. They can also add height and they taste wonderful. Or if you have less space choose the tumbling bush variety.

Other veg that add height and colour are runner beans and also have great flowers and you could always plant them up with sweet peas in the same pot for more colour and a wonderful fragrance. Geraniums are excellent for adding vibrant colour and stature and can be taken indoors and overwintered. Lavender is both beautiful and fragrant if you have a sunny aspect – good for pollinators too. Rosemary is a year-round plant with wonderful blue flowers and great for culinary uses.

Choose your pots or raised beds

There are some wonderful pots to choose from these days in many colours and glazes. Even if you don’t have that much space in terms of square metres you can still get creative with the height. Perhaps start with a raised bed. If you want to double-down on flowers and veg that would be perfect for salad stuff – choose cut-and-come-again lettuce for longevity and the new style mini-cucumbers are easy to grow. Add in a few chilli peppers for both colour and to pep up your cooking. Then add pots in front with the bedding plants. Petunias, Snapdragons, Michaelmas daisies – mix and match for a long lasting floribundance of colour.  

Most garden centres have a wide range of pots. If you want raised beds my advice would be to search online – Temu has a surprisingly wide selection of garden ‘paraphenalia’.

Compost

The only pain about balcony gardening is getting the compost upstairs. The choice of compost can be quite bewildering. But, unless you’re passionate about planting that requires very specific soils, it’s as easy to stick with whatever is nearest and cheapest. Lidl and most other supermarkets do perfectly good growbags at a reasonable price and the soil is fine for pots.  

Don’t forget to get fruity!

There’s nothing like wandering out onto the balcony to pick a strawberry to plop into your glass of Friday fizz. Strawberries are dead easy to grow and have pretty flowers as well. If you want to be more ambitious then think about a ballerina fruit tree or two. These grow really well in pots and because they fruit close to the stem take up little space. Alternatively think about a dwarf citrus tree – perfect for a slice of lemon with your G&T.

Shady thoughts

If you’re not so sun-blessed then ferns work well. Many roses don’t need too much sun to bloom – your best bet if you live life in the shade, is simply to Google shade tolerant plants, or go to a good garden centre which should have a section on them.

Plants versus seeds

The garden centres are now full of plants for both flowers and veg and it’s a great quick fix. But there is still plenty of time to plant seeds, which always works out cheaper. This has been a slow year, but nature usually catches up with things and if you’re thinking about salad stuff you can ensure a supply of leaves by buying plants now and also sowing lettuce, Pak Choi and other eastern leaves to plant out in succession. It’s also a good time to plant things like sunflowers – they’re wonderful things to have on display and these days come in a wide range of heights and colours.

Maintain regular care

Like any garden, a balcony garden requires regular maintenance to keep it looking its best. Be sure to water your plants regularly, especially during hot summer months, and monitor them for signs of pests or disease. Prune and deadhead your plants as needed to promote healthy growth and prevent overcrowding. And don't forget to fertilize your plants periodically to replenish nutrients in the soil and encourage robust growth.