Balcony Gardening: How to Grow Up and On in Small Spaces

If you’re living in an apartment with little-to-no outdoor space, or if you simply don’t have the time to maintain a garden, balcony gardening is for you! Balcony gardening is possible for all and any small and tight spaces. You can use railings, trellis, walls, tiers and shelves to grow up.

Sunny, Shady or Windy Balconies

If you have a sunny balcony, you’re in luck! There are many Sun-loving plants that will thrive in this environment. Some great plants for sunny balconies include herbs such as basil, rosemary and thyme; vegetables such as tomatoes, peppers and eggplants; flowers such as petunias, marigolds and cosmos; and miniature fruit trees such as lemon, lime and peach. Be sure to place your plants in direct sunlight for at least six hours a day to ensure that they will thrive.

However, if your balcony isn’t sunny but is a shady balcony, don’t worry! You can still garden by choosing plants that like shade. Some great plants for shady balconies include hostas, ferns, impatiens, coleus and begonias. Be sure to place your plants in an area that receives indirect sunlight for at least four hours a day.

If your balcony is more of a windy environment, you’ll need to choose plants that can withstand high winds. Some great plants for windy balconies include lavender, rosemary, sedum and yarrow. Be sure to place your plants in an area that is protected from the wind, to do this you could create a windbreak by using bamboo.

Edible Balcony Gardens & Patio Orchards

If you’re looking for a more ‘edible’ balcony garden, why not try growing some vegetables? You can grow a variety of vegetables in containers, including tomatoes, peppers, lettuce and herbs.

Patio Orchards are ideal for larger balconies if you wanted to create an edible garden space, not only will these produce fruit such as conference pears, morello cherries, peach, lemons or opal plums but will also produce blossom in the spring . This is the perfect way to add some colour to your balcony.

Don’t be afraid to experiment when growing your balcony garden, try to use different textures and colours when selecting your plants.

Tools to Use

If you want to utilise your outdoor space in your home but can’t due to renting reasons then there are many options on how you can still make that space your own. If you love climbers such as clematis or jasminoides but aren’t planning to stay long term, you can grow these climbers up trellises or obelisks to make them easily movable.

When growing climbers such as clematis or tomatoes why not try using a plant halo? Plant halos are the perfect pot to provide support for both bamboo sticks and the plant itself, making them ideal for climbers.

If you have an empty wall or unused shelf, you can also use this to your advantage by growing climbers or hanging plants. This is a great way to add some extra greenery to your balcony and make use of unused space. If you want to utilise your whole space without leaving a mark, use removable adhesive hooks or screws that won’t leave damage.