What plants can I grow on my balcony all year round?

With the onset of cold weather on the balconies it becomes boring and deserted. Summer plants have faded and only empty pots remind of greenery. But this is not a reason to abandon the balcony until spring, you can equip a winter garden and admire its beauty in the harsh cold weather.It is hardly possible to equip a winter garden on an open balcony if it is located in a cold climatic zone. The maximum that can be done is to decorate it with fir compositions. But on closed, glazed loggias there are much more opportunities. Snow does not cover them. Temperature can fluctuate. If the thermometer drops to minus 10 ° behind the glass, it will be positive on the balcony. When it is severe frost outside up to 25 - 30 °, the temperature on the insulated balcony will be up to minus 5 °. There are plant species that do well in this temperature regime.

Winter plants for the balcony

Winter plants for the balcony should be selected depending on your location, climatic conditions and conditions of detention.

Citrus fruits can winter at a temperature of + 7 °.
Cacti are very adaptable plants. They can tolerate not only drought, but most species do well at a temperature of +5, and some of them are not even afraid of frost.
Plants such as laurel, pelargonium (geranium), fuchsia, hydrangea, chrysanthemums, boxwood are adapted for temperatures of + 5-6 °.
Camellias can become a decoration of the balcony in winter, they tolerate temperatures up to minus 5 °. The ideal conditions for her are a balcony, where the temperature is from 0 to 15 °.
Conifers araucaria, thuja, cypress, cryptomeria. The temperature of the content for them in winter is + 6-10 °.

Each flower or shrub requires individual conditions, so we will consider how to care for the most popular frost-hardy winter plants.

Heather and Erica

Heather is a low, unpretentious shrub that does not wither when cold weather sets in, and in frost it simply freezes, but does not change its decorative appearance. Common heather (Caluna vulgaris) and Erica (Erica carnea) are suitable for balconies. You can buy the plant in garden stores or in the market. From August to November, the heather is strewn with flowers, small flowers resemble bells, and on the branches-inflorescences there are double flowers, similar to roses.

Shrubs are usually planted in pots, heather loves acidic soil, you can add peat to the soil or buy a ready-made potting mix. With the onset of frost, the shrub actually dies, but does not lose its magnificent appearance. Therefore, watering is carried out before the onset of severe cold weather.

Erica and Heather are very similar at first glance. Erica is also a frost-hardy shrub, but blooms from January to April. For autumn bloom, from September to November, it is recommended to plant the species Erika gracilis. The optimum temperature of the content is from 7 to 15 °. During flowering + 8 °. Water Erica 2 times a week.The plant needs good lighting.

Related article: How to grow a hellebore on the balcony

Juniper

Junipers, one of the few coniferous plants, perfectly tolerate wintering in containers - with complete freezing of the earthen coma. Juniper is not picky about the composition of the soil, but it is still better to add peat and sand.Very often a bonsai or bonsai tree is formed from the plant. To enhance the effect, they are sometimes planted on stones. The plant does not tolerate stagnant moisture, so intensive watering is not required. In the cold season, watering is rarely done.

Euonymus

The euonymus (Euonymus fortunei) can grow up to 60 cm and up to 2 meters near the wall. In winter, the leaves turn purple-red. After frost, the plant acquires its usual color. Preferred temperatures for euonymus in summer are + 18-20 °. In winter + 6 °. It can tolerate lower temperatures, but for this it is necessary to strengthen the roots: put a wooden plank or polystyrene under the pot and wrap the pot with batting. In the summer, the plant is watered abundantly, and in the winter, it is significantly reduced. Euonymus is one of the most popular plants for winter gardening of the balcony.

Boxwood

Boxwood is an original green decor element. Without human intervention, the plant can reach impressive sizes, but skillful hands make bonsai out of it, create magnificent green sculptures. The plant can overwinter on the balcony, provided that the temperature does not drop below + 10 °.

Small conifers

Dwarf conifers are frequent guests on balconies. Having planted such plants as araucaria, cypress, yew, thuja, you can enjoy the healing tart smell without leaving the forest. Such plants calmly tolerate the temperature on the balcony up to minus five degrees. In autumn, it will not be difficult to buy these plants in pots or tubs. Dwarf plants grow very slowly, add one centimeter per year and do not like a haircut. Therefore, some winter plants for the balcony can be purchased in advance and kept all year round.

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All this can be grown on the balcony.

Greetings, my dear readers!

Crispy cucumbers, firm tomatoes, fragrant greens, sweet strawberries - doesn't it sound delicious and tempting? They can be grown at home all year round and there are ecologically clean, freshest and inexpensive gifts of nature. For this you just need a desire, a little time, patience, a little money and the necessary information.

If the first 4 conditions depend only on you, then I will try to help with the last one. Today I will talk about what you can grow on the balcony.

Reasons and conditions to do this

Self-cultivation in urban environments is now more popular in the world than ever. For example, vertical hydroponic gardens have become widespread. They take up very little area and give a good, environmentally friendly harvest.

However, in Western countries, when products are labeled "organic", "bio" or "eco", this means the following.

Products with this label are very expensive.

1. These fruits and vegetables were grown, harvested and processed according to strict environmental standards. That is, without the use of growth stimulants, synthetic fertilizers, pesticides and other "chemicals". They have been certified and are of guaranteed quality.
2. The price of such products is an order of magnitude higher than ordinary agricultural products.

Our niche of organic food has just begun to develop. The control and certification systems have not yet been formalized. And the price gap between “eco” products and conventional counterparts sometimes exceeds several hundred percent.

Therefore, for poor Russians, the best way out is to grow "clean" vegetables and fruits with their own hands. In a city apartment, the best place for this, of course, is the balcony.

The benefits of growing your own food

1. You can provide yourself and your household with environmentally friendly and fresh fruits, herbs and vegetables all year round.
2. These products are not cheap, especially during the winter. With balcony "beds" you do not have to spend money on them and depend on the seasonality of ripening.
3. Growing living plants is definitely a creative process. He will give you positive energy and emotions.
4. Inveterate gardeners in winter are often attacked by sadness. They mope on the ground and their landings. Growing vegetables and fruits on the balcony will be an excellent opportunity to extend the summer season.
5. Thanks to the home garden, you will acquire an interesting hobby, learn useful knowledge and skills in agricultural technology.
6. The pedagogical component is also important. Your children will see with their own eyes that food grows on the ground, and not on store shelves, already packed. They will understand that the gifts of nature are obtained by serious work.

What is needed for a home garden

Choose plant seeds carefully, give preference to varieties specifically designed for indoor use.

1. First, choose what to grow. If you are new to gardening, start with a small number of plants.
   In addition, pick up not capricious, unpretentious and quickly maturing crops. The first achievements will inspire you for large-scale and complex landings.

Take a closer look at the varieties of the selected plants. For a home garden / vegetable garden, choose early and early maturing varieties. It is desirable that they be specially bred for urban conditions and apartments. Based on your choice, and purchase seeds or seedlings.

2. Check out the Agrotechnical Requirements - for the success of your selected plant species.
3. Pick a location for your garden / vegetable garden. At home, these are usually indoor window sills or a loggia / balcony. The best option when they are located on the sunny side of the house. If this is not the case, you will have to use phyto-lamps for additional illumination.

It is better to grow vegetables on a wide windowsill.

If necessary, window sills can be made wider or racks can be placed for plants.

4. Choose a container for future pets. Having familiarized yourself with the technique of growing crops, you will understand what containers they need. Some of them need space, some feel good in cramped conditions.
   The container must be equipped with drainage holes. Expanded clay, gravel or brick chips should be poured onto the bottom of containers, pots, flowerpots, boxes, etc. The containers should be in trays, into which excess irrigation water will drain.
5. In addition, you will need top dressing, fertilizers and a bucket to settle the moisture.

About soil

In the photo - ready-made soil mixtures.

Prepare the soil for your garden. There are many indoor plant substrates. They use soil, compost, sod, peat, wood dust, etc.

You can prepare the soil yourself, but it is best to purchase it from the store. Such a mixture has a balanced composition, fertilizers have already been introduced into it, and pests and weeds have been destroyed.

When preparing the substrate yourself, remember that you can stop the penetration of harmful substances into food from air and water.

1. By introducing organic matter into the soil, you will limit the access to plants for cadmium, lead and mercury.
2. Fertilizers containing sulfur also reduce the mobility of mercury.
3. The liming of the substrate prevents the accumulation of harmful chemicals in the fruit. For this, you can also use an infusion of wood ash.

Fruits and berries

You can even grow bananas at home.

For fans of exoticism at home, expanse. Our amateur gardeners admit nothing is impossible and grow on their balconies:

• pineapples;
• lemons;
• tangerines;
• kiwi;
• dwarf apricot varieties;
• bananas;
• figs;
• dates;
• persimmon and other plants exotic for our climate.

If you are going to have such fruit trees and shrubs at home, remember that they can grow to a significant size.Then keeping them on the balcony / loggia will be problematic. Explore the possibility of growing dwarf varieties of such exotic.

Southern exotic

Stages of growing pineapple.

To grow pineapple in an apartment, be patient, and also:

1. Buy ripe fruit in the warm season of the year. His tail should not be damaged.
2. Cut off the tail with a knife (without pulp) and dry in the light for 3-4 days. You can eat the pineapple itself.
3. Sprout the tail in washed river sand or in a container of water.
4. After about 30 days, the roots will appear. Then transplant the sprout into a flowerpot, tub, or large pot of soil.
5. Remember that these fruits love warmth (desired temperature + 24-30º), light and regular spraying.
6. Pineapple will appear after about 2 years.

Planting strawberries and strawberries

White currant growing on the balcony.

It is really possible to grow berries in the apartment, these are:

• currant;
• raspberries;
• physalis;
• cowberry;
• blueberry;
• wild strawberry;
• garden strawberries, i.e. strawberries.
• nightshade;
• blueberry.

Everyone loves sweet and juicy strawberries and strawberries. They can be enjoyed from late spring to autumn. But first, choose and combine the varieties of these crops correctly. For growing on the balcony, the following are intended:

• "Garland";
• "Homemade delicacy";
• "Autumn fun", etc.

Strawberry seeds "Yellow miracle".

Before growing strawberries, keep in mind that they are traditionally a spring-summer crop. However, breeders have also bred such varieties for which the ripening time is completely different. So, for a vegetable garden in an apartment, I recommend that you choose ampelous remontant strawberries and strawberries. For example:

• "Yellow Miracle";
• Mount Everest;
• "Queen Elizabeth".
• "Victoria".

Such varieties do not bear fruit seasonally, but all year round and are not so demanding on light.

You can grow garden strawberries from seeds, but it is easier to purchase already grown seedlings. All this is sold in shops for gardeners and gardeners.

1. You can plant strawberries in any ready-made soil substrate.
2. Sow the seeds in small containers (for example, plastic cups or cut-necked one-liter eggplants). Water the plantings well and cover with plastic wrap.
3. The optimal temperature regime for the growth of strawberries is + 18-24 °.

Strawberries are best planted with seedlings.

4. When the sprouts hatch, remove the foil and set the cups in a well-lit place. When the seedlings grow 3-4 leaves, transplant them into "adult" (large) containers.
5. Please note that since there are no pollinating insects in the apartment, you will have to artificially fertilize the female strawberry color with a brush.
6. This berry is warm and light-loving. When the days are shorter than the nights, use artificial lighting.
7. Spray and water the plants as the soil dries.
8. Use mineral solutions with a high percentage of iron as top dressing. Do this every 10-14 days.
9. During the period of active growth, the berry grows with antennae. Tie them to supports.
10. You can harvest the first crop in 30-35 days.
11. After 90-120 days, the bushes will grow new sockets. Thus, you can expand your plantation 2-3 times.

Homemade vegetables and mycelium

Use only organic and mineral fertilizers for plants.

Before I talk about what you can grow on the balcony of vegetables in the summer, I will give you some tips.

1. Look for small-fruited, however, bountiful varieties and hybrids. In the cramped balcony, it is difficult for agricultural crops to "bear" voluminous fruits. Few of them will be tied, and they will ripen for a long time.
   Small fruits ripen gradually. You can pick the freshest vegetables for lunch and dinner every day.
2. Prevent the soil from drying out, even when growing potatoes. In this case, your pets may lose their color and ovaries.
3. Protect plantings from hot sunlight. Plant burns will reduce crop yields and spoil their appearance.
4. Do not get too carried away with fertilizers. Do not exceed the norms that are voiced by the instructions on the packaging of the formulations.In order not to burn the roots, initially water the plant with water and only then with a fertilizing solution.
5. Don't force the plants to fight with each other. By planting two sprouts in one container, or by reducing the gap between them on the "bed", you will not increase the yield. On the contrary, it is quite possible to lose it completely.

Carrots in the apartment

Carrots of the "Chantenay 2461" variety have a small root crop.

For growing in an apartment, choose undersized and small varieties of carrots that grow well in containers. For example:

• "Thumbelina";
• "Amsterdam" "
• "Chantenay 2461";
• "Sophie";
• Parmex;
• "Granddaughter".

Growing carrots in a pot.

You can plant carrots in pots, boxes, containers, or cut-necked plastic bottles. The soil must be drained:

1. Plant the seeds in the ground to a depth of about 5-7 cm.
2. When they are a few centimeters thick, thin them out. Leave only the strongest seedlings with a step of 2-3 cm between them.
3. Do not keep the "beds" in direct sunlight. The optimal temperature regime for carrots is + 15-25˚.
4. You should often drink it on the loggia / balcony. However, keep in mind that there should not be too much moisture, otherwise the fruits will rot.
5. Apply fertilizers with a low percentage of nitrogen to the soil every two weeks.
6. It will be useful for root crops to occasionally loosen the soil.
7. You can harvest the crop after about 70 days.

"Blue" and zucchini

Decorative eggplant varieties "Mantle".

It is best to grow decorative undersized varieties and hybrids of eggplants with a height of 50-55 cm and small fruits on windowsills and a balcony. By planting them, you will decorate your home and harvest an edible crop.

I can recommend the following varieties for you:

1. "Pot-Black", which has purple fruits weighing up to 80 g.
2. F-1 "Dandy" with oval reddish fruits.
3. "Pinstripe" with striped violet-white "berries" weighing up to 100 g.
4. F-1 "Ping-Pong", F-1 "Bambi" and "Easter Egg", which have egg-shaped white fruits.
5. "Emerald-Ail", which has greenish "berries" with stripes of a darker tone. Their average weight is 50 g.
6. "Chinese lantern" with fruits that are similar in shape and color to a very small pumpkin.
7. "Purple ball" with small purple fruits up to 5 cm in diameter.
8. "Mantle", these eggplants have oval lemon-colored berries with green stripes. As they mature, they turn red.

Zebra zucchini is perfect for a balcony.

As for zucchini (zucchini), early, early ripening and small varieties and hybrids should also be grown in balcony conditions. For example:

• "Tsukesha";
• "Aeronaut";
• "Zebra";
• "Anchor";
• "Belogor"
• "Video clip".

Such a squash is well adapted to low temperatures and drought. The agrotechnology for growing zucchini and eggplant at home is the same as in the open field:

1. For planting seeds, use pots with a diameter of at least 10 cm.For seedlings - containers, in which the sprouts should be placed in increments of 70 cm.
2. Artificial pollination is carried out by hand, transferring pollen from male stamens to female stigmas.
3. Optimal growing conditions: keep the temperature at + 14-15˚ at night, + 24-26˚ during the day. The best air humidity level for nightshade crops is 60-70%.

Sweet and bitter peppers

Paprika "Window miracle".

The following varieties of paprika are well suited for the balcony:

• "Martin";
• "Treasure Island";
• "Watercolor";
• "Dwarf";
• "Window miracle";
• "Sweet banana", etc.

You can add hydrogel to the ready-made soil substrate for pepper, enriched with trace elements, for better looseness.

Hot red peppers can also be grown on windowsills. To do this, prepare a warm and bright place, as well as seeds of varieties suitable for growing in an apartment. For example:

• Flint;
• "Carmen";
• "Ryabinushka";
• "Ogonyok";
• "Indian summer";
• "Bride", etc.

Do not plant paprika, zucchini and eggplant next to hot peppers. Otherwise, they will acquire a bitter taste.

You don't need a lot of space for hot peppers.

1. Plant the seeds in small containers (for example, disposable cups) and, covered with foil, put them in a warm and bright place. After 7-14 days (after the sprouts appear), pierce the plastic in several areas.
2. When the sprouts get stronger after a couple of weeks, transplant them into large containers (buckets, tubs, pots, flowerpots, etc.). Do this carefully to avoid damaging the root. Root the seedlings by ⅓, then give it warm (30 degrees) water.
3. Then water the paprika daily.
4. This agriculture loves light. Based on this, if there is a lack of natural light, supplement it with phyto-lamps of the white spectrum.
5. Protect the paprika from direct sunlight and drafts. The optimum temperature regime for the plant is + 25-27˚.
6. Feed the sprouts with nitrogenous fertilizers, but not potassium chloride or potassium salts (these will burn the pepper roots).
7. You can remove the first crop after 100-120 days. Pepper is a biennial. Thanks to this, you will enjoy the fruits of one planting for two seasons.

Tomatoes on the windowsill

For growing on the balcony, due to its modest dimensions, dwarf or undersized varieties of tomatoes are suitable. For example:

• Little Florida;
• "Dubok";
• Minibel;
• "Pearl";
• Florida Petite;
• "Angelica", etc.

Dwarf cherry tomatoes are best suited for balconies.

And, of course, the famous dwarf varietal type "Cherry" is perfect for the balcony. For example:

• varietal group "Cherry" with red, yellow, violet-brown and pink "berries";
• Bonsai;
• "Pygmy";
• "Businka", etc.

It is better to purchase a substrate for tomatoes ready-made. It is advisable to choose a container of a cylindrical shape, the roots will fill it better.

1. Sprout the seeds in small containers initially. Plant them 1.5-2 cm deep, cover with plastic wrap and place them on a warm windowsill.
2. When the seedlings have sprouted, transplant them into a large container.
3. It is highly desirable that the tomatoes receive uniform lighting. For this purpose, hang phyto-bulbs over them or regularly turn the container towards the windows. The optimum temperature for tomatoes is + 25˚.
4. Water them carefully, do not overmoisten the soil.
5. When the bushes grow up, occasionally loosen the soil and feed the plants with mineral fertilizers.
6. As needed, tie the trunks of adult tomatoes to wooden support rails.
7. You can harvest the crop after 3-3.5 months.

Apartment cucumbers

For home choose cucumbers of varietal type "Balcony".

In an apartment, it is best to grow self-pollinating varieties and hybrids of cucumbers. For example:

• "Turquoise";
• "Greenhouse Moscow";
• "Stresa";
• "Nezhensky";
• "Altai early";
• "Graceful", etc.

Breeders have also developed specialized counterparts for growing on a balcony / loggia. For example, the type type "Balcony" marked F-1:

• Rytov's Room;
• "Miracle at the Window";
• "Balcony Miracle";
• "Machaon";
• "City Cucumber";
• "Ant", etc.

The soil for cucumbers should be loose. Ideally, it should consist of equal parts of sod soil, peat, wood dust and manure compost. The soil should be filled with fertilizer. To do this, add a glass of wood ash, a teaspoon of urea and a tablespoon of nitrophosphate to a bucket (10 l) of soil.

If you don't want to mess around with preparing the soil, get a ready-made substrate.

1. Disinfect the seeds. To do this, immerse them in a potassium permanganate solution for 15 minutes. Next, rinse them in damp gauze and place them in plastic cups with soil. Place the container in a warm, bright place and cover with foil.
2. When the seedlings are old enough (3-6 true leaves), transplant them in large containers with a volume of at least 5 liters.
3. Water the plants daily with lukewarm water. Also spray the cucumber leaves with a spray bottle.
4. As a top dressing, you can use potassium nitrate, nitrate and nitrogen fertilizers
5. When the vines grow, arrange supports for them so that they can trail vertically.
6. The optimum temperature for this crop is + 24-26˚. You can harvest the crop after 35-40 days.

Mushroom forest on the balcony

Grain mycelium.

Usually, amateur mushroom pickers grow mushrooms, oyster mushrooms and champignons at home.

1. On the glassed-in balcony, knock down a cabinet with shelves, put boxes 20-25 cm high there. Equip the "incubator" with a ventilation pipe with a plug. Install an electric kettle with water at the bottom of the cabinet to heat the cabinet and regulate the air humidity.
2. Mix the mushroom substrate: 15 kg of manure compost, 8 kg of alabaster and 10 kg of straw. Fill the soil with fertilizers. For the indicated volume, 0.2 kg of superphosphate and 0.2 kg of urea will be needed:

• Stir the soil in warm water, this will initiate the fermentation of the substrate and raise its temperature to + 60-65˚. To preserve moisture, wrap the boxes with plastic wrap.
• Fermentation will take about 20 days. After that, you can sow mycelium into the soil.

Mushrooms love moisture and warmth.

3. You can buy mycelium (i.e. mycelium, seedlings) at the agro-shop. Please note that it can be grain or compost. For a balcony, mycelium in grains is better suited.

• Take a handful of mycelium and spread it evenly over the surface of the container with soil. Pour the same soil 5 cm thick on top. For 1 m² of soil, 350 g of seedlings will be needed.

4. When the mushrooms germinate, the humidity in the room should be 80-85%. The temperature should be + 23-27˚.
5. After 10 days, when the mycelium grows up, cover the surface of the containers with a special soil, about 4 cm thick. It should consist of 10 parts of peat and 1 part of chalk.
6. After another four days, reduce the temperature on the balcony to + 15-18˚.
7. Moisten the substrate regularly, but do not flood it with water.
8. The fruiting time for mushrooms is about 55 days. They can be harvested all year round.

Greens and herbs

Indoors, you can grow many different herbs and herbs: different types of salad (arugula, watercress, etc.), parsley, dill, various spices, green onions, etc. Spinach and sorrel also grow well on the balcony. These useful plants (real "storehouses" of vitamins) are early ripening and extremely easy to grow.

Aromatic basil

Basil on the window.

The following varieties of basil are suitable for growing in a room:

• "Citric";
• "Marquis";
• "Baku", etc.

This fragrant seasoning is unpretentious and feels great on the windowsill at a temperature of + 22-24˚. It is planted in a container with a volume of at least 1.5 liters.

1. First of all, water the soil with mineral fertilizer twice with an interval of 5 days.
2. Next, plant the seeds to a depth of about 1.5 cm.
3. Water the basil every two days until sprouts appear. Then do this daily in the morning.
4. When cultivating herbs on your balcony, remember that they love sunlight. Based on this, increase the insolation of the sprouts up to 14-16 hours a day using phyto-lamps.
5. Loosen the soil every 14 days to saturate it with oxygen.
6. The crop can be harvested after 45-50 days.

Green garlic

Arrows of sprouting garlic are a great seasoning.

Green arrows of garlic, as well as cilantro, are used to prepare salads, sauces and marinades, added to soups and main courses. Only winter varieties of garlic are suitable for their germination, for example, "Yubileiny", "Kharkovsky", etc.

1. Any soil is suitable for such greenery.
2. Take out the cloves of winter garlic, preferably with a sprout that has hatched. Plant them 2 cm deep and 2 cm apart.
3. Then pour over the garlic.
4. Place the container with the landing on the most lighted windowsill in the apartment. The room temperature should be + 18-24˚.
5. Water the sprouts as the soil dries and feed them with nitrogenous fertilizers.
6. You can harvest the crop after 2-3 weeks.

Tea mint

1. Mint has branched roots. Because of this, it must be planted in a wide and deep container.
2. Use a peat substrate, and any plant varieties.
3. Mint can be planted with cuttings or seeds. In the second method, plant the seeds in the substrate at a depth of about 0.5 cm, water and cover with foil.
4. Moisten the soil daily until shoots appear in 12-14 days. When they are strong, plant them.
5. In the summer season, protect the mint from direct sunlight and keep at a temperature of + 20-25˚. In winter, arrange additional lighting. Feed the plant periodically with organic fertilizers.
6. You can pick the crop after two months.

About flowers

There are many types of flowers that can be grown on the south balcony.

A huge number of types of flowers can be planted on the balcony. Their specific choice depends on the location of the room.

If the balcony faces the south side of the house, drought-resistant flowers should be planted there, which can tolerate the direct rays of the sun well. The best options are:

• calendula;
• pelargonium (geranium);
• purslane;
• petunia;
• aster;
• canna;
• morning glory;
• all types of cacti;
• phlox;
• kobei;
• godetia;
• zinnia;
• dahlia;
• gatsaniya;
• succulents;
• calibrachoa, etc.

In the west and east, the sun appears in the second and first half of the day. Such insolation is optimal for most indoor flowers. The exception is the most ferocious sun lovers - cacti, for example. What flowers are suitable here:

• morning glory;
• petunia;
• dolichos;
• sweet pea;
• daisies;
• verbena;
• marigold;
• nasturtium;
• viola;
• peonies,
• lobelia;
• levkoy;
• matthiola two-horned;
• asters;
• dahlias, etc.

Shade-tolerant flowers on the north balcony.

The northern balconies are shaded, which makes planting the most difficult. The flowers planted there from the seeds are unnecessarily stretched out, bloom weakly or completely "forget" about it. Based on this, shade-tolerant pets must be selected for the northern balcony. I recommend that you choose:

• tuberous or ever-flowering begonia;
• lipstick (mimulus);
• fuchsia;
• torrential;
• viola;
• balsam;
• nasturtium;
• cyclomene;
• mignonette;
• ivy.

Conclusion

This is not all that can be planted on the balcony. However, you cannot list everything within the framework of one article.

The video in this article will continue to inform you on the topic. Feel free to ask your questions in the comments.

Hereby I say goodbye, and success in your endeavors!

September 26, 2016

If you want to express gratitude, add clarification or objection, ask the author something - add a comment or say thank you!

With all the variety that is presented in the vegetable departments of supermarkets, more and more people are thinking about the environmental friendliness of such a choice. And the prices are not always encouraging - just a few sprigs of mint or rosemary can cost more than 100 rubles.

Your own self-grown vegetables, fruits, berries and herbs are much tastier and safer, because you know exactly how they are grown and are sure that they do not contain unnecessary chemicals and pesticides.

But, of course, not everyone has summer cottages, and, as a rule, a city dweller does not have enough time and energy to grow a vegetable garden.

An alternative to the dacha can be a small vegetable garden on the balcony or windowsill. Of course, you won't have to wait for a huge harvest from such a small area, and you won't have to make supplies for the winter from it, but in the season it is quite possible to please yourself and your loved ones with fresh and healthy products right from the garden.

What can be grown in the garden on the balcony?

Basically, almost everything. Most crops have varieties suitable for home cultivation. When choosing, you need to pay attention to 2 points - self-pollination and size. If you have a closed balcony or a very high floor, the chances of bees flying by is not very high. Therefore, you either have to do it yourself, transferring pollen from one flower to another with a brush, or choose self-pollinated varieties. As for the size, it all depends on the capacity of the windowsill or balcony - you can choose dwarf varieties, for example, cherry tomatoes instead of ordinary, medium-sized types of cucumbers.

First, think about which side you plan to build a garden on. Lettuce, rhubarb, garlic, and even mushrooms will grow well on the shady side of the house.On the sunny side, heat-loving crops will ripen perfectly - eggplants, peppers, strawberries.

Care and watering guidelines are usually printed on the seed package, so you don't need any gardening experience to get started.

Herbs and herbs

It is very convenient to plant herbs and herbs on the balcony. They tend to grow very quickly and you will harvest several crops in one season. It is very convenient to have greens on hand at all times and add them as needed when cooking. You can plant dill, parsley, basil, onions, garlic, rosemary, mint, thyme, etc. The seed packs are very cheap and are sold in any garden supply store.

Vegetable crops

Cucumbers, tomatoes, eggplants, peppers ripen very well on glazed balconies. As a rule, better than outdoors in the middle lane. If you choose the right variety for your balcony, you can get a relatively large harvest. For example, tomatoes of the "balcony miracle" variety. Bushes grow only about 30 cm high, but from one bush you can collect up to 45 miniature tomatoes.

To grow cucumbers on the balcony, you will need taut ropes or sticks, since the plant's whips need to cling to something. But if you have a trellis, it can turn into a green hedge for the summer.

Radishes, carrots and beets grow well. They do not take up much space, which is important when space is limited.

Berries

You can grow strawberries and strawberries on the balcony. Hybrids of garden and forest berries are best suited. Low bushes, giving a bountiful harvest. And if you plant several varieties at once - early ripening, mid-ripening and late-ripening, then their berries will be on your table all summer.

Growing edible plants at home can be a good alternative to houseplants. Or at least a nice touch. Almost as much trouble, but what a result! In addition, some of them, such as green onions, can be sprouted at home all year round. And some, like mint or rosemary, are not only healthy, but also fragrant.

Among other things, growing food on your own is an interesting activity for young gardeners. At least, I remember myself, and how with great enthusiasm in the 1st grade I sprouted onions at home for school lessons around the world.

Gone are the days when a balcony or loggia was used as a storage place for unnecessary things. This part of the apartment, directly connected with the premises and the external environment, can be turned into a cozy corner for a pleasant stay, decorated with bright greenery, beautiful flowers and spectacular flowerpots.

There are many options for placing plants on a glazed loggia and ideas for decorating an open balcony. If you follow the advice of experts and basic rules for caring for plants, you can do everything yourself and at no extra cost.

Work planning and preparation of the necessary materials

In order to independently create a greenhouse and even a winter garden on a balcony or loggia, it is not necessary to rebuild the existing area and study balcony floriculture. It is only necessary to clear the space of all unnecessary and correctly plan the zones that will be decorated and landscaped. In addition, it is important to decide in what style the decoration will be, which plants are available, and which ones need to be purchased.

Not the least role is played by flowerpots, boxes, stands and holders for flowers. Plants on the balcony can be grown not only in the warm season, but also in winter. Special frost-resistant plants for the balcony: camellia, azalea, cyclamen, juniper, thuja, frost-resistant roses will remind of summer even on cold winter days.

Flowers on the balcony photo

The development of modern technologies allows you to experiment without risk, carrying out landscaping of the balcony.Before starting work, experts advise taking a photo of the room inside and outside. This helps to appreciate the space and even design the decoration of the balcony with flowers using computer programs.

Tips for landscaping a balcony or loggia

A balcony is a room with a limited usable area, but even its small space can be profitably used with the right choice of materials. Here you should not use plants in boxes of different shapes and sizes. It is wiser to install indoor or outdoor shelves on which flowers in pots or small planters are displayed. Plants need to be selected according to the complement principle: their shades and structure should not conflict with each other - all aesthetics are lost.

Flowers on the balcony in boxes

A great option for a small balcony is the vertical gardening method. A variety of design solutions allows you to create blooming balconies that will delight the owners all year round. You can use ampelous plants for the balcony, ivy or pots with vines. For this purpose, petunias or ampelous geraniums are suitable.

If you install special supports or decorative lattices, you can start climbing plants along them, which will twine around the twigs and create a green fence or flower screen. Annuals will cope with this task: kobei, curly nasturtiums.

Flower screen from balcony lattice

Landscaping of balconies and loggias is a similar process that has its own nuances. The useful area on the loggia is much larger, which allows you to embody more interesting ideas. To decorate the space, you can use containers in harmony with each other, which are easy to rearrange. This allows you to change the panorama of the view, create shaded areas or wind protection.

Flower box for balcony

It is important to remember that not all indoor plants can be used to decorate a balcony or loggia. The greenhouse on the balcony is a suitable place only for unpretentious plants. These can be: fuchsia, pelargonium, aloe, violets, lilies, balsams, etc.

Selection of plants according to the location of the balcony:

• If the balcony is glazed and located on the east or west side, most indoor plants can be used for decoration, which tolerate habitat changes and minor temperature changes well.
• The north side is not suitable for sun-loving plants. Cacti or succulents are usually grown on the south-facing balcony, but it is still recommended to create an artificial shade.

Flowers on the loggia photo

Conditions for creating a winter garden on a balcony or loggia

On the balcony, you can not only plant and grow certain types of plants, but also create a real winter garden. True, in this case, there are much more requirements for the premises:

1. The area needs to be heated. This can be water heating around the perimeter of the walls or electric underfloor heating;
2. Lighting: it is recommended to use fluorescent lamps that provide luminous flux with minimal heat generation. Conventional incandescent lamps cannot provide an optimal spectral composition and often lead to burns for sensitive plants:
3. Ventilation will prevent condensation from forming. This can be achieved with a vents and vents system or a modern split system.

Winter garden on the loggia photo

Among the plants used are:

• tropical: orchids, begonias, palms;
• subtropical: myrtle, laurel, lavender, lemons, rosemary;
• desert plants: cacti, aloe, agave.

Representatives of each group have specific requirements for conditions and care, so it is rather difficult to combine them. They grow and develop in different ways. Some need frequent transplants, others rare. Large plants can create shade for small ones. All this must be taken into account before starting work on landscaping the premises.