Not everyone has a large vegetable garden or has the time to cultivate one. Instead, a small balcony is also ideal for planting tomatoes, cucumbers, lettuce, herbs, kohlrabi or French beans.

Vegetables also taste good from the balcony

The right containers for the pot garden

When shopping, choose the best possible quality planters, preferably made of clay or terracotta. But buckets and troughs made of natural stone, concrete, metal, wood, wicker, fiberglass or (recycled) plastic are also very suitable, provided they are not thin, cheap goods. The size of the containers depends on the local conditions, the planned planting and your personal taste.

High-quality tubs with water drainage make maintenance easier

Planters should always have a water outlet. Constructions with water accumulation and overflow are also offered in specialist shops, especially for larger buckets. These can significantly reduce the frequency of regular watering. Fully automatic watering systems for potted plants not only ensure the water supply during the holiday weeks.

The right place for vegetables and herbs on the balcony

If the fall protection of the balcony is permeable to light and air (e.g. with perforated metal or plastic railings), the planters can stand on the ground. In the case of solid parapets made of masonry, metal or plastic, the vessels should be arranged at the top edge at least on the south side. Adequate exposure can only be ensured there. If there is a roof overhang, the containers with the tomatoes can stand underneath.

Fill and plant containers

In our latitudes, the balcony box season begins around mid-April, although vegetables that are particularly sensitive to cold, such as tomatoes, should only be placed outside after the ice saints. Before you start potting, you should first clean the vessels thoroughly. Then it continues as follows:

  • A drainage layer is filled in as the bottom layer.
  • Chippings (€46.95) or expanded clay are particularly suitable for this. (€19.73)
  • For pots with water storage, the overflow must still be in the drainage layer.
  • If necessary, a filter made of fleece is placed on top.
  • Finally, the actual substrate follows.
  • High-quality potting soil is suitable for this.
  • In there you put the vegetables and herbs.
  • Don't forget to rinse thoroughly afterwards.

tips

When designing and planting balcony gardens, do not lose sight of the statics: self-supporting balconies are often only designed for a load of around 250 kilograms per square meter. For a 10 square meter balcony, this means that it can be loaded with a maximum total weight of 2.5 tons.

Category:

Vegetable garden