A beautifully planted balcony is a lot of fun, especially in summer. Hardly anything is more relaxing than sitting down between all the wonderfully blooming and fragrant plants after work and enjoying a glass of wine.

The optimal location on the balcony

Blooming lavender is reminiscent of your last vacation and relaxes body and mind, and the intense scent keeps annoying insects away. Instead, the flowers, which contain a lot of nectar, offer plenty of food for bees and butterflies. In order for the lavender to feel comfortable on your balcony, it should have sun all day if possible - so a southern or southwestern orientation is desirable. It should also be as sheltered as possible to protect the plants from strong weather influences such as wind and precipitation.

Other suitable plants for a blooming balcony

Flowering perennials such as lavender have similar needs in terms of location as lavender

  • beard flowers
  • broom
  • Summer and autumn lilacs
  • Almond tree
  • ornamental apple and ornamental cherry
  • rosemary, sage and thyme
  • Johannis herbs
  • service pear
  • wild roses (e.g. shrub roses)

substrate and plant container

The roots of lavender require a lot of space, which is why the planter should be as wide and deep as possible. Low-growing lavender varieties can also be cultivated in a balcony box, although you should ensure that there is adequate water drainage. Balcony boxes (€109.00) dam up the water, which can quickly become a deadly trap for drought-loving plants such as lavender. As a result, a permeable, sandy substrate and drainage with expanded clay, (19.73€) pebbles or potsherds are essential. The substrate should also be as lean as possible. For this purpose, you can mix commercially available potting soil with plenty of sand (e.g. play sand, in a ratio of 1:1).

Grow lavender

Lavender can easily be propagated from cuttings. If you do not have the space to overwinter the perennial plant in a species-appropriate manner, simply take cuttings and overwinter them. This saves a lot of space and usually also works on the window sill in the unheated bedroom. To do this, cut off shoots that are about 10 to 15 centimeters long and still green and put them in suitable lavender soil. Keep the substrate slightly moist but not wet. The cuttings root after an average of four to six weeks. In addition, you can grow lavender plants yourself from commercially available seeds in spring instead of buying ready-made plants.

Overwintering lavender on the balcony?

Hardy lavender - which in principle only includes the many varieties of real lavender - can usually be overwintered on the balcony, provided that there is good protection, of course. Cover the substrate with brushwood and wrap the pot with protective mats (e.g. made of coconut) or fleece to protect the sensitive roots from frost. On the other hand, lavender that is not hardy - such as the French lavender, which is particularly popular as a pot plant - must not be left outside in winter, but should overwinter in cold indoor conditions. Temperatures between 10 and 12 °C are ideal.

tips and tricks

Whenever possible, plant your lavender in containers made from natural materials such as clay. Plastic containers store too much water and do not allow it to evaporate, so that an unfavorable climate for lavender can develop in them.

IJA

Category:

Herbs