Got a balcony but no yard? Turn it into a garden area you will love to visit and relax. Here are some steps get you started.
- Plan ahead. Before you start buying plants, sit in your space and think about what you want to achieve. Balconies are generally small spaces, so you’ll want to maximize your space for adequate dining, lounging, and gardening. Be mindful of your access to water, and other considerations that affect the space like wind, heat, cold, sun and shade. You don’t want wind blowing your planters over or plants that need shade to get scorched by the sun.
- Create a watering strategy. Depending on how many plants you have in your balcony garden, you might get away with a watering can. But consider purchasing a hose that can easily attach to your kitchen sink. It will make watering easier if you have lots of plants.
- Use vertical space. Using vertical space is a great way to maximize your balcony. Think of storage solutions like shelves, ladders or baker’s racks that can hold numerous potted plants. Browse online and you’ll see hacks to make a vertical garden against a wall with old wood pallets, single pieces of trellis from the hardware store, gutters, and even old clothes dressers (drawers filled with soil and plants).
- Hang your plants. Hanging plants from the balcony ceiling is a beautiful way to add more dimension and maximize space. Just make sure you have them anchored correctly and keep them out of the way of areas you sit or eat so water doesn’t drain in the wrong place.
- Use railings. You can clip pots to the railing or even let climbing plants attach to the railing as they grow.
- Containers on the ground. Layer your containers in varying sized pots of different heights and dimensions. Mix in stools, pedestals or proper plant stands to vary the height.
- Don’t forget the outdoor string lights. Every balcony needs a little twinkle!
