If your apartment has a balcony, you can easily make it look nice by decorating it with plants. If you have a little more room, your balcony can be the perfect area for a small container garden to flourish if you also want to grow some fruits, vegetables, and herbs. However, there are a few things you should know before adding plants to your balcony. For the best advice and tips on how to grow plants on your balcony, look below before you spruce things up.
Make sure your balcony is structurally safe
If you want to grow some beautiful plants on your balcony, it’s important to make sure that your balcony is structurally strong enough for your plants. First, it’s good to know what type of balcony you have so you know how much weight it can hold.
If you have a stacked or cantilever balcony, your balcony is most likely sturdy enough to have a few plants or a small container garden. Cantilever balconies are predesigned balconies built into homes. Stacked balconies are separate structures that are added to buildings with vertical posts or pillars. However, some people have mentioned that they feel movement when they step on cantilever balconies, which can be a deterrent if you want to add heavy plants to your balcony.
Choose the best plants
After you determine how many plants you can add to your apartment’s balcony, it’s time to choose the right plants. You can choose plants that are suitable for your balcony if you consider a few factors. After you’ve figured out how much sunlight radiates on your balcony, choose plants that thrive in direct sunlight. If your plant requires indirect sunlight, you can keep it in a shady part of your balcony, or perhaps it might be better as a houseplant.
Know what soil to get for your plants
You’ll probably need some extra potting soil or potting mix to keep your plants looking fresh and healthy. If you want to keep your potted plants lightweight, it’s a good idea to use potting mix instead of soil. Potting mix is made from natural substances that are almost weightless such as peat moss and pine. For small container gardens, potting soil is better to grow vegetables.
Water your plants according to their needs
Before getting plants for your balcony, you should know how much water your plants will need. If your plants require a lot of water, this requirement can bring some challenges. A big one in particular: If you have neighbors below you, your plants’ water might rain down on them.
Additionally, make sure you have easy access to water your plants by keeping a watering can nearby. One easy way to water your plants is by getting a self-watering planter.
Use fertilizer if needed
Some people don’t use fertilizer with their plants, but it’s always great to have some in stock if you have even a small garden going. If your potting soil isn’t high-quality, get some fertilizer to maintain the gorgeous plants soon to thrive on your balcony.
What plants do you want to grow on your apartment’s balcony? Share your thoughts in the comments!
