Plants and greens have had a fanbase for centuries and centuries, but they have grown more popular among the Millennials and Gen Zs due to the “aesthetic” Pinterest pictures they see every day. Ask anybody, and their Instagram algorithm will have brought them a fine portrait of architecture that includes a greenhouse, a green corner, plant walls or balcony gardens.
Balcony gardening is perhaps the idea that works best with people who have limited space in their homes. It comes to the rescue when you might be lacking in yard space or live in a small apartment.
This begs the question, “How to make a small garden in balcony?”
Any inspiration you find can be of help. You can plan out the layout, pick out flowers and plants that will blend well, including hanging pots & vines. You can bring in wooden furniture and lights for a cozy look during the night.
Is It Possible To Make A Small Garden In Your Balcony?
Of course! It is possible for balcony gardens to enter the scene as beautiful modifications you can make to your home. If you’ve got a dull balcony that nobody uses, you can bring life and charm to it with a small garden on your balcony.
You can bring in the colours, creepers, and flower arrangements or keep it simple with minimal plants. You even have the choice to grow plantations of herbs and leaves to make your balcony not only look pretty but be something you can make use of.
When there is light, there is a way. The amount of sunlight your balcony gets can determine the kind of garden you should have. If it’s a shady area, you can splash it with a lot of greenery. Flowers with vivid colours like petunias can do the trick if it’s a warmer spot where the sun touches directly.
You can easily give your balcony a makeover on your own or by reading useful guides to help you. All you have to do is plan it out and think carefully about what you’d like to have and whether it fits well with what you’ve got. You don’t want to go overboard, and nor do you want it to be unimpressive.
What Are The Things You Should Buy To Make A Small Garden In Your Balcony?
To place these plants and arrangements, you will need planters, baskets and other things you can use. Some people prefer DIY-ing it through and through, making their own clay pots., while some others want premade items to use. A few of the items can be bought in-store, but to make your job easier, we have provided some items you can easily get online.
1. Baskets And Planters
Planters and their affordability allow you to be creative but also economical. You can mount them on walls or fences or leave them to beautify your space on the ground.
If you want to be extra economical, you can use recycled products like tins or bottles as planters. If you want to use them to plant herbs and veggies, make sure they have a drainage hole that allows water to pass through easily.
2. Vertical Ladder Shelf
When your balcony space is small, you don’t want to keep giant planters that might limit it even more. A clever alternative for you could be a ladder shelf.
They provide a good spot for a lovely array of plants to sit on and let you make use of the wall space. Wooden shelves look really good with green-hued plants on them; the brown will make the colours of your potted plants pop.
3. Balcony Trellis
You can install trellises as a plant backdrop or as a fence of concealment. Balconies are great until you catch your neighbors staring at you.
They do lack privacy, and so an attractive trellis can help you get your privacy through style. With their easy installation and picturesque appearance, you can save a lot of space.
4. Hanging Pots
You can enjoy a garden filled with flowers, even with little space, by using hanging pots. They can be hooked to railings and give you an excellent floral spring look.
You can use any type of material for the pots, but a common option is to use ceramic planters; they provide an incredible element of beauty while cradling your plants.
Steps In Making A Small Garden In Your Balcony
Before you make changes in life, you think about the ways in which you can make these changes and also the consequences of doing it wrong. The same applies to changing the look of your balcony.
It would be best to consider all the possible factors like weather, sunlight, and space before deciding to transform your balcony. You want to do it right, and the steps in making a small balcony garden correctly include:
Step 1:
Inspect your surroundings. Have a look at your space and conduct research on the climate you have and what plants will work best. You may experience humid weather with heavy rain seasons or a dry one with scorching sun. These factors play a huge role in knowing what your balcony needs, so it is vital to put effort into researching.
You can find out what designs will be a good dynamic for your balcony. What adjustments you can make, and colors you can infuse to spice things up with your balcony garden. If your balcony area is large, you can think of putting furniture in too.
Step 2:
Decide what to grow. Maybe you’d like some vibrant flowers? Some green succulents? or perhaps an arrangement of potted ingredients to give your homemade meals a fresh taste? You have a vast choice of what to plant in your miniature garden on your balcony.
Look for plants that will complement your space. Tomatoes and herbs can be grown quite quickly in pots. Begonias are great for balcony areas that are seemingly low-maintenance but filled with rich colors for a significant impact.
Step 3:
Acquire the necessary supplies. Treating your outdoor space as an indoor area is a fascinating idea. Just like how you wouldn’t get a funky colored sofa for your minimalist living room, you wouldn’t want your plants to be overpowered by the wall.
Get paint supplies, antique shelves, ceramic pots, or wooden trellises, etc., which can blend well together. Pick them out from your nearest home decor store, or you can even make DIY pots and ropes for hanging the pots. Don’t forget the appropriate soil to grow your plants.
Step 4:
Make efforts for environmental change and keep in mind the triple R mantra, ‘Reduce, Reuse, Recycle. With this philosophy, you can be considerate of nature by composting as it brings out a great significance for gardening.
Composting not only allows you to reduce your dumpster waste but also beneficially feeds the house plants. It helps in the enrichment of the soil by retaining its moisture and preventing pests from invading and plant diseases.
What Are Do’s And Don’ts When Making A Small Garden In Balcony?
Are you new to the world of gardening? We’ve got you covered. There are various ways to develop your lifeless balcony into a vibrant living space. Adding a garden to your balcony will require some care and attention.
Before embarking on the transformation of your balcony, the Dos and Donts of balcony gardening include:
Do’s:
- Pay Close Attention: Perhaps the area receives enough direct sunlight (about 6 hours), or it’s a shaded place with little sunlight seeping through. You need to pay attention to the balcony area to know what type of plants to use so the space can blend well and look vibrant.
- Plan and Budget: Nothing can be done correctly without advance preparation. You can plan the garden through a rough sketch to help you visualize the balcony. List down your needs and budget them out. Doing this will prevent you from overspending.
- Seasonal Maintenance: Certain plants grow in certain seasons; they don’t bloom all year round. So, keep seasons in mind when planting. You can grow perennial plants and annuals, or if you’re up for the task, you can replace your pots every season.
Dont’s:
- Not Planning Beforehand: One of the biggest mistakes you’ll make before beginning your balcony gardening is not planning in advance. If a garden does not have basic blueprints of what it’s supposed to be like, there will be no flow and zero coordination in design. It might result in overcrowding, and that is not favorable.
- Over-watering / Under-watering: Plants are usually low-maintenance, so taking care of them is an easy task. But we sometimes tend to over-water or forget to do so completely. In this case, your plants will die, especially if there’s no drainage hole. Make sure to avoid this and water them at least twice a day.
- No Fertilizer or Pest Control: Just like any other creature, plants need nutrients to be healthy. Composts or store-bought fertilizer can help you nourish the garden. To keep away insects like caterpillars, you have to inspect them every other day, and insecticides are recommended if there’s an infestation.
What Are The Plants That You Can Grow In Your Balcony?
The colors of plants reflect freshness and vitality and will revive any form of monotony on the exteriors of your house. However, we need to carefully select what arrangement will suit best for our garden.
Low-maintenance plants are highly recommended to focus on yourself and not worry about tending to your plants. Here is a list of 5 low-maintenance plants that you can grow in your balcony:
1. Spider Plant
A potted Spider Plant, named after its spider-like leaves, can add a significant appeal to your balcony. You can either hang it in a basket or place it on a shelf inside a pot. It is considered most effective in getting rid of harmful gases like carbon monoxide. It can make a great indoor plant too.
2. Pothos/Devil’s Ivy
Known for their heart-shaped leaves, these tropical vines work best when trellises are used or simply hang them in a ceramic pot. The plant is easy to look after and has a robust impact on the home when grown. If your balcony has limited natural lighting, no worries, as these vines grow well even when placed in the dark.
3. Pansy
Pansies are vibrancy in the form of little flowers. They are beautiful little bundles of joy that can fill your balcony with different colors. There are various sizes, and some can even be grown in wooden boxes. Not only are they lively spirits, but they also offer a mild fragrance which provides a fresh whiff of pleasant air.
4. Boston Fern
This plant, also called Sword Fern, is an old fashioned plant that is highly valued for its bright green apparel. The lacy texture of the fern plant provides great elegance and can help you style your balcony easily. They thrive wherever they are grown; you simply need organic and rich soil to plant them in.
5. Aloe Vera
This beautiful succulent can live anywhere you grow it, provided you maintain it well. It is popular for its leaves withholding gel inside them that can soothe burns, provide health and skin benefits, etc. You may have to worry about pests like aphids & gall mites, but otherwise, Aloe Vera is very easy to grow.
Conclusion
A garden can bring life to your balcony, but its railings make somewhat of a difference in the whole look. A stainless steel or glass railing is highly recommended for an artistic look that is affordable but says “expensive”.
Composting is also a good practice to start as it reduces the need for chemicals and fertilizers. To keep your garden looking bright and vibrant, you need to maintain it regularly. You can use self-watering containers so that you need not worry when you are not home.
Plants like pansies, ferns, etc., are very low-maintenance but can modify your garden extravagantly. We hope this article helps guide you in your balcony garden venture.