DIY Saturday #134 – How to Start a Balcony Garden This Winter (Video)

 Entry #2048, January 26, 2012

Happy DIY Saturday! How are you doing this winter with bringing in plant inspiration to your home? Last week, Stagetecture showed you how to make a terrarium and today we show you how to start a balcony garden! Depending on the climate of your home will dictate if you can start your balcony garden now or wait until spring. Either way, you can start planning for an oasis on your garden patio.

Image via: Amber Freda

Watch a video on using old planters for a new stacked container garden and then see helpful tips for creating a balcony garden this season.

You Tube video – How to Make a Container Garden Tower

Link to video –> How to Make a Container Garden Tower

 

How to create a balcony garden

How do you feel about waking up to something green on a chilly winter morning? Growing plants in the window sill or balcony is a great option to survive these drab, nippy days. Plus, the good thing about a balcony garden is that you can grow anything in it – flowers, vegetables, or herbs.

Image via: Pamba Boma

Restrict Your Choices

Balcony is not a good place to nurture straggly plants. De-clutter the place as much as possible and bring those plants that you cannot resist coddling. It would be better if you have planned earlier about which plants to include and which not. You can either grow different types of strawberries or choose a combination of red, blue, and yellow flowers. It will be easier for you to exercise creativity if you can restrict your choices. You can take the help of design books or your favorite novels to pick a theme.

The Elements to Start With

As a beginner, you should start your garden with just a handful of elements. A small garden will be easy to handle like a jewelry box. The plants that will be suitable for a balcony garden are strawberries, bougainvillea, chives, lime trees, rocket, and passion fruit climbers. Orchids are another excellent choice for winter garden given that they are available at different types, flower for months, and survive for years. What else you will need are pots, organic potting mix, some liquid fertilizers, and a trowel. If you want to add some relaxing elements in your balcony, set up a table and a chair. Additionally, you can keep aquatic plants and goldfish in a big, decorative vessel.

Image via: Home Klondike

Consider the Balcony Direction

You should pick up the plants considering the direction your balcony is facing. For example, east-facing balconies are good for growing herbs and salad greens as they get gentle morning sun and are shaded from the high summer sun. So, notice which type of balcony you have before picking up the plants.

Pest Control

Pests are not a problem during the wintertime but they will arrive as the weather starts warming up. So, you’d better be prepared for that and make some pest control arrangements beforehand. Instead of chemical insecticides, organic elements like beer, vegetable oil, soap blend, or bridal tulle would be appropriate for a small balcony garden. Beer is a death trap for yeast-loving snails, soap blend traps gnats and other tiny insects, and bridal tulle keeps birds away from juicy fruits.

Image via: Smart Money Guide

Winter is the perfect time for a beginner gardener to start a garden in balcony. It is the time to buy fruit saplings at cheap costs, cultivating some greens for salad before the arrival of spring bugs, and for growing roots before the scorching summer heat.

For more DIY ideas on Stagetecture, & Stagetecture’s YouTube Channel, click here.