Entry #2845, September 19, 2013
September has already crossed its midway and it will be too late if you do not start planting your fall vegetables right now. The good thing is you do not need a quarter acre garden to grow fresh vegetables. A small balcony that receives sunlight is enough to produce fall herbs and grow vegetables. Take a look at these vegetables that you can grow in your balcony.
Start balcony garden this fall.
Image via: BHG
Kale in Containers
Kale is a lovely looking plant but a little bit hard to harvest. It will grow well in fertile, moist, and rich soil. This vegetable will grow faster with a steady supply of water and nutrients. You will get good results by adding a bit seaweed extract to the watering can once a week. If you are growing them on containers, add 2-4-inch of compost in the middle of two layers of soil. Plant them about 10-inch deep and 15-inch apart. Stop watering after the first frost.
Kale is rich with vitamin A and C. Many delightful recipes like salads, soups, chips, etc. can be made with it.
Leaf Lettuce Raised Beds
Greens are the best option to plant in the autumn because they are able to survive the slight chill. If your balcony gets six hours of sun per day, you can consider growing leaf lettuce on containers or on small beds framed with wood planks.
Plant the seeds 8-inch deep and 9-inch apart. Take care that the plants should not get crowded because it will affect their quality. However, plant the seeds closer to each other if you decide harvesting outer leaves after they are mature. Lettuce needs moist soil because dryness will make the leaves bitter.
Greens are able to survive the slight autumn chill.
Image via: BHG
Brussels Sprouts on Pots
Brussels sprout is a great option to try in the balcony during the fall season. Plant them in deep pots and apply a complete dose of fertilizer before the forming of the sprouts. You can harvest and grow vegetables when they reach a bit smaller size than a golf ball. Sprouts at the bottom of the stalk will mature before the ones at the top.
It is possible to have 50 to 100 sprouts from a single plant. Some people do not like sprouts but they are good source of Vitamin A, C, K, and folate and can make great recipes if cooked nicely.
Grow Vegetables – Chard on Hanging Pots
Chard will grow well if your balcony gets sunlight for 6 hours per day. Plant them 8-inch deep on the raised beds or hanging pots. They can grow 2-foot tall with the help of regular watering and proper nursing. This leafy green vegetable is great when deeply fried or used in salads.
Hanging pots are a good option for a small balcony.
Image via: Vertical Gardener
The choices of plants and vegetables in your balcony garden will mainly depend on how much sunlight it gets and how much space it has. In case of container gardening, you may use self-watering containers to make the job easier.
For more gardening ideas this fall on Stagetecture, click here.
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Wonderful ideas and suggestions. I grow vegetables in containers every year but have to admit that I haven’t been lucky with fall/winter crops. This year I visited our farmer’s market’s nursery for seeds … I bought Chinese cabbage and Swiss chard … both are growing like weeds. So I think that buying good seeds is important. I’d love to try Brussel sprouts … do they take up a lot of room? Thanks, again, for this post!