For apartment gardening enthusiasts, vegetables to grow in balcony planters can make a surprising difference in the quality of their apartment produce. We’ve all seen them on the supermarket shelves: the colorful green zucchini, red bell pepper, and yellow onions that are a familiar sight at the local grocer’s store. But what are they? And are they really good for you? Let’s find out.
Covering vegetables, even in tiny spaces, prevents soil compaction and saves valuable space. Most vegetables do not grow well at full sunlight; for most of us, they are not vegetables at all, so they don’t do well with even partial or full shade. That said, however, there are some vegetables that do grow better in partial shade, especially if you are apartment gardening in a place that gets less sun than is healthy for most plants. Onions, chives, potatoes, tomatoes, and cucumbers are all good candidates for apartment gardening as long as they are placed in a sunny area of your apartment. Cucumbers, peppers, carrots, squash, cabbage, and herbs like fennel, parsley, and basil are all great candidates as well.
Of course, while vegetables to grow in balcony planters are a great thing for apartment gardening, you must remember their limits. If you have ever seen an apartment building with a lovely vegetable garden planted on one side of the building, you know exactly what I mean. Vegetables can spread quickly when conditions are right, but the more vegetables you have on your balcony, the more work you’ll have to do to keep them contained. To protect your vegetables from damage, layer the soil with a thin layer of mulch, or use a sturdy screen and layer your vegetables on top of that. Keep mulching in during the winter, and it should be easy to keep the vegetables alive through the hot months of summer.
Be careful, though. Some vegetables, such as onions, are very sensitive to certain temperatures. They may actually die if left out in the cold. Likewise, you must remember that pests love growing in wet environments, so try to plant your vegetables in a sunny area, but use a sprinkler to check the soil before using it to plant your vegetables. You should also be sure to use a water fountain or birdbath to keep your plants from drying out too much.
For those who are looking for a more organic method of gardening, there are vegetables to grow in balcony planters that will do nicely in your garden. These include lettuce, herbs, and strawberries. While they may not be able to compete with weeds, they will do well in a salad. For indoor gardening, these are usually a good first step toward trying to create your own vegetables.
Many people have heard about the benefits of eating vegetables that you grow yourself. If you’re thinking about this idea, one important question to ask is how often you want to eat your vegetables? It would be best to find out what you can grow in a balcony, since some varieties may have a hard time surviving in your yard when you’re not eating them regularly. A vegetable that is hardy in the wild may not do too well indoors, for example.
If you’re thinking about planting vegetables to grow in balcony planters, make sure to plant the right vegetables for your area. If you live in a city apartment, you may not want to plant spinach in your balcony, because spinach tends to attract snails. Similarly, tomatoes don’t do too well in a humid area, so if you live in a dry, warm climate you may want to stick with a carrot or lettuce. If you want vegetables to grow in balcony planters, keep in mind what part of the country you live in. Some plants are best to grow where they get the most sun and moisture, while others can grow better in a lower-lying area.
To learn more about the advantages and disadvantages of plants to grow in balconies, talk to a local gardening expert. You can also research the Internet for information on different types of vegetables to grow in balconies. Make sure you’re choosing plants that will grow well together and that your balcony is large enough for them to spread out. If your balcony is small, put two rows of plants together. This will give them more room to grow.