6 Top Tips for Planning An Outstanding Balcony or Window Garden

With forethought, anyone can have a green thumb.

After months of seemingly unending dull, gray weather, it’s no wonder every spring, people feel an itch for some color in their lives. Just because you live in an apartment doesn’t mean you have to deny yourself the pleasure of having your very own little patch of greenery.

If you have a balcony or terrace, or even just a window box or two, you can keep and grow flowers, vegetables, and herbs with ease. Of course, there are challenges. Every apartment mini-garden is going to be a little different and have different needs.

Here are six things to consider when planning your balcony or window garden to help make your project a success.

Questions For Before You Start

First things, first. Does your apartment permit plant on the balcony or window boxes? Check your lease before doing anything and, if you have questions, contact your landlord or building manager. Find out if there are any weight restrictions or safety requirements.

Some apartment managers may worry about appearance should you end up not being a conscientious caretaker of your plants and end up leaving unsightly growth within view.

Finally, do you have sufficient space on your balcony or window? Will plants have to compete for soil, water, and sunlight, or will they have room to flourish?

How Much Light Do You Get?

The amount of light your balcony or window receives is a factor in determining what sort of plants will thrive. Choose the best plants for the amount of sunlight available. For instance, a south-facing space will likely get the most direct sunlight, making it great for most flowers and vegetables.

North-facing spaces or areas with other buildings blocking light would work better for plants like ferns or begonias.

Between the two, you can have decent luck with leafy green vegetables like lettuce, spinach, chard, and some herbs.

Consider the Weather

There’s more to planning a garden — no matter how small — than the amount of sunlight. There are also weather factors such as wind, temperature, and humidity. Often, the higher up one lives, the greater the wind, making plants dry out faster. Some parts of the country are naturally more humid than others, which can either help or hurt depending on the plants you’ve chosen to nurture.

Likewise, some parts of the country are warmer than others. Window boxes in a fifth-floor Houston apartment will have different elements to deal with than a tenth-floor balcony garden in Chicago. Both can be successful. I’ve seen so with my own eyes. But each was uniquely set up to flourish with the local weather in mind.

Think About Watering

Keeping your plants sufficiently watered can be a challenge if you don’t plan for it. Self-watering pots are often the best solution. You should make it a regular habit to check your soil’s moisture in the morning before leaving for work and again as soon as you get home.

If you’re experiencing a particularly hot and dry stretch of weather, see if someone can come by in the middle of the day to check in on them as well.

One note — be careful of over-watering. Too much can be as harmful as not enough. Also, you don’t want water dripping down onto a neighbor’s balcony. Place a shallow dish underneath planters to catch excess water.

Flowers or Edibles?

This is a matter of taste. Many people like the bursts of colors available from a wide variety of flowering plants. Others like adding a more personal touch to mealtime by occasionally including home-grown vegetables such as cherry tomatoes, peppers, or spinach leaves in their home-cooked meals.

A very popular option, too, is keeping a small herb garden near the kitchen. Chives, sage, thyme, and mint are popular choices and can enhance not only your food but the overall atmosphere of your kitchen.

The nice thing about flowers is the wide range of hues available. You can have a colorful, vibrant-looking garden with relatively little effort.

Consult Local Experts

Online articles are a great place to start researching how to make the most of your balcony or window space when it comes to growing plants, but the best thing you can do is check with your local experts.

Visit nearby greenhouses and garden supply stores for more information on what plants grow best in your area, what special needs they have, Don’t be shy in telling someone what you hope to accomplish. These places want your business and will give you the best advice they can so you keep coming back each year.

Growing plants and vegetables within the relatively small confines of a balcony or window sill can have its challenges, but it also has its rewards. Growing plants can improve your mood, bring extra life to an apartment, and give you a productive, healthy hobby to enjoy.

With springtime just arriving, now is the best time to get started.

This guest post is sponsored by Link Apartments Mixson, an apartment community located in North Charleston, SC, which offers short-term leases on their one and 2-bedroom luxury living spaces.

About John Teehan

John lives in Rhode Island with his wife, son, and dog. He specializes in tech, health, business, parenting, pop culture, and gaming. Visit wordsbyjohn.net for more info and rates. Twitter: @WordsByJohn2