Getting Started In Your Garden
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growing fruit/veg on a small balcony. (4 replies)

EssenceofDittany
8 years ago
EssenceofDittany 8 years ago

I have a small balcony off my kitchen, it is south facing and protected from wind.

Any ideas what fruit or veg I could grow out on it?

Rosyposy
8 years ago
Rosyposy 8 years ago

Hi EssenceofDittany

I'm interested in this too. My daughter's only got a balcony and doesn't know what to put there. Her's is a bit windy as she's on the 6th floor. This summer will be the first time in the flat (she's not so interested in fruit but I think she might give strawberries a go in a hanging basket).

I suppose anything that you can grow in a container will grow on a balcony. Peas and beans would be ideal if she uses a wigwam support. Or tomatoes in grow bags perhaps? Potatoes in planters maybe but she'd have to water them lots...

Hopefully other gardeners will give us some hints!

🙂

Gardening_Graham
8 years ago
Gardening_Graham 8 years ago

Hi to both of you!

as the balcony is south facing the pretty much anything can be grown on pots, baskets or even pouches.

I would definitely try...

"cut and come again" type lettuce in pouches or pots as these can be continually harvested and will regrow.

try some of the dwarf peas or beans in pots as some of them won't need support and are easier to grow. 

Definitely grab a pack of carrot seeds and sow them thinly on the surface of a pot, they will do really well and you could have two or three pots sown a week or so apart to give you a longer crop.

Strawberries in hanging baskets work really well & if you position it over another pot, when you water it, the excess will not be wasted.

to be honest, most things will grow in pots - tomtato and now the "egg & chips" plant (aubergine/potato) will do well too!

I hope this gets you started - i'm sure there will be more suggestions! 🙂

Old Gardeners never die, they just throw in the trowel

Rosyposy
8 years ago
Rosyposy 8 years ago

Hi GardeningGraham

I'm going to suggest strawberries and the cut and come again lettuce to my daughter. She's not keen on carrots but homegrown taste delicious in a salad.... Can this "egg and chips" plant really grow just on a balcony? I thought it needed a greenhouse. If it's not too difficult to grow I'll buy one for her. 🙂 

Gardening_Graham
8 years ago
Gardening_Graham 8 years ago

Hi RosyPosy,

yep, the Egg&Chips will grow anywhere sheltered and in full sun, apparently the potato roots will help the aubergine grow much stronger than normal. It won't need a green house 🙂

Old Gardeners never die, they just throw in the trowel





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