Here Are A Few Amazing Ways to Create a Balcony Garden In Your House

Owning a piece of open sky or a balcony in a high-rise concrete metropolitan city is a blessing. It offers fresh air and homeowners can make the best use of it. If you are fortunate to have a balcony in your house, have a look at these easy to implement ways of designing your own urban balcony garden.

When it comes to designing your balcony, the aspect of the sun is a very important factor that needs to be considered. Check whether your balcony is facing the rising sun of the east or setting sun of the west or shady north and south. Remember, all plants need a certain amount of sunshine, so try to choose varieties that adjust with the design and position of your balcony.

Six hours of sunlight a day is considered as full sun. However, vegetable gardens need almost 8 to 10 hours of sunlight. Therefore, six hours is the low end of the spectrum. In case your balcony is receiving less than 6 hours of sunlight, the area is partially shady. If it is less than three hours is a full shade. There are still many varieties to choose from if your balcony falls under a full shade area.

Can any balcony have a garden?

The answer is Yes!

However, sufficient research is necessary on the soil and types of pots. For instance, wet soil and terra cotta pots are heavy, and it is very essential to know about the potting material and the weight restrictions of your balcony. You can refer to the building plan or connect with your building manager to establish the weights, especially if you have a small balcony.

Green Cover

There is no comparison to decorating a terrace or a balcony with a green cover. You can be sure that the greener your place is, the prettier it will look to the eyes of the viewers. If your home is a near-tropical climate zone, grow as many plants as it is more advantageous to make your surrounding balcony green.

Large planters and pots designed out of wood or terra cotta are very attractive, however, the weight should not be an issue as it offers sufficient space for all types of growing. Always remember that terra cotta dries out at a faster rate but resin and plastic pots are alternatives as it lightweight available in various sizes, shapes and self-watering options.

Vertical Garden

Vertical gardens employ the vertical walls of your balcony. It saves a lot of space when it comes to home gardening. They are several creative ways if you wish to implement a vertical garden. Use small pallets filled with soil ad affix it to the wall by attaching pots to trellis, hanging gutters from a chain or terracing on planter stairs. The downside, which you need to consider is that that vertical garden can make your walls dirty from overhead watering and dripping from a height. Therefore, periodic maintenance is required. You can overcome this problem using drip irrigation as it is combined with a catchment system at the bottom.

Grow Fruits and Vegetables

If you have a sunlit terrace or balcony, a vegetable garden is a must. Herbs and vegetables are the first few bits of greenery suitable for these spaces. They just not bring in the verdant look for your house, but also the major source for a healthy life. You can avail the benefits of chemical-free produce to your kitchen in a sufficient quantity required for an individual family. Depending on the needs and interests of you and your family member, you can choose to grow the kind of fruits and vegetables you want. The best way to start your balcony kitchen garden may be with herbs, such as mint, lemongrass or easy-to-grow vegetables, sweet basil like chillies, tomatoes, brinjals and beans.

A Balcony Water Feature

If you wish to capture the ethereal charm of nature into your balcony, consider the natural elements such as rocks, plants and water in your balcony garden. These elements have the ability to transform any open space into an arbour of delight. Just adding an earthen bowl filled with water and few lilies will make a huge difference.

On the other hand, you can also install one of the small portable water fountains, which is easily available in the market at a very competitive price. Sufficient space, budget and your inclination towards decorating the balcony are all needed to make it happen. The sound of trickling water immediately induces a sense of calmness in the mind of the residence. Water can be made to trickle down a plain metallic sheet into a bed of pebbles. It can also be again pumped up. These will be compact and low-maintenance features, which is most suitable in urban balconies. The water feature offers you an immediate escape into a zone of calm.

Lightings

In India, the tropical climate makes it difficult for residents to spend most of their time outside. Generally, it is during evening or night time which allows you to spend time outside either on the terrace or balcony. As you are aware of the lights used in various festivals in India, get some lights to support your celebrations. You can use garden lanterns shiny disco balls, twinkling fairy lights and many more as per your style and that which suits your balcony space. You can keep these lights open during your festivals. Have a little festival at hand every time you switch on the lights of your terrace and balcony.

Display your passion

If your passion is towards crafts, arts or cooking, make use of your balcony space to display it. Doing so will also enhance the appearance of your space. It can also be a quick personal escape to your family members and guest. The arts and crafts have the ability to you away from the routine work in your house. You can decorate not just using your current passion, but also some of your favourite collections in the area. You can dedicate a wall or a corner to present your acquisitions made over the years. If the humidity or sun is a major issue in your home, make use of some elements that have the capacity to withstand exposure to heat, dust and moisture.

Hanging Baskets

If you own a tiny balcony, window boxes, railing baskets or hanging baskets would be the easiest choices. There are containers made of wood, plastic or steel and are suitable to hand off the balcony railing. They are usually shallow in nature and more prone to dry out and most suitable to grow drought-resistant plants or smaller plants. It is evident that succulents, strawberries, annuals, lettuce and herbs can be successfully grown in a railing or hanging basket.  Both of these container options should be secured using zap straps, screws, or brackets. Therefore, you will be able to prevent the container from being knocked off by wind or an accidental bump.

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