DIY Balcony – Green garden

Unfortunately I am not the holder of a green thumb (I’m more likely the opposite), but this year I decided to try and give et a shot of making a green garden on the balcony, it shouldn´t be that big of a problem.

I have actually already jumped the gardening gun a bit, and I think I will continue with more gardening on my balcony this weekend. In Barcelona we are facing a weekend full of sunshine and up to 17 degrees and this means it´s time to spend some more time outside.

You don’t need areas of land to flex your green thumb. All you need is some ingenuity, time and patience. Gardens come in all shapes and sizes. Not all plants need sprawling acres to grow, some are just right for your smaller living space.

There are lots of reasons for you to give a balcony garden a try. First of all, you reap the benefits. Whether you are planting veggies or flowers, you will have visual proof of your hard work. Also, there are some plants that are perfectly suited for a small and enclosed environment. Finally, apartment living can make you feel a bit removed by nature. A balcony garden lets you be one with the earth even if you are five stories up.

The only most is that your balcony is sunny at least five hours a day during spring and summer, and that´s “no problemo” in Barcelona.

This time a year (March-April), all the shops and supermarkets sell little bags of seeds, with wildflowers mix, carrots, courgettes, tomatoes, beans, cucumbers, parsley, basil, chives and you can buy whole plants such as strawberry and more, at the nurseries.

But remember this: Don’t be too ambitious – plants hate being crowded and will be weak if they haven’t got enough space.

Choose the deepest pots you can.Why not try using your imagination and recycling too – how about planting carrots in an old welly and beans in a deep painted tin?

If space is tight, grow some basil indoors on a sunny sill, and a few pots of hearbs, carrots and tomatoes outside. Basil will appreciate the warmth, while the other veg are a bit tougher (so I´ve been told).

Use compost specially designed for containers, as it will hold onto water better and have extra nutrients to get your plants off to a good start. Things to look out for on packaging when choosing are: soil or loam-based composts; extra nutrients or plant food; and water-retaining granules.

Some clever people says that it´s a good idea to put a layer of stones, bits of broken pots in the bottom of your pots or boxes to help excess water drain away. Then add the compost and lightly firm it down. Give it enough water to be just moist, and you’re ready to start planting.

Lots of veggeis like the Dig In courgette and some beans have pretty flowers, so try to grow them where they can be seen. You could also plant a few flowers among your veggies – French marigolds are particularly good because they discourage pests as well as looking nice. I think I want to try that, and then cross my fingers that I won´t kill it all in my lack of this famous green thomb!

Good luck with your green gardening, I know I am going to need some luck 🙂