Hey guys and gals!

Hope all is well with you all.

I am moving into a new apartment in a couple of weeks, the apartment has a small balcony that I wanted to make the most of. I was thinking about growing some herbs and maybe some vegetables. I live in Birmingham UK and wanted to know if anyone had any tips/suggestions/hints etc. I have never done this sort of thing but am very interested in starting to make use of my new space.

I was thinking of getting a couple of balcony boxes that hang from the railings and maybe a floor one - not to sure yet as I want to make the most of the space (maybe a couple of chairs too!)

Any particular herbs and/or vegetables that are good to grow on a balcony? Any ideas how to get started etc.

Sorry this seems a bit like 'oh here's another newbie wanted all the answers!' but I just wanted somewhere to start.

Any help will be greatly appreciated.

Sam

SamM3124 wrote:
Hey guys and gals!

Hope all is well with you all.

I am moving into a new apartment in a couple of weeks, the apartment
has a small balcony that I wanted to make the most of. I was thinking
about growing some herbs and maybe some vegetables. I live in
Birmingham UK and wanted to know if anyone had any
tips/suggestions/hints etc. I have never done this sort of thing but
am very interested in starting to make use of my new space.

I was thinking of getting a couple of balcony boxes that hang from the
railings and maybe a floor one - not to sure yet as I want to make the
most of the space (maybe a couple of chairs too!)

Get a few larger boxes not many small ones, they will not dry out so fast.
Drying out is always a problem with small containers, even in your miserable
summer you will have to watch your watering. Which way does the balcony
face? Try to expose your plants to the sun but protect from the wind.


Any particular herbs and/or vegetables that are good to grow on a
balcony? Any ideas how to get started etc.

Your winter is too cool and dark to grow much well, some things might
survive but hardly prosper. You might get some hardy perenial herbs to
over-winter or some brassicas to grow but I wouldn't try as a first effort.
Some herbs and annuals like lettuce, chard, parsley etc that don't require
much sun will be OK in summer and possibly longer. I would start with the
best candidates and maybe try fruiting veges (tomatoes) next year as these
could be a disappointment.


Sorry this seems a bit like 'oh here's another newbie wanted all the
answers!' but I just wanted somewhere to start.

Any help will be greatly appreciated.


Go to the local library and get some books on container gardening,
preferably in a cool climate.

David

In article ,
"David Hare-Scott" wrote:

SamM3124 wrote:
Hey guys and gals!

Hope all is well with you all.

I am moving into a new apartment in a couple of weeks, the apartment
has a small balcony that I wanted to make the most of. I was thinking
about growing some herbs and maybe some vegetables. I live in
Birmingham UK and wanted to know if anyone had any
tips/suggestions/hints etc. I have never done this sort of thing but
am very interested in starting to make use of my new space.

I was thinking of getting a couple of balcony boxes that hang from the
railings and maybe a floor one - not to sure yet as I want to make the
most of the space (maybe a couple of chairs too!)

Get a few larger boxes not many small ones, they will not dry out so fast.
Drying out is always a problem with small containers, even in your miserable
summer you will have to watch your watering. Which way does the balcony
face? Try to expose your plants to the sun but protect from the wind.


Any particular herbs and/or vegetables that are good to grow on a
balcony? Any ideas how to get started etc.

Your winter is too cool and dark to grow much well, some things might
survive but hardly prosper. You might get some hardy perenial herbs to
over-winter or some brassicas to grow but I wouldn't try as a first effort.
Some herbs and annuals like lettuce, chard, parsley etc that don't require
much sun will be OK in summer and possibly longer. I would start with the
best candidates and maybe try fruiting veges (tomatoes) next year as these
could be a disappointment.


Sorry this seems a bit like 'oh here's another newbie wanted all the
answers!' but I just wanted somewhere to start.

Any help will be greatly appreciated.


Go to the local library and get some books on container gardening,
preferably in a cool climate.

David

FIrst question is do you have a southern exposure? If not, what do you
have?

--
Remember Rachel Corrie
http://www.rachelcorrie.org/

Welcome to the New America.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hA736oK9FPg

SamM3124 wrote:
Hey guys and gals!

Hope all is well with you all.

I am moving into a new apartment in a couple of weeks, the apartment
has a small balcony that I wanted to make the most of. I was thinking
about growing some herbs and maybe some vegetables. I live in
Birmingham UK and wanted to know if anyone had any
tips/suggestions/hints etc. I have never done this sort of thing but
am very interested in starting to make use of my new space.

I was thinking of getting a couple of balcony boxes that hang from the
railings and maybe a floor one - not to sure yet as I want to make the
most of the space (maybe a couple of chairs too!)

Any particular herbs and/or vegetables that are good to grow on a
balcony? Any ideas how to get started etc.

Sorry this seems a bit like 'oh here's another newbie wanted all the
answers!' but I just wanted somewhere to start.

Any help will be greatly appreciated.

Unless the balcony is concrete, anything you put there should have a woter tray
under the pot, and that should be raised up so there is an airspace beneath it.
Otherwise, it will rot the balcony floor.

On 4/14/2013 10:02 AM, SamM3124 wrote:
Hey guys and gals!

Hope all is well with you all.

I am moving into a new apartment in a couple of weeks, the apartment has
a small balcony that I wanted to make the most of. I was thinking about
growing some herbs and maybe some vegetables. I live in Birmingham UK
and wanted to know if anyone had any tips/suggestions/hints etc. I have
never done this sort of thing but am very interested in starting to make
use of my new space.

I was thinking of getting a couple of balcony boxes that hang from the
railings and maybe a floor one - not to sure yet as I want to make the
most of the space (maybe a couple of chairs too!)

Any particular herbs and/or vegetables that are good to grow on a
balcony? Any ideas how to get started etc.

Sorry this seems a bit like 'oh here's another newbie wanted all the
answers!' but I just wanted somewhere to start.

Any help will be greatly appreciated.

Sam






Hii .. I've only been reading here some recently and I hope it's OK for
me to respond to your question even though it's my first post here.

I've been doing some organic container gardening, too. If you wanted to
grow something in cool spring to warm (not hot) summer, green peas (snap
peas or sweet peas) grow well in pots. You can put in a wire trellis
for them to grow up, and if it's a big pot you can plant then on the
back side of a large planter and then plant something else in front of
them like onions, or patio type tomatoes.

Prepare the soil with bagged potting soil + about 1/3 of bagged
composted manure. You can companion plant many things together like
that, you just have to make sure you don't forget to water the
containers regularly.

--
Natural Girl