Cucumbers on the Balcony
Cucumbers. Cucumis sativus. Their long growing prickly vines shouldn't deter you from attempting to grow them, even if your space is limited. They produce well and look great on a trellis.
Growing Onions in Containers
Onions take up very little space and make great container plants. It takes a while to grow a decent onion bulb but it is worth the wait.
Growing Pole Beans in Containers
Pole beans are great balcony growers. Vertical growing means they don't need overhead sunlight and don't take up much floor space.
Tomato Growing Adventures
Every year I grow tomatoes in containers and every year I try something different. I've learned that the challenge isn't getting them to grow, it's getting them to taste good.
Growing Watermelons in a Small Space
At first I was convinced that this would not work but I had to try. With my limited amount of sunlight and space it just seemed that the odds for success were against me. But I was wrong.
Hand Polination of Watermelon Flowers
Growing melons without insect pollinators is a fruitless effort and requires the balcony gardener to quite literally take matters into their own hands.
Vacation Watering
I've always struggled with finding an effective way to automatically water my balcony plants, especially when I go on vacation. Here are some devices I've used to help me overcome this problem.
Make Your Own Self Watering Container
Self watering containers are designed to provide a constant supply of water to your plants when they need it. Here you can find some guidance on how to make one from a pair of 5 gallon buckets.
Growing Herbs on the Balcony
Herbs are easy to grow in containers. Most are undemanding and many don't mind being grown indoors in a sunny window. Some herbs make great companion plants that help to deter pests.
Ground Cherries
Closer to a tomato than an actual cherry. They are relatively easy to grow and produce a fruit that is anything but typical.
Living with Aphids
Without natural predators to hunt them down, aphids can thrive on the plants growing on your balcony. When you notice them, something needs to be done fast or your entire garden will suffer.
Growing Root Vegetables in Containers
Some easy vegetables to grow in containers are root vegetables: Carrots, Beets and Radishes. They don't take up much space and don't take a long time to mature.
Getting an Early Start with Seeds Indoors
Starting vegetables from seed indoors can give you an early jump on the season. It also lets you grow varieties you might not otherwise find at your garden center.
Growing Broad Beans in Containers
Grows like a pea, tastes like a pea. But its a bean. It's not common to see broad beans growing in a North American garden and certainly not in a container garden.
Plants for a Shady Balcony
I have areas on my balcony that get lots of shade. Listed here are some shade loving plants I've grown in those shady corners to liven the balcony up a bit.
Growing Peppers in Containers
Peppers are great container plants and will do well on a warm sunny balcony if you treat them properly. Some will even tolerate a bit of mistreatment.
Keeping Pigeons Off The Balcony
We used to get lots of unwanted pigeon guests hanging out on our balcony. Keeping them away and cleaning up after them was a constant battle until we had the bird netting installed.
Experiments in Balcony Drip Irrigation
I love my self watering containers but I've also played with gravity fed drip irrigation as a way to provide a slow, continuous supply of water to my container plants.
Growing Potatoes in a Bucket
Growing potatoes in buckets is nothing new but how about in a self-watering bucket on the balcony. My first attempt proved it was really easy to do, I just wish the results had been a little better.
Growing Radishes in Containers
They are one of the easiest of garden vegetables to grow but growing tasty radishes in containers on the balcony has never worked out for me until recently.
Mom and Dad's Northern Ontario Garden
My parents maintain a productive vegetable garden on their property in Northern Ontario. It's a place nothing like my balcony but gardening there is still not without its challenges.
Growing Salad Greens on the Balcony
Lettuce is suppose to be an easy garden vegetable to grow and yet I have trouble with it. But I've found ways to work around my problems and found other salad greens that are just as easy to grow on the balcony.
Defeated by Pumpkins
I had to try growing pumpkins and I didn't want to grow those tiny ornamental ones either. I gave it a good shot but couldn't pull it off. At least after trying I learned a few things and I'm ready to try again some day.
Grow Your Own Sprouts
Sprouting is very simple to do yourself, providing you with an endless supply of fresh, tasty and healthy sprouts.
Growing Celery in Containers
Celery is a delicate plant that requires lots of moisture and nutrients to grow properly. It can be a little challenging to get right.