Decorative plants on the balcony – The right choice of plants is decisive for the success of growing plants on the balcony. Their light and heat requirements should be taken into account, which must be compatible with the conditions on the balcony. The eastern exhibition is advantageous for many species. The light of the rising sun has a large amount of ultraviolet, there are also smaller differences in temperature between night and day. The South Exhibition gets plenty of light most of the day, large amount of infrared, and thus a higher temperature, which often causes overheating of plants and quick drying of the substrate. On the other hand, the western exhibition provides plants with a greater amount of ultraviolet than the southern exhibition, however, short-term lighting and the rapid change in temperatures after sunset are not beneficial for plant growth. The worst conditions, both luminous, and thermal, has the northern exhibition. Therefore, there are few plants, which can be planted on balconies located in such a way.
The following plants are suitable for a balcony with a southern exposure:
-annuals from seedlings: petunia, a marriage, the tagetes, advertisea, heliotrop, constantly blooming begonia, zinnia, sage, snapdragon;
– annuals sown in spring into boxes: nasturtium, smagliczka, calendula, Purslane, mother (two-horned lioness), reseda, sweet peas;
– annual climbers grown from seedlings: bindweed, wolf, cave, Japanese hops;
– two-year-old planted in early spring; bratek (viola) daisy;
– herbs: floks szydlasty, geese, Georgian primrose, pasque-flower, entrenchment, zagwin, koleus, bed and ivy pelargonium.
The following plants are planted on shaded balconies with eastern or western exposure;
– annuals from seedlings: impatiens balsamina, the tagetes;
– annuals from sowing: runner beans, winged tobacco, godetia;
– two years: forget-me-not, bratek;
– herbs: ferns, barwinek, primrose, stemless ivy, fuchsia, impatience, slippers, low varieties of dahlias, from begonia bulwia.
For balconies with a north exhibition, the choice is very limited; can be recommended: tuberous begonia, fuchsia, ivy and virginia creeper.
They grow well in places exposed to strong winds: a marriage, daisy, lobelia, the tagetes, sedum and pansy.
Plants grown on the balcony should be watered every morning 2…3-fold small doses of water, so as to moisten the soil well along the entire depth of the box. On hot days, it is watered with water in the morning and afternoon, which stood in an open vessel on the balcony.
Weekly or once a week 10 days you need to fertilize the soil with a solution of Flora or Florogama mixtures or with fermented cow or horse in a proportion with water 1:30. Compost soil can be used as a substrate, turf or loam with peat and sand in proportion 2:1:1, enriched with multi-component mineral fertilizer. The substrate should be replaced annually.
By caring for plants, the soil in the box is systematically loosened and the yellowing and damaged leaves and fading flowers with flower stalks are removed, not allowing the seeds to ripen.