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Plants on my balcony

Simon MoonSimon Moon Registered User
in Help / Advice Forum
Der Spring is sprung, der grass is ris, and I'd like to bedeck my balcony in flowers and other attractive living things, but I know jack-all about plants. I live in the Deep South (Jackson, MS, specifically), on the second floor of an apartment building, facing south. The balcony's about 6' by 12', with a roughly 4' high white plastic railing. The overhang doesn't seem to be sturdy enough to hang plants from (it feels and sounds like plastic when I reach up and poke it), so I'd guess I'm mostly looking for things to go on stands and/or window box type things.

Suggestions?

Simon Moon on
Steam: simon moon
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Posts

  • VenochVenoch Registered User
    Do you want to grow things you can eat, or look at? I read a cool article a while back on growing vegetables in containers on a small balcony and using vertical space. You can actually grow a high amount of fruit/vegetables to eat in such a space.

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  • JebusUDJebusUD Registered User regular
    http://www.mybalconyjungle.com/self_watering.html

    make these. My plants grow great in them and I am not even facing south.

    Mim, on JebusUD wrote:
    You haven't given me a reason to steer clear of you!
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  • Simon MoonSimon Moon Registered User
    I'm mostly looking for decorative plants, although I am certainly not averse to growing my own produce. And while the self-watering containers are cool (and I may try some potatoes), I'm more looking for suggestions on what to grow (and then what to grow them in).

    Steam: simon moon
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  • Andrew_JayAndrew_Jay Registered User
    Morning Glories are fairly easy to grow. Probably even more so further south where you are (I was growing them in Toronto). Only "complicated" thing I found was that they need a fair amount of water.

    They're fun because they're climbing plants - just put them in pots next to your railing and let them climb on it, or augment the rail with some bamboo poles.
    450px-MorningGlory.JPG

    Balconies are actually pretty ideal, because they can be somewhat invasive spreading and strangling other plants, something they can't do in pots and away from soil.

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  • DjeetDjeet Registered User regular
    You are in the USDA plant hardiness zone 8a, and since your balcony is facing south your plants will get a lot of sun exposure. If your balcony is heavily shaded (by trees or other buildings and what not) then it's likely going to be a very dry/hot shade. If your balcony is not shaded, any plants there will need to be able to tolerate "full sun."

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  • JebusUDJebusUD Registered User regular
    Basil. I use it like crazy. I also have a rosemary plant I use a bunch. And a few leaf lettuces are great. They make way more salad then you would think.

    Mim, on JebusUD wrote:
    You haven't given me a reason to steer clear of you!
    • Agree Awesome
  • tsmvengytsmvengy Registered User regular
    I have one of these:

    http://www.desert-tropicals.com/Plants/Bromeliaceae/Aechmea_fasciata.html

    Pretty, has a cool flower, basically impossible to kill.

    steam_sig.png
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