Balcony Plant Picks: Top 15 Flowering and Edible Plants Perfect for Balcony Gardening
Vibrant Container Gardening on Your Balcony
With a little planning and the right plants, you can transform your balcony into a beautiful, thriving oasis. Here are some tips and suggestions to create a stunning balcony garden, regardless of how much sunlight your space receives.
Listen to the sunlight:The amount and duration of sunlight your balcony gets will help you determine which plants will thrive in your space. Spend a few days observing the sunlight your balcony receives. Even if it appears to be a full sun exposure (south or west-facing), other buildings or trees may cast shadows at certain times of the day. Once you understand how much light your balcony will get, you can choose the ideal plants for a full sun, partial sun, or shady location.
Pot Picks:When selecting containers for your balcony garden, keep an eye out for innovative designs that ensure proper water flow and drainage. Whether self-watering, rolling, or featuring drain drawers, there's an array of options to choose from. Browse our platform Shop for the perfect planters to elevate your balcony garden.
Combining Colors and Species:Consider either planting a single species or creating a captivating mix by combining several plants in one large container. If you opt for the latter, make sure the selected plants have the same cultural requirements (sun exposure, water, fertility needs, etc.). For example, if you're growing three full-sun perennials in a container, be prepared to water them daily in hot climates and fertilize them regularly.
Best Plants for Balcony Gardening:
- Geraniums:Known for their clusters of colorful flowers in shades of red, orange, pink or white, geraniums are an excellent choice for brightening up your balcony. With a height of 1-2 feet, they thrive in loamy soil in full to part sun conditions. Plant container geraniums in USDA zones 10-11.
- Lantana:Available in a variety of vibrant color combinations, such as pink, yellow, red, or white, this flowering shrub or groundcover plant can grow between 1-6 feet tall, depending on the variety, and blooms from spring to frost. Plant in well-drained fertile soil and choose sterile varieties or native species for best results. Lantana flourishes in USDA zones 7-11.
- Fuchsia:A must-have for hanging basket plants, fuchsias are perfect for a part shade balcony. You can grow them up to 2 feet high with multiple color combinations, such as red and purple, pink and white. Plant in moist, well-draining soil. Fuchsias bloom from late spring to fall and thrive in USDA zones 9-10.
- Crossandra:Known for their bright orange, salmon, red, yellow, or pink blooms which stack upward, crossandras create clusters of flowers all season long. Their glossy green foliage makes an eye-catching contrast to the flowers. This plant can grow up to 3 feet tall in USDA zones 9-11.
- Petunias:Available in every color (and bicolor), there are hundreds of petunia cultivars that bloom all season. Plant in a light potting mix in full sun to partial shade. These plants grow 6-18 inches tall and flourish in USDA zones 10-11. Petunias like 'Double Cascade Mix' offer an array of shades, including violet, lavender, indigo, and white.
- Impatiens:Annual bedding or container plants, impatiens form mounds of colorful single or double flowers in pink, red, or white. They can reach 2 feet tall and wide. Plant in moist, well-drained soil in partial shade to full shade. For the best results, grow impatiens in USDA zones 10-11.
- Coleus:Grown for their colorful leaves with combinations of green, white, pink, red, and maroon, coleus is an eye-catching addition to your balcony garden. They can reach up to 36 inches tall, depending on the variety. Newer cultivars can be planted in sun or shade. Thrive in USDA zones 10-11 with well-draining, moist, rich soil.
- Begonia:Stalwarts of a balcony container garden, begonias come in various varieties that work well in both sun and shade. Some are upright, while others have a trailing habit, offering flexible planting options. Plants typically grow 8 inches to 2 feet tall, with varying flower colors and foliage. Favor moist, well-drained soil in partial sun and USDA zones 10-11.
- Hydrangeas:Hydrangeas that bloom on new wood, such as 'H. paniculata' and 'H. arborescens', are suitable for balconies. They can be pruned in early spring to control shape, and some varieties that bloom on old and new wood do well in containers. If you live in an area with cold winters, cover the container with frost cloth. Thrive in USDA zones 3-9.
- Fatsia Japonica:An attractive shrub with a houseplant-like appearance, fatsia japonica can grow 5-8 feet tall, presenting dark green, lobed foliage. Creamy white flowers are produced in fall, followed by black fruit. Plant in well-draining and slightly alkaline soil in shade conditions. Flourish in USDA zones 8-11.
- Boxwood:Traditional, broadleaf evergreens, such as littleleaf boxwood, are an excellent choice for balconies, especially the dwarf cultivars. Plant these container evergreens in well-draining soil and partial sun conditions in USDA zones 5-9.
- Dwarf Japanese Cedar:A unique specimen tree for a balcony, this compact evergreen shrub with a round shape and bright, blue-green color can reach 4-5 feet in height. Grow it in moist, well-drained soil and full or partial sun conditions. Dwarf Japanese cedars thrive in USDA zones 5-9.
- Green Peppers:Growing green peppers is an excellent choice for container edibles on your balcony, requiring at least a 5-gallon container to grow well. Provide full sun exposure (at least six hours a day) and water as soon as the soil begins to dry out. These heavy feeders benefit from regular fertilization.
- Leaf Lettuces:Grow leaf lettuces in wide, shallow containers using a well-draining potting mix with extra nitrogen. Leaf lettuces grow quickly, allowing you to harvest leaves in no time. Make successive sowings every three or four weeks to keep the crops coming well into fall. Provide five or six hours of sunlight a day and keep the soil moist.
- Tomatoes:Tomatoes thrive in containers with a stake or cage for support on a full-sun balcony. Our platform Shop offers Vego Garden's EZ Tomato Planter With Trellis, which combines strong support with a self-watering feature. Choose a 5-gallon container for standard tomatoes and a 2-gallon pot for cherry tomatoes. Use a soilless mix that drains well and opt for disease-resistant dwarf or determinate cultivars. Easy-to-grow varieties include 'Celebrity', 'Patio Princess', or 'Little Sun Yellow'. Plan on daily watering and regular fertilization.
After creating the perfect balcony garden, it's time to sit back, relax, and enjoy your thriving oasis.
By incorporating the right plants into your balcony garden, you can create a captivating home-and-garden lifestyle with a lush balustrade of blooms. Utilize container gardening to grow vibrant species such as geraniums, lantana, fuchsia, crossandras, petunias, and more, ensuring a colorful garden in your urban setting.
