There are many reasons to grow beans on the balcony. They provide valuable vitamins for the kitchen and decorate the balcony with their numerous flowers. At the same time, they are a quick seasonal privacy screen, as their tendrils climb up climbing aids in just a few weeks and form a dense foliage.
How can I successfully grow beans on my balcony?
Fire beans are ideal for the balcony as they quickly grow into a privacy screen. Plant them in large containers with trellises, in sunny to partially shaded places and water regularly to get tasty, harvest-ready beans within 10 weeks.
Fire beans for the balcony
The robust runner beans are suitable for the balcony. Their long, fleshy pods are most tender when harvested as young green beans.
With their long tendrils and dense leaves, they quickly grow into a seasonal privacy screen. The highlight are the magnificent red, white or yellow flowers. They bloom for many weeks from June to September.
Suitable plant pots
So that the beans have enough space, you should choose a larger container with a diameter of 45 cm (€34.00 on Amazon). It is important to have a drainage hole in the floor through which excess irrigation water can drain away.
Using a potsherd as a cover prevents soil from being washed out of the vessel. An additional drainage layer made of gravel prevents waterlogging.
Planting and caring for balcony beans
- Fill the container with soil, horn shavings can be mixed in to supply nutrients
- Place the plant pot in a sunny to semi-shady place
- Sow fire beans directly into the plant pot from mid-May
- to do this, place the seeds in the nest about 2 to 3 cm deep in the soil, cover loosely and water carefully
- 5 to 6 seeds fit into a container with a circumference of 45 cm
- After 1 to 2 weeks the first shoots will appear
- The beans are ready to harvest after approx. 10 weeks
- don’t forget to water, especially in warm weather
Don’t forget the trellis
You definitely need to attach a climbing aid that the long tendrils can hold on to. Trellis from the hardware store, trellis rods or weatherproof ropes are suitable for this. You stretch the ropes vertically upwards from the ground.
Tips & Tricks
Bush beans, such as the compact growing bean variety “Molly”, are also suitable for the balcony. Large plant pots and flower boxes can be used as containers.
