While many balconies are lush with greenery in summer and the flowers in the balcony boxes bloom vigorously, things usually look pretty bleak in autumn and winter. However, that doesn't have to be the case, because the snow heather in particular, which blooms in winter, provides some color accents in the dreary wintry gray. The broom heather, which also blooms quite late, is also very suitable for balcony planting, and both heather plants are winter-hardy and can therefore survive well outdoors.
How do I properly care for heather on the balcony?
Heather is ideal for balcony planting as it is winter-proof and provides flowering color accents in winter. Make sure you have a sunny location, moist, acidic soil and avoid waterlogging. In winter, heather plants should be protected at temperatures below -10°C.
Location and substrate
The summer heather or common heather in particular prefers a location that is as sunny as possible, although it usually also feels very comfortable in light partial shade. On the other hand, balconies that are too shady or have little light are not suitable for planting with heather plants, as the plants there will only grow poorly and will hardly bloom. In addition to a sunny location, most heather plants also prefer moist and acidic soil. For this purpose, you can use a mixture of commercially available flower and peat soil as planting soil, which can also be enriched with sand to loosen it up.
Properly care for heather in the pot
This point is important because heather needs moisture, but cannot tolerate waterlogging at all. For this reason, you should ensure good drainage in the pot. This can be done by adding sand to the substrate and a layer of expanded clay or similar at the bottom of the planter. The pot should also have a drainage hole at the bottom, but you should not leave excess water standing there, but rather pour it off again and again. Plant the individual heather plants either individually in a pot or in a balcony box at a distance of 10 to 15 centimeters. Fertilization is only carried out about two to three times during the growing season with a good fertilizer for ericaceous plants (€20.00 on Amazon) or with horn shavings.
Overwintering heather in a pot
Heather is very robust and hardy even in pots. However, you should plant the plants at temperatures from approx.minus 10 °C - especially on sunny days, otherwise the heather can dry out! – protect from the cold. To do this, place the planter on a piece of Styrofoam in a protected corner, ideally on a wall of the house that radiates heat. You can cover the substrate with leaves or brushwood.
Tip
Cut back the heather heavily in spring - around mid to late April - then the plants will sprout again and bloom even more magnificently.