Hobby gardeners have discovered the balcony as a growing area for vegetables. Sun-drenched and protected from wind and rain, tomatoes, carrots and all the vitamin-rich vegetables thrive here. Competent breeders have developed special balcony vegetables that you can grow in the flower box. We have put together the best varieties for you to get started with here.
Which vegetables are suitable for the balcony box?
Answer: Suitable vegetables for balcony boxes are radishes, carrots of the Paris variety line, spinach, lettuce, small kohlrabi varieties, cherry tomatoes 'Balkonie Red', mini pumpkin 'Windsor' and mini cucumber 'Printo'. Make sure there is enough sun, substrate and water drainage.
Sweet vegetables for the balcony – recommended types and varieties
Crispy, home-grown vegetables do not rely on a large garden. The following vegetables make a vital appearance in the flower box because they don't take up much space:
- Radishes, the classic balcony vegetables with flexible planting and harvesting times from April to September
- Carrots from the Paris variety line, such as the finger carrot 'Adelaide' or the spherical 'Pariser Markt 5'
- Spinach for summer harvest, such as 'Columbia' and the F1 hybrid 'Lazo'
- Plucking lettuce with compact varieties, such as 'Picarde' or 'Lollo Rossa' with decorative ruffled leaf edges
It is little known that kohlrabi is also recommended for growing in flower boxes. Mainly small varieties such as 'Lanro' or 'Noriko' are satisfied with the limited space available.
Fruit vegetables for the balcony box with trellis
Tomatoes, pumpkin and other fruit vegetables are very popular with large and small recreational gardeners. In order for the delicious fruits to thrive, they rely on a climbing aid. A flower box with an integrated trellis offers the tendrils enough space to grow. Alternatively, place the planter on the balcony railing and use it as a climbing aid. The following varieties have been bred specifically for these cultivation variants:
- Balkonie Red, the sweet cherry tomato that also thrives in hanging baskets
- Mini pumpkin 'Windsor' produces delicious, small pumpkin fruits in autumn
- Mini cucumber 'Printo' provides crunchy snack cucumbers for he althy snacking in between meals
A sunny, warm spot on the balcony on the south side is the pivotal point for productive cultivation. Please use organic vegetable soil as a substrate (€13.00 on Amazon), as commercial potting soil contains artificial fertilizer.
Tip
Please only choose balcony boxes with multiple bottom openings for water drainage. This premise applies regardless of whether you plant your flower box with vegetables, flowers or grasses. If rain and irrigation water cannot drain freely, waterlogging is inevitable. If necessary, simply drill the holes in the ground yourself.
