Lush flowering flower boxes are the icing on the cake in creative balcony design. To ensure that the sea of flowers shines in lavish splendor from spring to autumn, it is important to follow the correct approach to planting. These instructions explain step by step how to skillfully plant a balcony box.
How do I successfully plant a flower box for the balcony?
5. Pay attention to the quality of the substrate (low peat content)
Preparing and filling the flower box - How to do it right
Examine a newly purchased flower box carefully to see whether it has openings in the bottom for water drainage. If these are not available or are only pre-punched, drill the holes yourself. To prevent waterlogging, create a 3 to 5 cm thick layer of pottery shards as drainage. Before you fill the substrate halfway up, spread an air- and water-permeable fleece over the drainage so that it doesn't become muddy later.
Tips for choosing plants – you should consider these aspects
Don't be confused by the dizzying variety of products on offer at the garden center. Not all plants feel at home on your balcony. If you answer the following questions about the selection criteria, the range of options for your needs will shrink significantly:
- Is the balcony on the fully sunny south side, the partially shaded west/east side or in the shade of the north side?
- Are the plants defenseless against pelting rain or strong wind?
- Could deciduous or long-hanging plants disturb the neighbors?
- How much time is available for care?
Match the plants primarily to the dominant lighting conditions. Sun worshipers such as petunias and geraniums are a misfit for the low-light balcony box. Under the opposite circumstances, shade-loving foliage plants, such as the mini hosta (Hosta), are at a losing position in the sunny flower box.
Use plants correctly – This is how it works
Once the prepared balcony box and all plants are ready to hand, the planting work can begin. Experience has shown that you need 6 to 8 plants for a 100 cm long flower box, whereas an 80 cm small balcony box requires 4 to 5 plants. This is how you use the young plant properly:
- Dip the potted root balls in water until no more bubbles appear
- Unpot the plants and plant them a hand's width apart
- Fill the balcony box with substrate up to a 2 cm high watering edge
Press the soil with your hands to create a good seal for the roots. Last but not least, water the plants until the first drops run out on the bottom of the box. If the water collects in a saucer, please pour it out after 10 minutes at the latest.
Tip
Don't grab the first potting soil you see because it's on sale at a low price. Please take a look at the composition before purchasing. The rule of thumb here is: the higher the peat content, the lower the quality. Peat is not only questionable from an ecological point of view. If the substrate with peat dries, water storage is significantly reduced.
