If you want to enjoy the long-lasting blooms of the buddleia on the balcony, you don't have to miss out on it - or the inevitable visit of numerous butterflies. There are a whole range of suitable species that can be easily cared for in a pot.
Can you plant and care for buddleia on the balcony?
Buddleia can be planted and cared for in pots on the balcony by using small-growing varieties such as Buddleja davidii 'Purple Emperor', 'Buzz ® Violet' or 'Summer Lounge' and giving them a sunny location and a sufficiently large planter, a suitable substrate mixture as well as regular watering and fertilizing.
Suitable varieties for keeping in containers
However, you shouldn't necessarily use garden varieties for container storage. Classic buddleia grows - depending on the type and variety - up to 300 centimeters high and 200 centimeters wide. Since the roots of the shrub extend very deep, you would not only need a lot of space on the balcony for such a specimen - but also a very deep planter. However, there are some varieties that only grow up to 150 centimeters high and are therefore not too big. For example, the following are wonderfully suitable for keeping in a bucket:
- Buddleja davidii 'Purple Emperor': compact growth, purple-violet flowers
- Buddleja davidii 'Buzz ® Violet': up to 120 centimeters high, light purple flowers, slightly overhanging shoots
- Buddleja davidii 'Summer Lounge': blooms in white, pink or purple, only up to 60 centimeters high
When searching online or in garden stores, look for labels such as “dwarf buddleia”.
Planting and care
Although buddleias are generally considered undemanding and uncomplicated to care for, they still need certain conditions for their well-being and lush flowering. Above all, this requires a sunny, warm location - the shrub will wither if it is too dark.
pots and substrate
First of all, you need a sufficiently large plant pot: This should be at least 40 centimeters in diameter and just as deep. If possible, do not choose plastic containers, but rather ones made of clay or ceramic - plastic heats up very quickly in the summer sun. In addition, there must be a water outlet at the bottom of the pot. First fill in a few centimeters of expanded clay as a drainage layer, followed by a mixture of commercially available potting soil with expanded clay or gravel. Pure potting soil is too rich for buddleia and therefore not suitable.
Care for buddleia in the pot properly
Water the buddleia regularly but moderately - it tolerates dryness rather than excessive wetness. Every two weeks, add a liquid container plant fertilizer (€12.00 on Amazon) to the irrigation water. Choose a product specifically for flowering plants, as they contain less nitrogen and more phosphorus. Any dead flowers should be removed regularly. In winter, pack the pot frost-proof; the shoots themselves do not require winter protection.
Tip
In early spring, after the last late frosts, you should cut back the buddleia heavily. Buddleja davidii only flowers on the young shoots.
