Growing vegetables on a balcony

Toonie

I used to love having a little vegetable plot when I was younger. It was great fun, especially growing peas, beans and carrots, so I thought I would have a go again. I have a small balcony which faces west and gets quite a lot of sun in summer. The biggest problem I have is I'm on a hill at the top of a valley, so we get a lot of wind. I tried to grow tomatoes a couple of years ago, but they got so blown about that a lot of the fruit simply blew off. What we did manage to save was lovely though.

Can anyone give me some advice on what I can use to shelter my balcony a little from the wind? I've just sent off for the BBC Dig In seeds and I'm looking forward to trying to grow carrots, beans and the lettuce. I have some empty large deep blue plastic boxes-can I use those for the carrots? I know I'll need some canes or something for the beans to grow up as well. I'm really looking forward to having a go at veggies

tanith

Maybe you could get some of that screening , I think its made of cane.. but then it might cut out too much light.. I think you can actually buy something to screen wind that lets the light through but I don't know what its called, I think its green and plastic.. someone will know I'm sure..

BigDonut

I think its called a windbreak
http://www.dobbies.co.uk/acatalog/tenax-heavy-duty-windbreak-1-metre-wide-green-ten281.html
You can get shading / screening things too but it might be too much light cut out as tanith says

lynzpower

Courgette will grow anywhere so thats probably not a bad idea. Mange tout and sugar snap do well in pots. Come over to the newbies thread many us are growing in containers only- I do have a large space though.

beans and toms can be secured with nets - I wonder id the greenhouse lid they sell in BnQ could be wall mounted to protect climbers like beans? You can also use fleece as a protector i have some thin stuff protecting the stuff outside from birds.

lynzpower

As an aside think about carrots, Im doing them now but after this crop I wont bother again as they take up valuble space for a long time. You might be better to use the limited space to grow heavy cropping stuff like courgettes, peas, beans,berries in pots. Are they wholelettuce seeds or leaves? if leaves you can do these indoors on a window sill to save the balcony space.

Toonie

Thanks for the information.

I'm not sure what they lettuce will be...the BBC website just says mixed leaves, I do have a really sunny (south facing) large bay window which at present is home to a bamboo plant and a money tree (if only it would start sprouting real money!) So, I may use that space for the basil from the Dig In seeds.

We are a second floor flat and don't get too many birds up here and I notice a few other flats have boxes secured overhanging their balcony, so may look into those. I'm hoping I can barter with my Dad into taking me to buy some compost (I reckon a chocolate cake should do it) and a few pots to get me started, though I am keeping an eye on the local freecycle group. I'm trying to get my boyfriend interested as well...I've got cress growing for him to make egg and cress sarnies!

eckythump

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