digging deep and going green

lostinrates

seemasfriend wrote: »

It might be worth giving some thought to how you maximise the growing space. Window boxes to hang over the balcony taking planting outside the boundary, hanging baskets, tiered stands etc. i believe you can also use the walls for vertical grow bags.will see if I can find you a link so you can see what I mean.

The problem with going over the balcony is it can make life a bit grim for those below.

We did that originally in one of our flats until our down stairs neighbour gently pointed out when we over watered his balcony got wet and dirty. Some buildings even have rules against it.

pretz_2

Thanks guys you have all been more than helpful with the kids "wishlist". I was just wondering what is the best way to work out how much space each plant will need to fully mature?

on a good note I've order 2 planters with trellis attached to the back each measuring H110 x W100 x D42cm would they be any good to grow quite a few plants in? or am I just jumping the gun (like usual).

Seemasfriend - unfortunately we are not allowed to place anything over the balcony so can't grow outside of the box but I do agree with you they are some amazing vertical gardens.

Think I might plan out the balcony properly tonight before I order more stuff to grow in.

yabajaz

we grew runner beans and sweetpeas up a cane wigwam in a nice tub on our balcony - also has 2 hanging baskets, 1 with cherry tomatoes , the other with strawberries. chives in 1 pot.and peas - mangetout in another - though we ate the pea shoots mostly. My friend grows a mini veggie patch in a growbag, with salad, radish, spring onions etc.all in neet little mini rows (courgettes took over the place - not recommended) This year she intends placing 1 bag over another in the corner (to make an L shape and planting through both to try to grow sweetcorn and beans. ENJOY

yabajaz

as for fruit - my blueberry bush is in a tub, the kids just pick and eat

hathor

Quick question re pea shoots:
I've eaten them in restaurants, and I "get" that they are the shoots of the pea vines, but I don't understand whether once you have "harvested" your shoots, does that kill off the plant because you have nipped off the growing tip? Or do they behave like a cut & come again plant?

It's so good to be able to ask a dim question without anyone being able to see me blush!

hathor

My balcony isn't south-facing, and is roofed over, with a deep "pelmet" down from the roof so that it only gets direct sun for a short time in the summer months, but I still did quite well with my "a-pot-ment" as I called it. I made self-watering containers out of black plastic storage crates so plants wouldn't dry out on a windy balcony (essential for tomatoes not to split) and planted into those. I filled up 2-ltr water bottles with the waste water from waiting for the tap to run hot every time I washed up and used those for topping up the reservoirs in the containers, thereby not wasting either water or any plant food I added.
Tomatoes, french beans, herbs, strawberries and salad stuffs did the best. Broad beans looked impressive, but didn't yield many beans for all that vine... One courgette was enough for the small space, and it's fun - for the kids, too - pollinating from the male flowers to the female ones! Tumbling toms in a hanging basket looked pretty, too.
On the salad front, rainbow chard & rocket grew very quickly and could be snipped on a cut & come again basis so they lasted for ages. Good to have something coming on quickly, I should think, so the children don't lose interest while waiting for other crops to mature. I found that the chard re-grew even after it looked as though I had mowed it down to the soil.
Made real sense to grow the herbs I used most, as they are expensive to buy, and I always seem to throw some out as I don't use enough (small household) to get through it before it had spoiled. Cutting what I needed fresh from the apotment and leaving the rest growing was a much better way of using herbs in the kitchen!
I found those spherical carrots did well in containers, and they were the most carroty-tasting carrots I had ever eaten.