You can grow and plant several types of herbs in your balcony. The availability of light in your balcony is often the determining factor for which type of herb you want to grow. Most indoor plants and herbs require direct sun for 4 to 8 hours a day. Check out the following table to see the direct sunlight needs for the various herb.
Rosemary is very susceptible to overheating. It should be planted in well drained soil and in a cool location. You will have to provide a lot of watering to keep the Rosemary healthy. It is a perennial that lives for two years. Use Rosemary stakes to support the growth of young plants, which are tender and need more water.
A new pot for your balcony herb garden is not necessary when planting this perennial. Just transfer the young leaves from the inside of the pot to the outdoors. Just remember to report new potting every year. In addition, this plant is a woody plant so it does well with being planted in the ground.
A number of container gardens can be established on a balcony garden. These are container plants that are easy to maintain and are safe for balcony gardening. Most are easy to purchase from a garden center and are used for indoors for a few months then moved outside. Container gardening is quite popular with many gardeners.
Basil is a plant that is commonly grown as an indoor plant. It thrives in a sunny location so if you are planning to grow it on your own balcony you might want to choose mint, Rosemary or lavender for a spot on your deck or patio. These are easily grown from seed or by planting in larger pots. You might want to check with a nursery for information on how to care for these plants before planting them outside. Mint will probably thrive if you grow it in a sunny location but other herbs will require more care.
Rosemary is another popular indoor herb plant. It can thrive in many areas but its best choice is an area with a mild climate. mint has many uses in baking, cooking and in the production of essential oils for aromatherapy. There are other mints available for apartment gardeners so check out what’s available before making a decision.
Many herbs can be used in the kitchen, although basil is probably the most well known. However, there are other uses for herbs such as in the manufacture of cosmetics, shampoo, soap, bath products and more. Check out your local grocery store or supermarket for some supermarket herbs such as basil, mint and oregano. If you’re short on time and want to buy your herbs quickly check out your local supermarket for seasonal flower sales as these offer great bargains.
Growing herbs in an apartment can be expensive but you can help reduce the cost by planning your garden correctly. Buy herbs that you can easily grow from seed so that you can cut the costs of buying seeds when they get old. If you put in the effort to buy and plant your own garden, it can save money in the long run as you won’t have to pay for expensive prescriptions when you need them.
When you have your herbs from seed then it’s time to transfer them into their new pots. When you’re moving your seeds and plants from the garden centre to your apartment, make sure you leave at least one week between the day you moved them and the day you put the new pots in the garden. Seeds will need a fair amount of sun, so if you live in an apartment check the plants to see how much light they need. If you have a balcony there is another solution to sunlight; buy cheap solar lights to help keep your herbs growing. Just make sure that you get them designed for use with growing herbs.
For your balcony herb garden make sure you place the pots at an appropriate height for your climatic conditions. If you live in a cold climate then pots placed too high will trap heat and don’t provide good drainage. On the other hand, pots placed too low will not provide the needed support. Keep in mind that most herbs like lots of sun so consider growing herbs that like the sun such as basil and oregano. Other herbs that don’t like the sun include parsley, dill and marjoram.
Finally, when it comes time for you to plant your seeds or start growing herbs from cuttings, be sure to water properly. Watering should occur just once or twice a week during the growing season. Herbs grow best when they are given regular watering and they will flower more profusely if given additional water after they bloom. Be careful about over watering. Overwatering your herbs can lead to root rot so don’t do this. To avoid this you should water your garden only about once a week.