Lovers housebutfresh crispy cucumbers, juicy tomatoes and fragrant greens are constantly looking for new ways, like grow them without unnecessary effort and cost. And true admirers of fresh vegetables went even further and, having no garden or summer house, learned to grow them right at home - on the balcony. Now you do not need to look at the market for grandmothers with a homemade crop. Just going to the balcony, you can assemble your own, grown without chemicals. And what aroma awaits such a "gardener" during the flowering period of plants!
What can be grown on the balcony?
The choice of plants that will be happy to grow on the usual balcony of an apartment building is very large. Having well thought out and selecting the right ones, the balcony can be made not a chaos of the plant world, but a beautiful and useful greenhouse. What to choose in order not to waste time and space? What can be grown at home?
There are a lot of ideas:
1. Flowers What could be more beautiful than flowers? Only a large number of different colors. They can be sown immediately in boxes or large pots. It is worth paying attention to the period of growth and flowering of selected plants. Thus, it is possible to achieve that some flowers will bloom, while others will only begin to blossom.
2. Vegetables. Almost any vegetable can be grown on the balcony. This includes peppers, tomatoes, cucumbers, eggplant and even potatoes. It is only necessary to water in time, feed them and harvest. Of course, the family will not feed only with vegetables from the balcony, but in winter it is pleasant to eat a fragrant fresh product.
3. Spices and herbs. This type of plant was one of the first to be settled by enterprising housewives, because in winter their prices are high, and I want to please my relatives with something tasty. Greens are used in almost all dishes, so it makes sense to grow it on the balcony.
4. Berries Strawberries and strawberries are grown on balconies. Many berry lovers arrange whole fragrant plantations. A great solution for those who have kids who need only natural products.
Why and why?
Why do this? What is the difference between growing on a balcony and a purchase? After all, doing this in such a small area, it is impossible to feed the family. Here are some reasons why many people think about what they can grow at home:
1. All year round you can pamper your relatives with something tasty, fragrant and fresh. Vegetables and berries in the winter, bought at the store, can not boast of this.
2. In order to save. After all, fresh vegetables, herbs and berries are quite expensive in the winter. And running around constantly in search of a bunch of fresh herbs is not always possible.
3. Such an occupation is constructive in nature. A person receives positive emotions and a boost of energy from him.
4. There is a category of avid gardeners who cannot sit still in winter. Thus, the summer season does not stop even when there is snow and a snowstorm outside the window.
5. Such an activity is perfect for those who have children. They will be able to see how the plants actually grow and the fruits appear on them.
6. Just as an interesting hobby for those who have nothing to take their free time.
Where to begin?
Those who have not previously grown vegetables and herbs on the balcony do not know where to start and what to buy. Most beginners have no idea what can be grown at home.
If there is no experience at all, then it is better not to buy dozens of names of seeds and seedlings. You need to think carefully and choose several types. You can take one representative from vegetables, berries, herbs and fruits. It is better to choose unpretentious varieties with minimal requirements.Ideally, these are precocious varieties developed specifically for such conditions.
It is worth exploring the plant's requirements for the amount of sun. If there is not enough light on the balcony, you will have to highlight with lamps.
The next step is the choice of containers for future plants. After reviewing the technical requirements, it will be easy to find the right one. Do not forget about the pallets into which excess water will flow after irrigation.
Another main element is a variety of dressings. They are different for each plant.
In conclusion, you need to prepare the soil for planting seeds.
Homemade mint
Mint is a well-known and beloved by many plants. It is often grown for food. It is used in cooking, brewed instead of tea, as well as for decoration. Fragrant greens can be grown in the cold season. How to grow mint at home to please yourself and loved ones with a pleasant fresh aroma?
It is grown in pots, drawers and trays. It all depends on how much mint you need to grow. Use two landing methods:
- Planting cuttings.
- Sowing seeds.
The first way is faster. If there is nowhere to take the cuttings, then sowing seeds is perfect. For the plant, loose humus soils with an acidity of 5-7 are best suited pH and peaty soils.
For mint, a comfortable ambient temperature is 20-25 degrees.
How to grow peppermint at home and what is worth paying attention to? She does not like an excess of moisture, especially in winter, you should not often water it. It is better to spray water on the leaves. Drafts should also be excluded.
But even when the soil is dry, the plant may die. It is also important to ensure that pests do not appear. If drugs have been used to combat them, you should carefully consider the timing of the collection.
Also, the plant does not like direct sunlight. For him, a more comfortable well-lit, but shaded place.
Pepper
Bell pepper is a beloved juicy tasty vegetable, quite unpretentious and feels great on the balcony. This fruit will decorate any table, but it costs a little wait, as the first fruits can be tasted only after 5-6 months after sowing seeds.
How to grow pepper at home and what is needed for this? For balconies, early ripe and self-pollinated varieties are chosen. Here are the most common ones:
- Many gardeners rated the variety of pepper Patio Ivo. It is planted both in open ground and on the balcony. Its yellow bright fruits will bring joy and a sunny mood to the house.
- California Miracle - An excellent variety of thick-walled pepper. The plant reaches up to 75 cm in height. Fruits with a ribbed surface, bright red.
- Jupiter F1 - A variety of pepper that has large fruits that change color as a result of ripening from dark green to red.
- Oh yeah - purple pepper, stunted, juicy and sweet fruits.
It is also worth recalling the mid-early varieties that are pleasing with the crop: Swallow, Winnie the Pooh, Present of Moldova, Novogoshara, Bulgarian-79.
How to grow pepper at home and what is worth paying attention to? There are some conditions without which it is not possible to harvest:
- Pepper loves the sun, so you need to place it in the sunniest place. If there is not enough natural light, it must be illuminated with a lamp.
- Exclude all drafts, otherwise pepper may die.
- Comfort temperature - 20-26 degrees, at night - 18-20 degrees.
- The soil must be constantly loosened.
- Pepper is very sensitive and susceptible to pests.
- Do not forget that the fruits are quite heavy for such a miniature plant, so it must be tied to a trellis.
There are lovers of hot pepper, who will not refuse to enjoy always freshly picked pepper. Having seeds, soil and a suitable capacity, in three months you can get the first fruits. Bright pepper will delight not only taste buds, but also the look. What varieties to choose? Here are the main ones that have already managed to appreciate the "balcony gardeners":
- The Queen of Spades.
- Curiosity.
- Astrakhan 147.
- Carmen.
- Elephant trunk.
- Sweeties.
- Ukrainian bitter.
- Twinkle.
- Superchill F1.
- Indian summer.
Under what conditions does hot pepper feel more comfortable? To create these, you need to fulfill several simple conditions:
- Prepare quality soil.
- Place the plant on the sunniest side of the house.
- Timely fill the need for moisture.
- No need to stepson, then the plant will be lush and beautiful.
- During the ripening period, do not forget about fertilizer.
Mushrooms at home
Now, in order to pick up mushrooms, you do not need to go to the forest. They can be grown right on the balcony. How to grow mushrooms at home without specially equipped rooms?
Everything is very simple! If there is a glazed balcony, it remains to put together a cabinet with racks and acquire drawers about 20 cm deep. You need to build a ventilation pipe at the top of the cabinet, and place an electric kettle below. He will work as a heater and humidifier.
Mycelium (a kind of mushroom seeds) can be purchased at any specialized online store. For different mushrooms, a different substrate may be needed. Some grow well on straw, others are best suited for sawdust. Some add bird droppings, others - wheat. All the necessary information is on the instructions for planting mycelium.
So how to grow mushrooms at home, so as not to go shopping in search of a fresh product? In prepared substrate atMycelium is sown evenly over the entire area. From above it is sprinkled with a layer of the same substrate.
The most favorable conditions for the growth of mushrooms:
- The temperature is 22-27 degrees.
- Humidity 80-90%.
In order to create ideal conditions for mushrooms, you just need to periodically turn on the kettle and monitor the temperature and humidity.
After 10 days, the overgrown mycelium is covered with a special substrate. It is prepared from peat and chalk (10: 1). After four days, the temperature can not be increased to more than 17 degrees, but constantly sprayed from the sprayer, avoiding flooding the substrate. Be sure to periodically ventilate the balcony.
Harvested every other day for two months.
Balcony Cucumbers
To grow cucumbers on the balcony, you need to choose the varieties that were created specifically for these purposes. The most famous:
- Cucaracha.
- Sail.
- Barnaul.
- Gribovsky.
- Stresa.
- Matrix.
- Courage.
- Biryusa.
- Dubrovsky.
How to grow cucumbers at home? To do this, plant the seeds in disposable cups. Next, the sprouts are transplanted into pots or boxes at a constant place of growth. Seeds before planting need a little germination. For these purposes, universal soil is suitable.
So, how to grow cucumbers at home, because they weave and they need to create conditions for this? To do this, the ropes are pulled upright. Cucumbers grow and gradually begin to braid them.
How to grow cucumbers at home in the heat? They must be shaded and watered in a timely manner. Do not fill the plants or water in the peak of heat. It is better to do this early in the morning or evening.
Bow on the balcony
The easiest and most familiar to all from childhood to get greens in winter - sprouting onions on a feather. Some performed such experiments as part of the school curriculum, while others observed how their mother did. How to grow onions at home and enjoy the genuine taste and aroma of the plant? There are two ways:
- Landing in the ground.
- Hydroponics.
In the first method, a little suitable soil is poured and the bottom of the bulb is inserted into it. In the second case, a little water is poured into small containers and the bulbs are inserted in such a way that only the roots come into contact with the water. How to grow onions at home is better not to read, but to try and plant.
The garden on the balcony is not only useful, interesting, but also incredibly beautiful. Any gardener enjoys each new leaf, flower and fruit, as his achievement. All guests must visit the balcony and admire the harvest.
Juicy salad
You can also grow lettuce on the balcony.It is quite unpretentious, but very useful. How to grow a salad at home on a windowsill? Yes, as easy as shelling pears! To do this, you need a container with a depth of 20 cm, it is better to take wide boxes so that the moisture is retained in the soil longer. Be sure to pay attention to drainage so that the roots do not rot. A light moisture-retaining soil is perfect for a plant. Furrows are made in it, and the salad is sown. Then the seeds need to be poured with warm water, every day you need to irrigate the soil. When shoots appear, the box must be installed in a bright place to stay there permanently.
How to grow salad at home on the windowsill and care for it? This plant is unpretentious, it just needs to be watered at least every other day and not put in direct sunlight.
The first crop can be harvested after 3 weeks. To delight relatives with a juicy salad constantly, then each next sowing should be performed 10 days after the previous one.
Such a garden on the balcony will help to eat healthy vitamin food all year round.
Tomatoes on the balcony
Most often, tomatoes are grown at home either in winter, or due to lack of land. Seeds sown in September can give the first crop to the New Year's table. So how to grow tomatoes at home on the windowsill?
Caring for tomatoes is not too different from caring for any houseplants, you only need to consider some features. There are many early ripening self-pollinated varieties that are able to give a pretty good crop of tomatoes. These include: Florida Petit, Oak, Pinocchio, Button, Balcony Wonder, Micron, Bull Heart, De Barao, Carlson.
How to grow seedlings at home? A universal soil for vegetables is suitable for this. You can sow the seeds in disposable cups, before that they need to be soaked in a weak solution of potassium permanganate for 15 minutes. When real 2-3 leaves appear on seedlings, it can be transplanted into pots.
For irrigation use warm water. Water the plants in the evening without falling on the leaves. Tomatoes are very fond of the sun, they can be rotated every 2-3 days so that all the leaves get enough light. Tomatoes are fed every two weeks with fertilizer for vegetables. Almost all varieties need to be tied.
In fact, growing vegetables at home is not so difficult. All you need is desire and a small amount of time. From the balcony garden they are chemical free and always fresh. This option is perfect for young parents who are worried about what their child eats.
If suddenly you have a question, which plant to grow at home, so maybe you should try to grow greens or vegetables instead of the usual violets and cacti? It is both beautiful, and useful, and entertaining.
Fresh parsley
Parsley is not only tasty, but also healthy greens. It is used in the preparation of broths, meat, fish and cereals. Of course, you can live without it, only is it worth giving up such a familiar taste? In order not to run every time to the store or to the market for a fresh portion or not to use the product of not the first freshness, it can be planted on the balcony. How to grow parsley at home and what is needed for this?
In order to grow greens, you need to have a container and soil, and also it is worth deciding on the planting method. The first way is planting root crops. It gives a crop literally 2 weeks after planting. The second method is sowing seeds into the ground.
Almost any container with a depth of at least 20 cm is suitable for growing parsley. Parsley loves the fertile soil of peat, humus, turf and sand. It can easily be bought at a specialty store.
You need to water the plant often, but without much fanaticism. Parsley loves the sun, but leaves may become yellow from direct sunlight. With the help of phytolamps, she needs to arrange a 12-hour daylight. The main enemy of the plant is the aphid, therefore, before planting, the soil must be thoroughly disinfected so that one day it does not detect insects on the leaves.
What can be grown at home and how, we hope, is already clear. It is important to take a little time and think carefully about what it is better to plant on your existing balcony, as far as there is enough lighting. If it is also insulated and there are phytolamps, then you can indulge yourself with vegetables, herbs and berries all year round.