![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
Entry tags:
Plant peeps!
So, you plant people: suggestions! I have a nice, deep balcony with a southern exposure. It doesn't get full sun. I am in another Plant Mood and am thinking about getting some plants out there. I need stuff that thrives on benign neglect, heat and humidity, and not full sun. As I want to actually sit out on my balcony at times, I'm not interested in stuff that attracts bees. :)
I'm actually thinking of trying some herbs and vegetables that work in containers, but am not sure what. I like home-grown tomatoes, so provided I manage to keep the birds off them, that might be an option. I dislike all squash, so that's not an option. (I wish I didn't hate it, because there's so much of it, and so many recipes!)
Actually, the balcony is deep enough that I can put some plants towards the railing, and they'll get full sun for part of the day.
I do love roses, despite being a cynical, black-hearted little wench, and may indulge in an order or two from the Antique Rose Emporium here in Texas. They're usually hardier than your normal run of roses, since the Emporium gets a lot of their cultivars from local graveyards and places where they've been growing feral for decades. (I've missed the ordering deadline for this season, but I can make one in September.)
I'm actually thinking of trying some herbs and vegetables that work in containers, but am not sure what. I like home-grown tomatoes, so provided I manage to keep the birds off them, that might be an option. I dislike all squash, so that's not an option. (I wish I didn't hate it, because there's so much of it, and so many recipes!)
Actually, the balcony is deep enough that I can put some plants towards the railing, and they'll get full sun for part of the day.
I do love roses, despite being a cynical, black-hearted little wench, and may indulge in an order or two from the Antique Rose Emporium here in Texas. They're usually hardier than your normal run of roses, since the Emporium gets a lot of their cultivars from local graveyards and places where they've been growing feral for decades. (I've missed the ordering deadline for this season, but I can make one in September.)
no subject
There are a bunch of different varieties; the pictures towards the bottom show a few of the common ones. Depending on what stage of the growing season you're in, you might still see some for sale if you go to places that sell plants. (Although it's a little late here in Missouri, there are some Amish families selling some beautiful baskets at the farmer's market, still.) (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fuchsia)
no subject
no subject
no subject
Depending on what stage of the growing season you're in, you might still see some for sale if you go to places that sell plants.
Herbs are pretty tolerant, or at least fairly obvious about when they're unhappy (wilty = water me nao). Basil does really well in pots and you could probably start some from seed. And it's delicious with fresh summer tomatoes.
You could probably also look into climbing-type beans that grow well in containers. Some places might breed special varieties, like they do patio tomatoes. Beans like full sun and lots of water, but they might still do well in partial sun. It's probably not too late to start them from seed, especially if you can put them out in full sun while until they germinate.
no subject
no subject
no subject
no subject
One nice thing about living in the South (and I'm counting your part of Texas in the "South" category here, since it's the humid part instead of the dry part) is that the sunlight is so intense that plants that normally need full sun can deal just fine with partial shade.
And the tomato thing is why they invented bird netting. XD
no subject
Squash wouldn't work anyway on a patio as they need LOTS of room (either vertical or horizontal).
Impatiens are easy to grow and tolerate shade.
My basil is doing well on my western exposure patio, but I have it close to the house so it doesn't get the full brunt of sun. The mint is also close to the house but has to be watered every single day, sometimes twice a day. The geraniums on this patio seem to love the sun, though.
Calibrachoa does a nice job hanging over the edges of pots and also seems to tolerate cold as I still have some from last winter. Amazingly, some marigolds and petunias came back too (reseeding in their cases, I think).
More later if I think of it.
no subject
no subject
If you're letting the cat on the balcony, though, she might like one of those tall straight cactus plants to scratch herself against!
Cherry tomatoes do well in containers. If bees don't pollinate them you can hand-pollinate with a paintbrush. Plant them deep to encourage root growth and drought tolerance.
Keep in mind that anything that flowers will attract bees; among the herbs, rosemary and thyme are flower-abundant. Ours always seems to have bees in it! Other herbs are easier to pinch back and keep from flowering. Parsley, for example, or oregano.
Bamboo might work. It is a grass, and it will dry out and turn brown if it isn't watered. If you want to get super-fancy, you could put a couple pots of bamboo out there, get a plastic-lined half-barrel, and put a little trickle water thing in for a mini Asian garden.
Your best bet for good advice is to ask around: you want a "good" garden center. Then go there, or to several theres, where you can look at the plants and pots and ask the garden center staff what's going to work in your location.
no subject
no subject
no subject
I have a little roof terrace, and I've just finished planting out my veggies for the summer. I have tomatoes, beans (an experiment), peppers, aubergines and some herbs. Chili peppers (if you eat them) are a good idea if you only have a small space and sun. Cherry tomatoes are good value, and produce a lot of fruit, even in a container. I grow basil in the summer, thyme, sage and an aloe in case I burn myself in the kitchen. There are also some nice salad mixtures that you plant in a small trough and cut as you need them after a few weeks.
no subject
no subject
no subject
no subject
no subject
Marigolds and day lilies are also very hardy, easy to grow, and tolerant of heat and bright sun...the blooms might draw bees and butterflies, though.
I'd second the rec for succulents as nice hardy neglect-friendly plants; bromeliads can be really good for that too, and can do well in the more indirect-sunlight parts of the balcony; they're fairly slow-growing, but some varieties have interesting flower spikes, and others have attractive, colorful foliage. Stuff in the yucca family would also work for a nice unkillable foliage plant, or dracaenas or sansivera/snake plants.
(It's a shame you don't live closer -- I could give you a BUNCH of totally unkillable stuff. I've just had to separate off the babies from my oldest aloe vera and cut back and rooted a bunch of offshoots from my monster spineless yucca. And the huge sansivera I inherited from the prior tenant here could really stand to be split apart into smaller pots, too...)