Balcony Garden

hairyfoot

Hi - I'm just out there looking for ideas and inspiration (and hope I am in the right place)

I really don't know the first thing about gardening! I live on a 4th floor apartment in the city centre. My balcony is kind of L-shaped - a long section across the front of the building that is south facing and gets fabulous sun, and wraps around the corner of the building which is in full shadow of the building next door.

My ideal would be to grow any sort of fresh herbs, or any sort of veg.

Can anyone give practical tips, especially on:
What is good to grow given what I described (either full sun, or full shadow).
What is good to start with for a complete gardening virgin / dunce?
Should I worry about there being a construction site across the road if I'm going to ingest what I grow (the windows are filthy from the dust that comes up, should I worry about that affecting any plants)
Any general tips on making the most of the space (I've seen a few examples online of making use of vertical space) what are good stores in Dublin to cater for this type of thing.


Thanks in anticipation for any help.

Tulipout

Plenty of videos on youtube showing how to recycle the likes of an old wooden pallet and turning it into a vertical garden. This would be ideal for tight spaces and great for growing herbs.

I would also imagine that the dust problem would do no harm to the herbs and be grand after a good scrubbing.

Northumbria

Some suggestions (you probably won't have space for all of them).

Veg and herbs:

Train tomatoes up walls with string or hang from hooks (see picture).
Grow potatoes in old buckets
Grow chives in window boxes


Growing tomatoes upside down in that 'topsy turvy' device. Apparently they don't last though so I'd use an old bucket or something.


Potato plants in buckets


Chives in a container. Cheap and easy to grow and great for bees too.

Fruit:

Potted grape vine trained up wall or balcony
Strawberries in window boxes
Dwarf / patio apple tree in pot
Melons in summer (under a cold frame if you can)



Flowers:

Climbing rose
Clematis


Most of these require full sun or partial shade.

hairyfoot

@Tulipot - thanks for the tips esp re You Tube. But is there anything I should look out for (more in terms of what I grow, instead of how) that just won't work in Irish climate? Maybe more to the point, is there something pretty much idiot proof that I could start with while I develop a green thumb?
(don't mean to sound ungrateful....slightly embarrassed to admit I hadn't even thought of looking on You Tube!)

@ Northumbria - they are some great ideas. Didn't realise potatoes were even an option

redser7

To get started, think about what you like to eat? What's on your wish list? Then we can shoot down anything that's not suitable. Any chance of a photo so we can see where there is brickwork and glass for supporting stuff.
Start now with salad greens in pots, especially cut and come again varietied. Dead easy. Carrots in pots are easy too and great for nipping out and pulling as you need them. Tumbling tomatoes in hanging baskets would be good too although that would be for next year.
Believe it or not people are sowing for winter veg now. Look for winter type salad seeds. All year round and winter density are good ones to grow. Radish (yuk) are quick and easy too. Pick up some garlic cloves at garden centres from september and grow some in pots for next year, easy too. SO much you can do with south facing aspect
Not sure about spuds, they would work but would take up a lot of your space. You could try one bucket as a novelty I guess.

hairyfoot

I love the idea of being able to go outside and pick for a fresh salad as we need. And never thought of garlic!

I think I need to do a bit more of my own research and come up with ideas to bounce off people. It'll be the weekend before I get a picture of the balcony in daylight (that can show it appropriately). But I'm now inspired with how much can be done - I thought it would be so limited!!

redser7

not at all, there's tons you can do. Good idea to get reading, but before you do anything else, get a pot, some compost and some salad seeds and get going! Everything else can wait

redser7

Just to add, most things that grow in the ground can also grow in pots, you just need to be more attentive with the watering. Here's a list of stuff that can be sown in July ...
http://nickykylegardening.com/blog/145-seeds-to-sow-now-july-2012-