You don’t really need a yard to enjoy the simple pleasures of growing a garden. Outdoor spaces like balconies make equally lush urban gardening spaces too. It all depends on the clever use of hanging baskets, vertical planters and pots to maximise space usage and create a flora-filled sanctuary. With a few important tips, you can create your own green haven right in the middle of the city too.

Sunlight – Check the direction of your balcony and the hours of sunlight it receives. If its a south-facing balcony and gets direct sunlight, plants like cacti, vegetables and certain flowers will thrive. With south-facing balconies that get less direct sunlight, consider planting ferns, spinach, ivy, fuchsia, peace lilies, etc.

Size – Before investing in pots, consider the size of your balcony. Larger pots are okay with moderate-sized balconies while smaller balconies prove more challenging. Hanging baskets, vertical wall gardening pockets and smaller standing pots are better used in small balconies to maximise space usage for gardening.

Soil – Go with quality potting mix for your plants. For your balcony garden to thrive, the soil used needs to be richer than the ‘regular’ soil in yards. Potting mix is lighter and richer in plant nutrition.

Watering – Compared to yard gardening, potted plants need more watering too. Watering will depend on the weather, the direction of your balcony and the type of plant. Don’t rush the watering process as it could lead to overflow, loss of top layer – and possible dripping into your neighbour’s balcony below! Ensure that all your pots have drainage holes at the bottom. A drainage plate under the pots would ensure that your balcony doesn’t get messy either.

Plants – You would be surprised at the variety of plants you can grow on your balcony. With the right type of soil, size of pot and prevailing weather conditions, you could even grow trees like hybrid lime, papaya or even a banana on your balcony! This is aside from flowering plants, succulents and your regularly used herbs like coriander, mint, basil or parsley. And if your balcony needs more privacy, consider growing a climber vine and create a green curtain across the balcony!

Hope these tips turn useful for you.