Balcony or roof garden : urban gardening tips

Does your balcony look like this?

Would you like it to look more like this?

If you chose an heavenly vegetal balcony, which allows self-sufficiency in organic vegetables for a good part of the year and easy to take care of, you're at the right place! Pull up your sleeves and gather your tools because the Crazy Leeks team will give out some tips to plant vegetables that you'll enjoy in one of our vegetarian recipes or as an accompaniment with delicious grill!

The container : an important element

Trays, pot are going to be your ally to join your balcony garden! Be sure it's enough deep and airy for roots and enough light to avoid overload. Also, don't flood the neighbor under you : add saucer under your pots to avoid any overflow!

Is my balcony enough sunny?

Exposition time under the sun is determining factor for its grow. If you're lucky and your balcony is oriented to the South, West or Est, you'll be able to get 6 hours of sunshine and more required by more demanding vegetables (see semis calender). Otherwise, don't worry : you have enough choices!

Installation, balcony version

We should consider building regulation in which you live before exposing your vegetables : it's usually allowed to make a vegetables garden, but everything should be well tied up and stay inside balcony limits. Also, consider the few space you have, you should think more about verticality. Ensure to take care well your plants to avoid invade your neighbor, and even more the "king of the jungle" look.

The right mold

Mold is basic for winning harvesting since soil we have at home isn't enough : it repress the plants because the mold is too packed and heavy. But, even if there is a large choice of mold on the market, no need to use one adapted for each of your vegetables : all you need is a loose mold, well airy and with a great draining value, for exemple, for juicy tomatoes. Finally, almost... you also need to give out a lot of love!

Fertilize to grow better

To fertilize your balcony garden, you have 2 choice : conventional fertilization (purchase of synthetic fertilizer) or biologic and natural fertilization (home mix). If you chose the second otion, you can use compost, manure, mix of woods ashes or even biologic marked fertilizer you can find on the market. What's important is the base : it needs to be composed with same vegetable, mineral or animal material. And you also need to add it every year!

Some good vegetables for your balcony garden

For semis which can be planted at the end of winter, do it inside and get it out only when the temperature gets warmer.

Vegetable	Planting	Balcony sunshine	Watering	Growth speed	Harvesting
Eggplant	February to April	More than 6 hours	Abundant and regular	Slow	5 months after planting
Beetroot	March to June	More than 6 hours	Moderate and regular	Slow	4 months after planting
Carrot	February to June	More than 6 hours	Abundant and rare	Slow	4 months after planting
Cucumber	April to May	More than 6 hours	Light and regular	Slow	3 months after planting
Spinach	February to May and August to November	For 4 to 6 heures	Moderate and regular	Fast	1 months and a half after planting
Bean	April to August	Plus de 6 hours	Moderate and regular	Fast	2 months after planting
Lettuce	February to October	For 4 to 6 hours	Abundant and regular	Fast	1 months and a half after planting
Onion	February to May and August to November	More than 6 hours	Light and rare	Slow	2 months and a half after planting
Pepper	February to May	More than 6 hours	Light and regular	Slow	5 months after planting
Leek	February to May and July to September	For 4 to 6 hours	Light and regular	Slow	4 months after planting
Potatoes	March to May	For 4 to 6 hours	Light and rare	Slow	3 months after planting
Radish	Begening of May	For 4 to 6 hours	Abundant and regular	Fast	2 months after planting
Tomato	February to May	More than 6 hours	Light and regular	Slow	4 months after planting