Planting balcony boxes creatively: tips & ideas

Soil in and go? Unfortunately, it's (usually) not that easy, if you want your balcony project to be a success. We tell you what role the right balcony box and the right soil play, which plants are actually suitable for your balcony, and why you should always pay attention to more than just the calendar when equipping your balcony boxes. In addition, we will show you why the planted balcony boxes from The Plant Box are the right option for you if you are worried about choosing the right plants or are looking for fresh ideas.

 

How do I plant balcony boxes correctly?

It doesn't matter whether it's a guide, blog, or YouTube video on the subject of planting balcony boxes: the top rule for every gardener seems to be to wait for the last frost (May 11th - 15th) before starting to plant. While this date is actually a very good guideline for most balcony plants and flowers, there are a few more tips that we would like to give you so that you can remain friends with your plants for a long time.

 

Prepare your balcony box properly

This includes first clearing the openings on the bottom of plastic balcony boxes - since these are unfortunately often not always available, it can be helpful to drill holes yourself so that excess water or rainwater can drain properly later. A simple drainage hole helps to ensure that the soil does not leave the box through it, and that waterlogging does not occur at the same time:

1. Cover the ground with 4 - 5 cm of expanded clay, potshards, or gravel
2. Lay fleece (approx. 0.5 - 1 cm) as an intermediate layer
3. Layer soil on the fleece

Tip: If your balcony box has an integrated water reservoir, you can usually do without additional drainage.

To our balcony box

Give your plants enough space

We have summarized here for you how to find the right balcony box and what you should pay particular attention to when making your selection. So that all your plants ultimately have enough space to root healthily, you should make sure that the box is at least 15 cm wide and deep. In this way, your plants will always have enough root space and the soil will dry out less quickly. To keep it that way, you should make sure when planting that you don't place the individual plants and flowers too closely together, but leave at least a hand's width between them so that the plants don't crowd each other out later. As a rule of thumb, a maximum of 8 – 10 plants has proven itself helpful for balcony boxes up to 100 cm in length. You use the space most effectively if you position the plants on the edge or in the middle of your balcony box, depending on whether they grow hanging or upright. When planting, it is best to proceed in 3 steps:

1. Leave the new plants potted first and submerge the root balls under water until no more air bubbles form.
2. Remove the pots and place the plants in the soil with sufficient spacing. Make sure that you do not place the plants too deep, but so that the root ball is just covered with soil.
3. Fill the flower box with soil and leave a few centimeters of space at the top, so the balcony box does not overflow when watering.

Then you can press the soil around the plants lightly and water them until the first drops run out from under the balcony box.

 

Don't skimp when buying soil

The cheaper the (potting) soil, the more black peat it contains in most cases. This not only harms the environment, but also worsens the structure of the soil. Water retention decreases, and the growth of your plants is stunted. Therefore, pay attention to both the quality and the freshness of the soil. Soil that has been stored for too long absorbs water less well, and you should also avoid soil from the previous year, as harmful germs can always collect in it.

 

Give your new plants enough time

When you buy your plants, they often have spent some time in greenhouses beforehand. This means above all: A heated environment and high humidity. They therefore have to get used to the comparatively low outside temperatures on your balcony. It is all the more important that you protect them from frost (key words: last frost!) and make sure that the soil does not dry out in the first few days after planting. Also, don't be discouraged if the plants don't look perfect at first - after the acclimatization period, that usually changes quickly.

 

Planting balcony boxes correctly: Which plants are suitable?

Which flowers, plants, or herbs ultimately find their way onto your balcony naturally has a lot to do with your personal taste - but it is also limited by a few factors:

• Where is the balcony? (North, East, West or South side)
• In which season do you want to plant your balcony box?
• Are the plants in the balcony box protected from rain and wind?
• How much time (and desire!) do you have to take care of the plants?

When making a selection, the focus is always on how much sun the plants get. Here are a few examples of plants that feel particularly comfortable on each balcony:

• South balcony : herbs, geraniums, petunias, lavender, dahlias, verbena
• East/west balcony : Lobelia, Nemesia, Goldilocks - but also verbena, geraniums, and petunias
• North balcony: fuchsias, hydrangeas, edging lobelia, begonias, boxwood, ivy

Creative planting for your balcony box: ideas & creations from The Plant Box

If you don't feel like dealing with the right plants for a long time, don't know which balcony plants are suitable for the summer, or are simply looking for fresh ideas for your planting, the planted balcony boxes from The Plant Box are the right thing for you. We want to relieve you of the work and therefore offer you a whole range of wild, natural, and ready-made plantings that you can place in our specially designed Plant Box or your own balcony box in just a few simple steps. Depending on the direction and season, you can choose exactly the planting that you like best. To ensure that your balcony shines all year round, we also regularly offer you new plantings with our refills, which you can easily replace. This is what awaits you with The Plant Box:

• Creative plant creations for every balcony - whether winter-hardy, bee-friendly, flowering, or evergreen
• Many plants and flowers from regional cultivation
• Modern balcony box with integrated water strip (Made in Germany from 100% recycled vegetable oils)
• To try out or as a plant lover

To our shop

Sustainability and climate protection are always our focus. In addition to our sustainable Plant Box, we only use peat-free soil and do not use chemical fertilizers at all. Instead, you will receive a fermented product made from microorganisms from us. Let yourself be inspired in our shop !