Preparing and filling the flower box - how to do it right
Carefully examine a newly purchased flower box (€ 13.18 on Amazon *) to see whether it has openings in the floor for water drainage. If these are not available or only pre-punched, drill the holes yourself. To prevent waterlogging, lay a 3 to 5 cm thick layer of potsherds as drainage. Before you fill the substrate halfway up, spread an air and water-permeable fleece on the drainage so that it does not become silt later.
also read
- Bellis care in beds and flower boxes - how to do it right?
- Build rain protection for a flower box yourself - this is how it works
- How to fill a flower box correctly - instructions in 3 steps
Plant Selection Tips - These are the things to keep in mind
Do not be confused by the dizzying variety in the garden center. Not all plants feel in good hands on your balcony. If you answer the following questions about the selection criteria, the range of options for your needs will shrink significantly:
- Is the balcony on the fully sunny south side, the partially shaded west / east side or in the shadow of the north side?
- Are the plants exposed to pattering rain or strong winds without protection?
- Could foliage-shedding or long-hanging plants disturb the neighbors?
- How much time is available for care?
Adjust the plants primarily to the dominant light conditions. Sun worshipers, such as petunias and geraniums, are the wrong choice for the low-light balcony box. Under the opposite sign, shade-loving ornamental foliage plants, such as the mini hosta (hosta), are lost in the sunny flower box.
Use plants correctly - this is how it works
When the prepared balcony box and all plants are ready to hand, the planting work can begin. Experience has shown that you need 6 to 8 plants for a 100 cm long flower box, whereas a 80 cm small balcony box needs 4 to 5 plants. How to use the young plant properly:
- Dip the potted root ball in water until no more bubbles appear
- Pot the plants and plant them a hand's width apart
- Fill the balcony box with substrate up to a 2 cm high pouring edge
Press the soil down with your hands to create a good connection for the roots. Last but not least, water the plants until the first drops run out of the bottom of the box. If the water collects in a coaster, please pour it out after 10 minutes at the latest.
Tips
Do not reach for the first potting soil that is available because it is currently being offered at an affordable price. Please take a look at the composition before purchasing. As a rule of thumb, the higher the proportion of peat, the lower the quality. Peat is not only questionable from an ecological point of view. If the substrate with peat dries, the water storage is significantly reduced.
