You can enjoy balcony gardening, a wonderful way to add plants to your home in cities where there isn’t often a traditional garden available. But keeping your balcony garden a beautiful and healthy one can be a challenge at times, especially for those of you who are first-timer or with busy schedules. Luckily, there are plenty of easy-care plants that are suited to balconies and therefore it’s never been more convenient to have all the advantages of greenery without doing the work yourself.
In this post, we’ll learn which are the easiest to care for plants on a balcony, as well as expert reviews, experiences and advice to help you create a greenery success.
1. Succulents and Cacti
The easiest plants to keep are cacti and succulents. These thirsty plants store water in their leaves and stems, so you can leave them unwatered for months.
Why They’re Ideal:
No water requirements: It is the best plant for forgetful gardeners.
Small Sizes: Good for balconies with limited space.
Variety: Available in multiple shapes, sizes and colors for visual variety.
Expert Tip:
Place your succulents and cacti in a place that gets plenty of sunlight. If you don’t have an in-direct window, choose varieties such as Haworthia or Gasteria that like the shade. Don’t water too much – just a light misting once every two weeks is good.
Personal Experience:
I’ve found arranging succulents in a shallow terracotta pot works beautifully and doesn’t take up too much room. Add some pebbles to the soil, to give it more texture and to retain moisture.
2. Herbs
Basil, mint, parsley, thyme, and other herbs are not only low-maintenance but also functional to your yard. There is nothing like snagging fresh herbs for your cooking off your balcony!
Why They’re Ideal:
Useful: Flavors food and has medicinal uses.
Ability to grow in pots: Dose grows well in pots, prefers partial sun.
Rapid expansion: Gives an edge to first-time users.
Expert Tip:
Choose the herbs based on your recipes and the climate. Basil, for example, likes warm, sunny temperatures, but mint likes the shade. Turn your herb pots over once a week for good distribution.
Personal Experience:
I had mint once planted in a pot and quickly outgrew it. TAKE AWAY: Mint spreads very vigorously, so always plant it in a separate pot so you don’t crowd it.
3. Spider Plants
Spider plants are a timeless choice both for the home and for the garden, including the balcony. They are tough, tolerant and they clean the air, so they are an avid gardener’s choice.
Why They’re Ideal:
Pros: Resists neglect and various growth conditions.
Air – purifiers: Improves the air quality on your balcony.
Delightful use: Gives off clumps of leaves and tiny white flowers.
Expert Tip:
Spider plants are shade loving, and can thrive in sunnier balconies. Drain well and water them once top inch of soil is dry for root rot prevention.
Personal Experience:
When I got an apartment with a sunny balcony, my spider plant lived in a hanging pot. Its fall of leaves brought movement and heft to the room with practically no effort on my part.
4. Pothos (Devil’s Ivy)
Pothos is another fantastic choice if you are looking for a hassle free balcony garden. It’s a shrub that protrudes on vines and is a great greenery.It spreads fast and grows well in virtually any type of soil.
Why They’re Ideal:
Ability to grow: Will do in water, soil, or both.
Tough: Accepts dark and frequent watering.
Beauty: Gives a green and tropical appearance to your balcony.
Expert Tip:
Prune the vines every now and then to get bushier growth and keep them from being too bushy. And if you are really ambitious, rig the vines to tie on to trellises or balcony slats.
Personal Experience:
I bred pothos from a single stem cutting and put it in a jar of water on my balcony table. And eventually it became a feature with its bright green plants climbing gracefully over the side.
5. Aloe Vera
It is the super-hero of the plant, Aloe vera. It needs very little care and it provides a special form for your balcony garden.
Why They’re Ideal:
Beauty Benefits: Aloe vera can calm burns, cuts, and skin rashes.
Wet-loving: Grows well on the dry ground, requires little water.
Minimalistic size: Ideal for tiny homes.
Expert Tip:
Put aloe vera in a terracotta pot filled with sandy soil so it looks natural. Put holes in the pot so the aloe can drain (aloe doesn’t like water in it).
Personal Experience:
Aloe vera is almost indestructible, I’ve discovered. It was a hot summer, and one month I didn’t water my plant, but it was still alive and well, so the plants are tough.
6. Peace Lilies
Peace lilies are beautiful and easy to maintain, so they’re a good balcony gardening choice.
Why They’re Ideal:
Shade tolerant: Applies well to shadow spaces, so great for sunny balconies.
Purification of air: Clears the air of toxins such as benzene and carbon monoxide.
Elegant look: Dark green leaves with white flowers.
Expert Tip:
Water peace lilies when the leaves begin to fall slightly, which is a telltale sign they’re thirsty. You do not want to put them in bright sunlight which will burn their leaves.
Personal Experience:
One peace lily that I’d kept on my balcony for more than a year was a talking point with visitors. Its pure flowers and leaves were calm.
7. Snake Plant (Sansevieria)
The snake plant (mother-in-law tongue) is an easy choice for beginners that’s beautiful and needs little maintenance.
Why They’re Ideal:
No watering: Can go weeks without watering.
Durability: Withstands any lighting conditions, from dim to very bright indirect light.
Purify the air: Removes pollutants and let’s out oxygen at night.
Expert Tip:
Snake plants can get root rot, so choose porous soil and water sparingly. They need a pot with holes to drain away water.
Personal Experience:
My snake plant took a long vacation with nary a thought. It is also the plant to have for people who have a garden conscience.
Final Thoughts
It doesn’t have to be hard or lengthy to plant on a balcony. Choose low-maintenance plants such as succulents, herbs, spider plants and aloe vera and you will have a beautiful, relaxing space outdoors with very little work. You can start small, play around with some plants, and your garden will spread at the rate you can manage.
Recall, what you really need to get the most out of your balcony garden is to figure out what you’re looking for in your space (sun exposure, wind exposure, space available) and find plants that can do just that. With the right plants and a little tender care, your balcony can become an eco-mecca that is an eye catcher and a source of happiness at home.
