Do you want to cultivate a summer vegetable garden on the balcony and collect fresh vegetables until September? A few vessels are enough, the right sun and suitable plants to transform a minimum space into a production mini oasis.
Even without experience, cultivating on the balcony is simpler than you think. Just look at how much light takes every day and start from the plants that are used most in the kitchen. It is not necessary to have a huge space, often it is the smaller terrace that gives the greater satisfactions.
You can also start with little: a vase of basil Perfumed, two seedlings of cherry tomato and some cutting salad which grows fast and collects several times. Seeing the first sprouts changing shapes every day is surprising, almost therapeutic. And then, there is that little pride in seasoning the pasta with something cultivated with your own hands. One step at a time, you find yourself dreaming of an entire green wall: a small corner of nature to be lived.
The foundations of the summer garden on the balcony
And urban garden It’s not just a fashion. It is good for mood, it allows you to eat healthier and brings closer to nature. But where to start? First thing: look at your balcony. Does it receive direct light at least 4-6 hours a day? If yes, you can also grow demanding vegetables such as tomatoes and peppers. If, on the other hand, it is more shaded, there are still ideal solutions. The containers can be traditional vases, wooden boxes, spin -fabric bags. The important thing is that there is a good drainage and a quality soil, perhaps enriched with compost.
And the water? Better the constancy than excess. It is recommended to water in the evening or early in the morning, when the sun is not yet hot. Avoid stagnation, but never leave the plants completely dry.
What to plant in the garden on the balcony in summer to collect until September
Summer is the perfect time to sow or transplant some rapid growth vegetables that mature between August and September: it is the period in which nature offers the maximum of its generosity. A perfect moment to experiment, dare with new varieties or simply fill the empty vases with something useful and tasty. Here are some concrete ideas:
- Cutting salads (lettuce, rocket, valerianella): they grow very fast and can be collected even several times.
- Cherry tomatoes: better to choose dwarf or determined varieties, perfect for the pots.
- Spicy or sweet peppers: They love the sun and also color the environment.
- Vase zucchini: There are compact varieties, ideal for wide containers.
- Basil, parsley and mint: indispensable in the kitchen and very easy to maintain.
- Nani bean: in a few weeks they collect and do not require supports.
- Radish: ready in 30 days, children also like them.
Curious to know that many of these plants improve the surrender if cultivated close: for example basil and tomatoes they “help” each other, improving flavor and protection from insects.
How to get a continuous harvest until late summer
To have fresh vegetables until September (and even beyond), makeup is one: scrape the sowing. Instead of planting everything together, small seedbeds can be made every two weeks. So it is prevented that everything mature at the same time.
It may seem trivial, but the rotation of the crops is also useful: to change the pot or type of vegetable after a collection improves soil health and reduces parasites.
Finally, some natural ally: a thin anti-insect network can save the salad from sudden attacks. And with a nettle macerate the plants feed without using chemicals.
Have a summer vegetable garden on the balcony It is not just a way to decorate with greenery. It is a small gesture of autonomy, a daily pampering that gives satisfaction.
What if a plant does not grow? Not bad, it’s part of the game. Just try again.
Photo © Stock.adobe
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