How to Make a Balcony Herb Garden – 6 Practical Ideas to Try

Just because you don’t live in a rural area or the countryside doesn’t mean you can’t grow an amazing herb garden. It just means you need to get creative and use your imagination to do it. Balcony gardening is a great way to get started.

Here are six ways to create a fantastic herb garden, whether you live on the first floor or the 25th.

6 Practical Ways to Make a Balcony Herb Garden

Do you live in an apartment building, condo, or multi-story home and are desperate for a bit of greenery and fresh herbs in your life? If you want to plant coriander, chives, mint, oregano, parsley, basil, thyme, lemon balm, and more but you only have a small space, we have some amazing herb garden ideas for you.

Here is a list of six versatile, beautiful, and easy ways to grow a balcony garden that is guaranteed to give your space a little sprucing up.

1. Try a Vertical Garden 

A vertical garden is a great way to save space and create a garden even on a small balcony. Instead of using up all of your space with garden boxes or crates, implement an option that lets you build upwards instead of outwards.

Pallet Vertical Garden: Pallets are cheap and easy to find. Lean your pallet against the wall that gets the most exposure to sunlight, then add some landscape fabric around the slats to create a bucket to hold your plants in place.

You can sand your pallet down and paint it or decorate it however you like to make it match your decor or spice up your balcony’s look.

Hang a Vertical Planter (Use a Shoe Hanger): You can purchase a vertical wall planter that hangs from any space you like, whether that’s on the back of your patio door or against the railings. This hanging herb garden is a great way to give each herb a pocket and keep everything out of the way.

Stacking Cement Blocks: Believe it or not, many people love the look of cement blocks for balcony garden planters. Again, these offer an affordable and unique way to grow a garden upwards. 

You simply stack the blocks any way you like, then fill them with soil or potting mix.

2. Elevated Herb Garden Box

Elevated herb garden boxes are becoming more popular every day. People find raised garden boxes more attractive than backyard gardens, and they are versatile for just about any location, including balconies.

Most elevated herb gardens are made from wood and can be painted, stained, and designed in many different ways to appeal to all types of tastes.

These boxes can be pretty costly, so consider putting in a little elbow grease and making your own. 

3. Hydroponic Herb Garden

Many people who choose to grow herbs on their balconies would probably benefit from less dirt and soil flying around.

Purchasing a hydroponic herb garden kit can take away the mess and give you a modern and unique way to create a functional garden that doesn’t require much space.

What are Hydroponic Herb Gardens?

Did you know that plants do not need dirt to thrive? Soil is often a way to protect your seeds and provide a way for roots to develop and support the plant as they grow. 

A hydroponic herb garden is a great system. It keeps the roots hydrated, provides nutrition to your plants, and grows herbs without dirt.

4. Rail Planter Box Herb Gardens

The planter boxes frequently seen flaunting beautiful flowers on the front porch decks and rails of homes can make great herb garden boxes for your balcony. 

You can get these planter boxes from just about any store or order them online. Many great YouTube videos can help you make your own and add a personal touch.

5. Mason Jar Herb Gardens

Mason jars are extremely popular these days. They can be used to create home decor, as party decorations, and so much more. These little containers provide just enough space to give each herb plant the room they need to grow and thrive.

You can dress up a mason jar to give your balcony a country chic feel, rustic look, or just about any other theme.

With a little bit of paint, a lot of imagination, and a balcony, you can make a mason jar garden work for your home.

6. Balcony Turned Backyard

Okay, these are supposed to be practical ideas, so turning your entire balcony into your backyard might not fit the criteria. But if you can do it, it will give you an outdoor oasis to visit every day.

Add planter boxes, pots, and vertical gardens to the balcony. Decorate the entire porch space with greenery, shrubs, and flowers, along with your herbs, to give yourself a place to escape into nature without ever leaving your home.

Tips for Growing a Balcony Herb Garden

This method is not the most common way to grow a garden, so the same care instructions might not fit. Here are some tips to consider when growing herbs on your balcony or any other location that isn’t the norm.

Choose the Proper Lighting

Herbs require plenty of sunlight to grow successfully. If your balcony doesn’t provide enough natural light, consider purchasing an LED grow light and hanging it above your herb garden. This will provide the essential glow required for the best possible plant growth.

Keep an Eye on the Temperature

Like any outdoor plant, keep an eye on the temperature outdoors and water a little more when it is extremely hot out. Consider bringing the plants indoors when it gets too cold.

Do a little research on the plants you put in your garden so you know which climates they do the best in and what their watering requirements are.

Acclimate Them to Their New Environment

Most herb plants are relatively hardy. If they’re given the chance to acclimate slowly to the elements, these plants can do pretty well in all types of weather conditions.

The best option when purchasing herbs is to get them from a nursery where they are kept outdoors and already exposed to different weather and temps.

Give Them Plenty of Space

Each plant requires plenty of soil space to grow. If the plants are in a pot that is too small or placed in a planter with too many other herbs, it will stunt their growth because the roots will have nowhere to go.

Provide Great Drainage

Root rot is a huge problem for people trying to keep herbs readily available in their homes. If your plants do not have access to adequate drainage, they will start to get moldy and die.

Besides making sure each pot has drainage holes, purchasing light, loose soil or potting mix will aid in aeration and drainage. This helps the plants breathe and access clean, fresh oxygen.

Things to Be Cautious of When Creating a Balcony Herb Garden

There are many benefits to growing an herb garden on your balcony, but there are a few disadvantages as well.

This project can be a little tricky for those unfamiliar with gardening. It can take time to get used to the routine and learn the best way to make your garden grow.

Outdoor Plants Draw in Bugs

Be conscious of possible bug infestation. Even on the highest balconies, bugs will find a way into your little garden and can work their way inside your house.

Make sure you treat your plants and the borders around the balcony to keep pests away and prevent your plants from becoming a critter’s free meal.

Hard to Remember

People are very busy these days, and balcony plants can fall under the category of “out of sight, out of mind.”

Balcony gardens rely entirely on human intervention for maintenance and nutrition, which means they cannot pull resources from anywhere else to survive. If you forget about your herbs for too long, they will die.

Not All Herbs Will Co-Exist Peacefully

Some herbs can grow very well together inside the same pot sharing the same soil. However, there are also specific plants that should never be in the same area as others.

Mint is a big culprit for being a pot hog. This herb will spread its roots far and wide, not leaving much room for anything else.

Before placing your herbs together, do your homework and figure out which plants grow well together. Otherwise, place them in individual containers.

Summing Things Up

You do not need tons of wide-open space or a green thumb to grow beautiful, delicious herbs. All you need is the correct setup and proper knowledge, and your balcony can become the perfect home for any garden.

Resources:

MSN