If you don't have your own garden, you don't have to do without a greenhouse. Nowadays there are even smaller models for the balcony. I would like to introduce three to you here.
Greenhouses are becoming increasingly popular. No wonder, because a greenhouse offers several advantages at the same time. On the one hand, you can start sowing early here and accordingly enjoy a longer harvest time. On the other hand, heat-loving plants thrive much better in a greenhouse. A greenhouse also has an important use for tomatoes, cucumbers & Co. - it protects the plants from wind and rain.
A greenhouse is often associated with a garden, but there are also special space-saving models for the balcony. Because even if you don't have a house or an apartment with a garden, you don't have to do without fruit and vegetables from your own cultivation.
Prerequisites for a bountiful harvest
If you put a greenhouse on the balcony and expect a bountiful harvest, there are a few requirements that must be met. This includes:
» Sufficient sun:
Most fruits and vegetables need enough sun to thrive. Balconies with a south-east or south-west orientation are best suited here.
» Good ventilation:
If the air on the balcony and accordingly in the greenhouse is still, the plants are more susceptible to diseases and pests. You must therefore ensure a good climate, i.e. ensure adequate ventilation.
» Optimal planters:
Of course, simply distributing soil on the balcony and planting plants does not work. You need to place the plants in planters or alternatively, for example, in a mortar tub (with drainage!). The pots should be at least 10 liters. so that the plants have enough space there later.
» Note: There are also models that have a kind of raised bed at the bottom for the soil to go into. Then of course this point is omitted.
» Real Earth:
Do not use potting soil for growing vegetables, but special potting soil. Coconut substrate, for example, is highly recommended here (more on this here: peat-free soil), which you can get cheaply from Amazon.de, for example.This has a significantly better water holding capacity than the normal standard peat soil. In addition, the roots of the plant are better aerated by the loose structure. This ensures better plant growth.
Greenhouse models for the balcony
Mini Greenhouse
A post shared by carmen (@s altyhair.dontcare) on Apr 15, 2022 at 8:08am
Regular standard balconies are not necessarily perfectly sized for large greenhouses. After all, there should also be space for a table and chairs to relax. But you don't have to do without, because there are really small greenhouses. Of course, it is clear that you cannot plant 10 tomato plants, 5 cucumbers and additionally lettuce there. A mini greenhouse is always sufficient for small potted plants or various herbs. Of course, you can also use the mini greenhouse to grow plants for the field.
By the way, while researching mini greenhouses, I came across an automatic mini greenhouse. This is a round pot for salad and herbs, equipped with LEDs and a built-in automatic watering pump. The device takes care of the maintenance itself, so to speak.
Not cheap, but definitely space-saving and work-saving. This and other ingenious and sometimes strange little helpers for the garden can also be found at idealo.de.
Foil Greenhouse
A post shared by Jiyoung Woo (@dokkkk) on Mar 25, 2022 at 8:47am
A widespread and also the cheapest method is the foil greenhouse. In most cases, this is a rod frame that is covered with a film.
Foil greenhouses are available in different sizes, so that small as well as larger balconies can be equipped with a corresponding greenhouse. It is important that you pay attention to the type of film when buying. Thermal foil is highly recommended so that the heat from the sun's rays is conducted into the interior of the house.
Probably the biggest advantage of a plastic greenhouse is that it is very easy to assemble and disassemble. At the beginning of the season you can set it up quickly to start cultivating and when the winter season is about to begin or a storm is imminent, the poly greenhouse can be packed up in no time and stowed away to save space.
If the film is damaged, you can easily replace it without having to buy a new greenhouse. First and foremost, a poly greenhouse is forTomato plants, but you can grow peppers, herbs and other vegetables there just as well.
Lean-to greenhouse
A post shared by SimulinaDigitalDesigns (@queensimulina) on Aug 18, 2016 at 6:07am
The last option is the lean-to greenhouse, which is significantly more solid and durable than the foil greenhouse.
The lean-to greenhouse is a flat-backed greenhouse that is placed against the wall of a house or shed to save space. The biggest advantage here is that the house wall stores the heat during the day and can thus transfer it to the greenhouse. In this way, the plants get enough heat even in the late evening hours, so that growth is better and he althier.
Lean-to greenhouses are also available in different sizes, so that everyone can find a suitable model for their balcony or terrace. I saw a large selection with different widths and depths at beckmann-kg.de.