Gardening on a balcony?

laura27314

Hi guys,

I have really been enjoying the gardening forum on here in the last few weeks.

I'm a gardening novice, and am currently living in an apartment with a tiny tiny (first floor) balcony. I'm planning on moving to a house or renting an allotment for next spring, and am getting some practice in by growing some potatoes, carrots, strawberries, and Broccoli raab, plus the usual kitchen window herb collection.

I have two questions, I've left my strawberry plants out to get pollintated, but with the bad weather and windy enough conditions on my open balcony I haven't actually seen any bees. Is there a way to know if the plants are pollinated or can I hand pollinate strawberries with a wet paintbrush? Can I encourage the plants to send out runners to get more plants?

Also, do I need to protect my broccoli raab against slugs? Can they get to the first floor? There are no other plants around, as the other balcony owners just store rubbish or BBQs. How will I know when my raab is about to seed so I can collect them for next year?

Any advice would be much appreciated.

Laura

The Sweeper

Let's see....

Strawberries. If you're having crap weather you may not get a good crop and you might just have to put that down to the experience of gardening. If you want to pollinate anything yourself, just use a soft, dry, clean paintbrush or make-up brush (an eyeshadow brush is designed to pick up and hold powder, after all, whereas some paintbrushes can have pointed tips and smooth bristles designed to spread paint with mininmal brush marks). You just need to dab it on each flower, plant to plant. I've never had to do it with strawberries myself, so that's just a general rule of thumb.

The plants will send out runners themselves when they're ready. Strawberries are a good plant in hanging baskets - helps keep the slugs and snails and mice and other bugglies from scoffing them because the fruit will hang down off the basket (you will get some impressive athletics from the more adventurous birds, however).

Regarding slugs and your location, any slugs that are on your balcony will have come in as passengers or eggs in potting mixes or on potting receptacles. Keep an eye on your brocolli plants and react if you see any nibbling damage. (It's highly unlikely that those enormous brown and orange buggers who can decimate a patch of seedlings in one night is going to find its way to your balcony overnight). During the day, pick up plants and check underneath and check in any damp and sheltered areas for sleeping critters and if they're present, pick them off and dispose of them.

Regarding collecting seed - the best practice for collecting seed for propogation is always to allow the finest plant you have to run to seed. (No matter how much you want to eat it. ) A seed head is a distinctive object in most plants. If you want to collect seed, the best thing is to allow the seeds to dry on the plant. Most annuals that run to seed will produce a seed head and then slowly die off. The process of dying off allows the plant to first put all of its life force into the seeds and then as it dies back, the seed dries and the carapace hardens, allowing the seed to survive when it falls to earth and waits out the seasons until it's time to germanate.

If you're not ready to sow seed immediately, collect it by removing the drying (or totally dried) seed head carefully from the plant and put it in a paper bag (better again, put the bag over the seed head before you start moving it about to take it off the plant). The seed head will finish drying in the paper bag, and you can give it a shake to release the seeds into your paper bag. Most seeds store best in the fridge (not frozen), where the cool temperature keeps them in a dormant, wintering state.

I have an old guinness beer fridge in my garage that I use for storing seed - temp is just right.

laura27314

Thanks, I will do all of those things.
Fortunately my balcony is a mesh base, which is actually good for drainage and nowhere for "nasties" to hide!

Laura

arse..biscuits

I have a quite small balcony, it is south facing though so lots of sun. I have tomatoes, peas, beans, onions, strawberries, cabbage, herbs and pototoes growing at the moment. Theres not much room left for me though. I find the biggest problem is the wind. Are you living in Dublin city centre? There is an allotment type thing I'm involved with which is great for growing some veg, near Thomas street.

laura27314

arse..biscuits wrote: »

I have a quite small balcony, it is south facing though so lots of sun. I have tomatoes, peas, beans, onions, strawberries, cabbage, herbs and pototoes growing at the moment. Theres not much room left for me though. I find the biggest problem is the wind. Are you living in Dublin city centre? There is an allotment type thing I'm involved with which is great for growing some veg, near Thomas street.

The wind is my prob too. my balcony is west facing unfortunately.

I am actually living in Dublin 8. Is it the community garden you're involved with or actual allotments?

Laura

arse..biscuits

Well its called a community garden but each person has their own raised bed and everything they grow is their own (not communal). Its just off Bridgefoot/Island street.

laura27314

Do you know are there any free spots or how I could find out?

Laura

arse..biscuits

PM sent

jdivision

I'm on a fourth floor so it's nearly always windy. Any recommendations as to what would grow well at that height.

Yi Harr

Hi, noticed you mentioned the allotments around bridgefoot street. I'm living in the area and am just wondering if anyone has any info on them? Is it possible to rent space or are they solely for residents in the immediate area?

arse..biscuits

Hi, I'm involved with them, I built all the beds myself. You could come round tomorrow evening at 6.30, I'll be there to show you around and fill you in on all the details.

Yi Harr

That would be brilliant, apart from anything else, am really interested to see whats being done there. See you 6:30 so. Btw who should I ask for? not sure I fancy asking around for Arse-Biscuits.

arse..biscuits

pjgardiner wrote: »

That would be brilliant, apart from anything else, am really interested to see whats being done there. See you 6:30 so. Btw who should I ask for? not sure I fancy asking around for Arse-Biscuits.

Ask for Colin.