Vertical gardening on a balcony
A garden on every balcony.
Vertical growing is the most effective way to expand a balcony garden without expanding its footprint. A 60 cm stretch of wall planted with a pocket felt panel holds a dozen herbs. A freestanding trellis in a 20-litre ballast pot supports climbing beans or cucumbers across two metres of height.
Trellis options: Timber trellis panels lean against a wall and need no drilling. They carry light climbers well: peas, sweet peas, climbing French beans, and smaller cucumber varieties. Heavier crops such as vigorous cucumbers or winter squash need a wall-anchored support or a robust steel frame with a weighted pot at the base.
Pocket planters and felt panels mount on a single row of screws and hold 10 to 20 individual pockets. They are lightweight, drain fast, and suit herbs and salad leaves well. Pockets at the top of the panel dry out fastest, so plant drought-tolerant herbs there and keep moisture-hungry crops lower.
Tower pots and stacking planters stand on the floor with no fixings required. Stack 5 to 8 units for strawberries, lettuce, or herbs. Position them against a wall to reduce wind rock. Rotate the tower a quarter-turn each week on a directional balcony so every pocket gets its share of sunlight.