ORIOLE FOOD SPACE
  • Home
    • OFS Community Channel
    • OFS Food Ambassador of the Month
  • OFS COOKING VIDEOS
    • OFS Videos COOKING at Home SUMMER SERIES
    • OFS Videos COOKING at Home (SERIES #1 to #7)
    • OFS Sessions - COOKING AT HOME
    • Kids Cooking Contest!
  • OFS FOOD BANK
    • Food Emergency Resources
  • OFS RECIPES
    • OFS RECIPES
    • CANADA's FOOD GUIDE
  • GARDENING
  • Contact

OFS gardening

​Seeds and seed saving

Online local seed companies:
  • Backyard Seed Savers
  • Bear Root Gardens
  • Gaia Organic Seeds
  • Hawthorn Farm Organic Seeds
  • Matchbox Garden
  • Mountain Grove Seed Company
  • Richter’s
  • Terra Edibles
  • Urban Harvest
  • Urban Tomato

Grow an Edible Garden - On Your Balcony! 

Taken from: GrowVeg - © Growing Interactive Ltd 2007-2020
By: Benedict Vanheems

Densely populated city centers aren’t an obvious place to seek gardening inspiration, but it’s here you’ll find the most ingenious gardeners. The coming together of big ambitions and tiny spaces makes for some very interesting results, demonstrated best in balcony gardens. On my occasional day trips to London by train it’s always fascinating to spot these little green oases perched way up in the sky.

Their owners have created a verdant escape from the urban jungle, a place of beauty, calm, and even productivity. To sit within a well thought out balcony garden is to be in a different world – a slice of paradise right outside the door. If you only have a balcony to grow on, don’t let it stop you from indulging your horticultural desires. Here are some tips and ideas to maximize the space you’ve got and enjoy gardening as much as anyone.

PRACTICAL CONSIDERATIONS FOR YOUR BALCONY GARDEN:

  • Rules: Some landlords or housing associations have specific rules about what you can and can’t grow on your balcony, so check before you begin. There’s little point creating a beautiful garden only for it to be removed.
  • Weight: Clusters of containers can get heavy. Consider how much weight your balcony can support and err on the side of caution. If in doubt choose lighter plastic pots over heavier terracotta or stone alternatives. Position the heaviest pots closer to load-bearing walls or over supporting joists.
  • Wind: The higher up your balcony, the windier it’s likely to be. Not all plants thrive in exposed, windy conditions, so choose accordingly. Windbreaks like netting or reed screens are very effective at filtering the wind and will also create an attractive backdrop. Or you could use wind-tolerant plants like most grasses and bamboo to create a natural windbreak for sensitive plants.
  • Light: Like any garden it’s essential to consider how much direct sunshine your balcony gets. It is easy to overestimate this, so take the time to record exactly where sunlight falls and at what time of day. Even predominantly shady balconies have options: try salad leaves, spinach, kale, carrots and well-behaved soft fruits such as strawberries or compact varieties of raspberry.
  • Exposure: Cold can be an issue on exposed balconies, while on the flipside, sun-warmed walls will slowly release their heat over night to create something of a protective microclimate. However, it’s safest to work on the assumption that a balcony will be a few degrees colder than ground level. Ensure good drainage so pots don’t become waterlogged then freeze solid.
  • Water: Conversely, be on hand to water regularly in hot, dry weather. The combination of sun and wind can dry out pots with alarming speed. If you haven’t the time to water, install a drip irrigation system.

EDIBLE BALCONY GARDEN IDEAS:

  • You haven’t got a lot of it, so make the most of your space. Turn the garden on its side by planting up vertical spaces instead. This could be as simple as training climbing beans or cucumbers up trellis, or securing window boxes to railings.
  • Walls are a blessing. Use them to mount planters to create a wall of green, or set up any number of wall-mounted or stackable modular planters aimed at the urban gardener. You could also use shelving to create a ‘plant theater’ of herbs or strawberries. Make sure to fix the shelving securely to the wall so it can’t blow over.
  • Don’t forget hanging baskets and other suspended planters at head level. With plants growing up from below and trailing down from above, it’s possible to create the illusion of a lush, bountiful garden far bigger than the modest footprint of your balcony.
  • You will want to sit back and admire your handiwork from time to time, so don’t sacrifice somewhere to unwind at the expense of squeezing in yet more plants. A small patio table and chair set offers somewhere outside to do the crossword, enjoy breakfast or sip a sundowner.

BEST BALCONY GARDEN PLANTS:

  • Hardy aromatic herbs tolerate the exposed conditions of a balcony, so incorporate the likes of rosemary, lavender and thyme. In fact, all herbs are a wise choice given their high value and their low space requirements, and they will give you something to pick almost every day of the year.
  • Containers supporting edibles such as salad leaves, cherry tomatoes and miniature varieties of vegetables including beets and compact summer squashes are fun to grow and deeply rewarding. Opt for quick-to-mature crops and there’s no reason you can’t get two, three or even four harvests from the same pots each year. And don't forget to include some flowers to help draw in pollinators and keep pests under control.
  • Above all a balcony garden should be a refuge – a bolthole to commune with passing nature and decompress after a long day. Get creative, be ingenious and you can grow your very own garden in the sky.

Plant Growing Guides:

Taken from: GrowVeg - © Growing Interactive Ltd 2007-2020
:Click on a plant to be taken to a page full of useful information about how to grow and harvest it:
  1. ​Agastache​
  2. Ageratum
  3. Allium (Ornamental)
  4. Almond
  5. Alyssum
  6. Amaranth (Grain)
  7. Amaranth (Ornamental)
  8. Anemone
  9. Apple (Cordon)
  10. Apple (Dwarf)
  11. Apple (Espalier)
  12. Apple (Large)
  13. Apricot (Dwarf)
  14. Apricot (Large)
  15. Artichoke (Globe)
  16. Arugula
  17. Asparagus
  18. Aster (China)
  19. Basil
  20. Bay
  21. Beans (Bush Snap)
  22. Beans (Dry)
  23. Beans (Fava)
  24. Beans (Lima)
  25. Beans (Pole)
  26. Beet
  27. Begonia
  28. Bells of Ireland
  29. Black Currant
  30. Blackberry
  31. Bluebell
  32. Blueberry
  33. Bok Choy
  34. Borage
  35. Broccoli
  36. Broccoli (Purple Sprouting)
  37. Brussels Sprouts
  38. Buckwheat
  39. Cabbage (Fall Red)
  40. Cabbage (Fall)
  41. Cabbage (Spring Red)
  42. Cabbage (Spring)
  43. Cabbage (Summer Red)
  44. Cabbage (Summer)
  45. Calendula
  46. Cantaloupe
  47. Carrot
  48. Catnip
  49. Cauliflower
  50. Celeriac
  51. Celery
  52. Celosia
  53. Chamomile
  54. Cherry (Dwarf)
  55. Cherry (Fan)
  56. Cherry (Semi-Dwarf)
  57. Chestnut (Chinese)
  58. Chicory
  59. Chili Pepper
  60. Chinese Cabbage
  61. Chives
  62. Chives (Garlic)
  63. Cilantro
  64. Cleome
  65. Colchicum
  66. Coleus
  67. Collards
  68. Comfrey
  69. Convolvulus
  70. Coreopsis
  71. Corn
  72. Cornflower
  73. Cosmos
  74. Cotton
  75. Cranberry
  76. Cress
  77. Crimson Clover
  78. Crocus
  79. Crowder Peas
  80. Cucumber
  81. Cuphea
  82. Daffodil
  83. Dahlia
  84. Daylily
  85. Dianthus
  86. Dill
  87. Dusty Miller
  88. Echinacea
  89. Edamame
  90. Eggplant
  91. Endive
  92. Fennel
  93. Fennel (Herb)
  94. Fenugreek
  95. Feverfew
  96. Fig
  97. Fig (Container Grown)
  98. Filbert
  99. Fruit (Bush)
  100. Fruit (Dwarf Tree)
  101. Fruit (Trellised)
  102. Gaillardia
  103. Garlic
  104. Gazania
  105. Geranium
  106. Ginger
  107. Gladiolus
  108. Gomphrena
  109. Gooseberry
  110. Gourd
  111. Grape Vine
  112. Gypsophila
  113. Hairy Vetch
  114. Hazel
  115. Heliotrope
  116. Herb
  117. Honeyberry
  118. Hops
  119. Horseradish
  120. Hyacinth
  121. Impatiens
  122. Iris
  123. Jerusalem Artichoke
  124. Johnny Jump Up
  125. Jostaberry
  126. Kale
  127. Kiwi
  128. Kohlrabi
  129. Lantana
  130. Larkspur
  131. Lavatera
  132. Lavender
  133. Leek
  134. Lemon
  135. Lemon (Container Grown)
  136. Lemon Balm
  137. Lemon Verbena
  138. Lemongrass
  139. Lettuce (Crisphead)
  140. Lettuce (Leaf)
  141. Lettuce (Miners)
  142. Lily
  143. Lime
  144. Lime (Container Grown)
  145. Lobelia
  146. Loganberry
  147. Lovage
  148. Mache
  149. Marigold
  150. Marjoram
  151. Medlar
  152. Melon
  153. Mint
  154. Mizuna
  155. Monarda
  156. Morning Glory
  157. Muscari
  158. Muskmelon
  159. Mustard
  160. Nasturtium
  161. Nectarine (Dwarf)
  162. Nectarine (Large)
  163. Nicotiana
  164. Nigella
  165. ​​​Oats
  166. Okra
  167. Onion
  168. Onion (Fall planted)
  169. Onions (Green)
  170. Onions (Perennial)
  171. Onions (Red)
  172. Orange
  173. Orange (Container Grown)
  174. Oregano
  175. Osteospermum
  176. Pansy
  177. Parsley
  178. Parsnip
  179. Peach (Dwarf)
  180. Peach (Large)
  181. Peanut
  182. Pear (Cordon)
  183. Pear (Dwarf)
  184. Pear (Espalier)
  185. Pear (Large)
  186. Peas
  187. Pecan
  188. Pepper
  189. Persimmon
  190. Petunia
  191. Phacelia
  192. Phlox (Annual)
  193. Plum (Dwarf)
  194. Plum (Fan)
  195. Plum (Large)
  196. Poached Egg Plant
  197. Pomegranate
  198. Portulaca
  199. Potatoes (Early)
  200. Potatoes (Maincrop)
  201. Pumpkin
  202. Quinoa
  203. Radicchio
  204. Radish
  205. Raspberry
  206. Red Currant
  207. Rhubarb
  208. Rose
  209. Rosemary
  210. Rutabaga
  211. Rye (Annual)
  212. Rye (Cereal)
  213. Sage
  214. Salpiglossis
  215. Salvia
  216. Scabiosa (Sweet)
  217. Scallions
  218. Scarlet Sage
  219. Scilla
  220. Shallots
  221. Snapdragon
  222. Snowdrop
  223. Sorrel
  224. Soybeans
  225. Spinach
  226. Spinach (Malabar)
  227. Spinach (New Zealand)
  228. Squash (Summer)
  229. Squash (Winter)
  230. Stevia
  231. Stock
  232. Strawberry
  233. Strawflower
  234. Sunflower
  235. Sweet Pea
  236. Sweet Potato
  237. Swiss Chard
  238. Tansy
  239. Tarragon
  240. Tatsoi
  241. Thyme
  242. Tomatillo
  243. Tomato (Large)
  244. Tomato (Small)
  245. Tree (Large)
  246. Tree (Small)
  247. Tulip
  248. Turnip
  249. Valerian
  250. Verbena (Annual)
  251. Vinca (Annual)
  252. Walnut
  253. Watermelon
  254. Wheat
  255. White Currant
  256. Winter Field Beans
  257. Winter Peas
  258. Zinnia
  259. ​Zucchini
​
  • Home
    • OFS Community Channel
    • OFS Food Ambassador of the Month
  • OFS COOKING VIDEOS
    • OFS Videos COOKING at Home SUMMER SERIES
    • OFS Videos COOKING at Home (SERIES #1 to #7)
    • OFS Sessions - COOKING AT HOME
    • Kids Cooking Contest!
  • OFS FOOD BANK
    • Food Emergency Resources
  • OFS RECIPES
    • OFS RECIPES
    • CANADA's FOOD GUIDE
  • GARDENING
  • Contact