Avatar for Aajmousamh
Jan 8, 2016 8:02 AM CST
Thread OP
Name: Saqina Begum
Houston/katy (Zone 9a)
Beginner Balcony Gardener
Hello all!

I am a beginner at container gardening on my balcony. As of now I only have a few containers from ikea. Please asisst in which direction to go. I want to plant flowers and edible plants/fruits/vegetables ASAP. What should I be doing at this exact time/weather of the year? Im located near katy area, what are some resources for a beginner around here?

Thank you
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Avatar for porkpal
Jan 8, 2016 8:06 AM CST
Name: Porkpal
Richmond, TX (Zone 9a)
Cat Lover Charter ATP Member Keeper of Poultry I was one of the first 300 contributors to the plant database! Dog Lover Keeps Horses
Roses Plant Identifier Farmer Raises cows Celebrating Gardening: 2015 Garden Ideas: Level 2
It will help if you can tell us where you live - or what climate zone it is.
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Jan 8, 2016 8:16 AM CST
Name: Donald
Eastland county, Texas (Zone 8a)
Raises cows Enjoys or suffers hot summers Region: Texas Plant Identifier
Aajmousamh said:Hello all!

I am a beginner at container gardening on my balcony. As of now I only have a few containers from ikea. Please asisst in which direction to go. I want to plant flowers and edible plants/fruits/vegetables ASAP. What should I be doing at this exact time/weather of the year? Im located near katy area, what are some resources for a beginner around here?

Thank you
Thumb of 2016-01-08/Aajmousamh/ec5553


In the Houston area you will be able to grow a lot of plants. With the humidity in the area I would think most succulents might be more difficult unless you can keep them dry. But things like Ficus, ferns and any number of leafy plants that like humidity should do well and not need protection from cold too often. There are a lot of people at ATP from the Houston area who can give you more specific advice. You will have a lot of choices, so it may depend on the space you have on the balcony to share with plants.

Edit: Welcome to ATP!
Donald
Last edited by needrain Jan 8, 2016 8:17 AM Icon for preview
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Jan 8, 2016 8:34 AM CST
Name: Mary
Glendale, Arizona (Zone 9b)
Region: Arizona Enjoys or suffers hot summers Seed Starter Roses Plumerias Morning Glories
Hummingbirder Composter Cat Lover Vegetable Grower
Welcome! to ATP @Aajmousamh

Choose "Goodies" in the left column and there you will find the Garden Calender. Type in your zip code or city and you will be given a very informative planting guide specifically for your area.

Best wishes with your gardening! Smiling
Avatar for Dutchlady1
Jan 8, 2016 8:49 AM CST

Plumerias Photo Contest Winner: 2015 Charter ATP Member I was one of the first 300 contributors to the plant database! Garden Ideas: Master Level Forum moderator
Region: Florida Cat Lover Garden Sages Cactus and Succulents Tropicals Hosted a Not-A-Raffle-Raffle
Welcome! Aajmousamh

Do you have sun on that balcony or is it shady?
Avatar for Deebie
Jan 9, 2016 10:20 AM CST
Name: Deborah
midstate South Carolina (Zone 8a)
Don't Sweat the Small Stuff!
Charter ATP Member Amaryllis Tropicals Plant and/or Seed Trader Seed Starter Plumerias
Plant Identifier Peonies Lilies Irises Hummingbirder Echinacea
Welcome! I agree You will find that there are lots of plants that you can grow. The dilemma will be which ones. If you stick around here, you will find plenty of enablers urging you to try to grow different plants. Ask me how I know. Whistling BTW, I love your balcony set up. Thumbs up Happy Gardening in 2016!
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Jan 9, 2016 12:02 PM CST
Name: Elaine
Sarasota, Fl
The one constant in life is change
Amaryllis Tropicals Multi-Region Gardener Orchids Master Gardener: Florida Irises
Herbs Region: Florida Vegetable Grower Daylilies Birds Cat Lover
Your balcony picture is just lovely. Should be on a calendar or a magazine cover.

I agree with Hetty, though, unless you have several hours of direct sunlight, it will be difficult to grow much in the way of edibles. In winter, maybe you can grow a planter of greens like lettuce, spinach or kale though. Earth Box makes a very nice white planter that would fit with your theme, and be a great way to grow some cool season stuff, or leafy herbs like chives, parsley and cilantro in the warmer months.

What direction does the balcony face? If it faces south, you'll have sun in the winter, but pretty much full shade all summer. A good thing for keeping the area cool, but not a great thing for plants that want sun to flower or bear fruit or vegetables.

Another thing to keep in mind, with your artistic flair for arrangement is that with any luck all your plants will grow. So be prepared to do some pruning to keep them from taking over the place. For decorative purposes, I'd stick to foliage plants that tolerate mostly shade.
Elaine

"Success is stumbling from failure to failure with no loss of enthusiasm." –Winston Churchill
Avatar for Aajmousamh
Jan 9, 2016 4:36 PM CST
Thread OP
Name: Saqina Begum
Houston/katy (Zone 9a)
Beginner Balcony Gardener
Thanks all for prompt replys!

My balcony is covered from 3 sides and open from one with a railing. It sure is facing south so I do get a good amount of sun during winters.

I am located in Houston/Katy area thats zone 9a
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Jan 9, 2016 4:51 PM CST
Name: Donald
Eastland county, Texas (Zone 8a)
Raises cows Enjoys or suffers hot summers Region: Texas Plant Identifier
Aajmousamh said:
I am located in Houston/Katy area thats zone 9a


I remember when Katy was a little town just west of Houston. There was actually space between the two Rolling on the floor laughing . I haven't been through it in years. The Katy Freeway is something to avoid if at all possible, IMO.
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Jan 9, 2016 5:05 PM CST
Name: Ken Ramsey
Vero Beach, FL (Zone 10a)
Bromeliad Vegetable Grower Region: United States of America Tropicals Plumerias Orchids
Region: Mississippi Master Gardener: Mississippi Hummingbirder Cat Lover Composter Seller of Garden Stuff
I lived in Houston from 54 till 58. I think Katy had a traffic light. Whistling
drdawg (Dr. Kenneth Ramsey)

The reason it's so hard to lose weight when you get up in age is because your body and your fat have become good friends.
Avatar for GardenJunkie
Jan 9, 2016 9:49 PM CST

I am new to taking care of indoor plants... ive been going to Lowes weekly with my boy friend and saving the clearance plants that's are not looking too hot... I'm just not sure when the plants need to be potted up? any tips? I'm all ears! I'm all ears! I'm all ears!
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Jan 9, 2016 10:12 PM CST
Name: ursula
Chile (Zone 9b)
Welcome! to ATP, Saquina! Welcome!

Your picture reminds me of my early times living in apartment with 2 large balconies - after a short time there was scarce place left for me to water the multiple plants and seed-trays Whistling I only realized how many plants I really had when I finally moved to my current place at the countryside Sticking tongue out
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Jan 9, 2016 10:16 PM CST
Name: ursula
Chile (Zone 9b)
Welcome! to ATP, GardenJunkie!

You will most likely get better advise if you start a new thread with your questions. Otherwise, there could be confusion about giving replies to 2 different questions in a thread.

Welcome! Welcome! Welcome!
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Jan 11, 2016 5:42 PM CST
Name: Rick Corey
Everett WA 98204 (Zone 8a)
Sunset Zone 5. Koppen Csb. Eco 2f
Frugal Gardener Garden Procrastinator I helped beta test the first seed swap Plant and/or Seed Trader Seed Starter Region: Pacific Northwest
Photo Contest Winner: 2014 Avid Green Pages Reviewer Garden Ideas: Master Level Garden Sages I was one of the first 300 contributors to the plant database! I helped plan and beta test the plant database.
GardenJunkie said:I am new to taking care of indoor plants... ive been going to Lowes weekly with my boy friend and saving the clearance plants that's are not looking too hot... I'm just not sure when the plants need to be potted up? any tips? I'm all ears! I'm all ears! I'm all ears!


Welcome to ATP, GardenJunkie! Nice screen name.

Keep listening for experienced advice about potting up. My main thoughts are that if the plant is doing well, growing and putting out new leaves, it probably doesn't need re-potting.

If it "goes downhill", or looks sickly, maybe it does.

The best clue will be tilting the container and trying to ease the root ball out of the pot. (Don't pull on the plant stem! Push from the bottom hole with the pot horizontal or tipping down a little.)

If it comes out whole, and you see more white roots than dark soilless mix, especially if the roots are circling the pot - the plant is circling the drain and in trouble. Re-pot.

What I don't know is how experienced indoor gardeners check their big pots when they are NOT root-bound yet. if my experience with little tiny propagation cells is a guide, pushing the "root ball" out of a container before it is rootbound means that you kind of tear the root ball apart and wind up with soil everywhere, and then have to stuff the roots back into the pot after mangling them.

There is a difference between just "potting up" and "re-potting". Dropping the old root ball into a somewhat bigger pot is just "potting up". It doesn't cure circling roots or over-age roots that have gotten ropy and thick.

If a root ball is really dense, it probably needs some root pruning. Cut off the bottom 1/4 or 1/3 of the root ball! Untangle and unwind as much of the old, circling roots as you can. Thick roots are just anchors: nutrients and water are only absorbed by root hairs on fairly new roots. You have to cut away the big old roots for small new ones to grow back.

And while re-potting, knock away as much of the old soilless mix as you can, and gently wash away most of the rest. Re-pot into NEW soilless mix. Mixes for containers actually need to be coarse and fast-draining. Some big-box-stores sell "potting soil" that is NOT well suited to growing in pots! It's suited to making a high profit margin for the store and the vendor with a bag of ill-suited but cheap material. If you kill your current plants, and have to buy more, the store thinks they made a new customer.

What you need most in pots is a mix that will let enough air reach the roots to keep them from drowning. It has to let enough water OUT of its pores and channels that those channels open up to air. THEN oxygen can diffuse in the pot and CO2 can diffuse out. Without oxygen, the roots die, root hairs first.
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Jan 11, 2016 8:45 PM CST
Name: Sandy B.
Ford River Twp, Michigan UP (Zone 4b)
(Zone 4b-maybe 5a)
Charter ATP Member Bee Lover Butterflies Birds I was one of the first 300 contributors to the plant database! Million Pollinator Garden Challenge
Seed Starter Vegetable Grower Greenhouse Region: United States of America Region: Michigan Enjoys or suffers cold winters
Welcome to All Things Plants, @GardenJunkie !

I agree that it would be best for you to start a separate thread on this forum for your question, hopefully with either the names of your plants or photos. Smiling
“Think occasionally of the suffering of which you spare yourself the sight." ~ Albert Schweitzer
C/F temp conversion
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