Urban Family Balcony Flower Growing Experience
Here are some detailed introductions to family flower growing for netizens, urban family balcony flower growing experience, let's learn about it together.
The most troublesome thing for flower enthusiasts in the city is loving flowers but having no suitable place to grow them, and I am one of them. The growth of flowers is greatly related to light and temperature. In fact, to grow flowers well at home, the more important thing is to provide a suitable growing environment for the flowers. This time I'm talking about growing flowers on the family balcony. At the beginning, there were not many flowers, and it was fine to put them on the windowsill of the balcony. Later, as the number of flowers increased, the balcony was filled with all kinds of flowers. Moreover, with the accumulation of flower-growing experience, I found that my balcony is not very suitable for growing flowers. Next, I will summarize my experience of growing flowers on the balcony over the years and discuss it with everyone:
There are usually several places to grow flowers in urban apartment buildings, including the roof, balcony, terrace, windowsill (including bay window), and small courtyard. Among them, the most ideal ones are the south-facing small courtyard, terrace, balcony, and bay window. Let's discuss the above situations one by one.
I. Terrace and Small Courtyard
If you can build a small greenhouse on the terrace and small courtyard, you won't have to worry about winter. If the area of the terrace and small courtyard is larger than 5 square meters, I do not recommend enclosing the entire terrace and small courtyard into a greenhouse (except for those with multiple terraces and small courtyards). The recommended enclosure ratio of the terrace is 60%–75%. Because in the weather that allows for temperature (spring, summer, and autumn), some flowers can be moved outdoors, which is very beneficial for the flowers and strengthens their resistance. At this time, it can also provide full ventilation for the flower shed (greenhouse, flower cave). Because the flower shed is sealed for a long time in winter, it is prone to germs. Therefore, it is necessary to strengthen ventilation and drying in summer and autumn to prepare for the next winter. Those with conditions can also install exhaust fans, electric fans, humidifiers, and winter heating equipment in the greenhouse.
II. Roof
The method of growing flowers on the roof is similar to that on the terrace. If conditions allow, using the roof space to grow flowers is also a good choice in the city, but there are more factors to consider, and the following points need to be noted.
1. There should be a convenient access to the roof;
2. Coordinate with neighbors to build the greenhouse on your own roof as much as possible to avoid unnecessary disputes;
3. Avoid damaging the roof when building the greenhouse to prevent water leakage;
4. Strengthen cooling measures in summer and insulation measures in winter on the roof;
5. The greenhouse should be built to be strong enough to withstand wind, rain, and hail, and to have lightning protection measures;
6. Pay attention to strengthening anti-theft measures.
III. Balcony
Most flower enthusiasts in the city grow flowers on the balcony. Enclose the balcony and install a guardrail and shelf outside the balcony so that you can grow flowers all year round, spring, summer, autumn, and winter. According to the shape and location of your balcony, make some shelves to place flowers in layers, and you can also install a clothespole on the top of the balcony to hang flowers, fully utilizing sunlight and limited space. The width of the shelf is 300mm-500mm, and the layer height is about 200mm-300mm. The number of layers is determined by the sunlight and your needs. The design load capacity of the balcony is 250kg per square meter. Heavier flowerpots should be placed as close to the inside of the balcony as possible. The balcony should have heating or insulation measures in winter. Flowers with strong cold resistance should be placed on the outside, and those with weak cold resistance should be placed on the inside.
IV. Windowsill (Bay Window)
Besides the balcony, the windowsill can also be utilized. Many houses do not have a balcony, and the best way to grow flowers is to use the windowsill. New houses usually have bay windows, and the usable width of the bay window sill is about 500mm, which is a good place to grow flowers. Moreover, in winter, hanging curtains along the windows ensures that the flowers on the windowsill are indoors and do not freeze. For enthusiasts without a balcony or bay window, they can only rely on their own efforts. Enclose an external window like a bay window outside the window, with a width of no more than 600mm, for growing flowers. This is a last resort. This method is more troublesome in winter, as the flowers need to be moved indoors at night and placed back in the external window during the day (in areas where the temperature can drop to 0 degrees Celsius or below in winter). This window must be a south-facing window.
V. Some Precautions for Growing Flowers on the Roof, Balcony, Terrace, Windowsill (including Bay Window), and Small Courtyard
1. Light
The growth of flowers is closely related to the surrounding environment. In a family environment, artificial conditions can provide better protection for the growth of flowers, which is very important. However, remember to fully utilize natural conditions so that your flowers can grow healthier and stronger. The orientation of the balcony, terrace, windowsill (including bay window), and small courtyard for growing flowers is very important. It is best to be south-north facing so that the flowers can get the most growth energy. Next is east-facing, where flowers can get the most comfortable light and have longer daylight hours, and are protected from intense summer sun and reduced cold in winter. The west side is a very "mediocre" environment, with a reasonable amount of light that can basically ensure about 4 hours in winter, but with harsh summer sun and cold northwest winds in winter. It is necessary to strengthen protective measures in these two seasons. The north side is suitable for growing shade-tolerant and shade-loving flowers in late spring, summer, and before the beginning of winter but is not suitable for long-term cultivation of succulents. Each orientation can be utilized at different stages of flower growth. Necessary shading measures should be taken based on the amount of sunlight required by the flowers and the intensity of sunlight in each season. In areas where the temperature is below 0 degrees Celsius for extended periods in winter, there must be insulation and heating measures.
2. Watering
Watering generally depends on the dryness of the soil and air; the amount of water needed by the plant, with more watering in the growing period and less in the dormant period; in summer, it is best to water before dawn and after sunset; in winter, pay attention to watering according to temperature and growth conditions. The beneficial moisture for plant growth is the moisture that the soil can continuously provide to the plant roots in a breathable and humid state. The advantage of growing flowers on the ground is that the muddy ground can continuously provide the humidity evaporated from the ground to the plants in the flowerpot, and in the flower cave, watering once can last a long time in summer. This is difficult to achieve in apartment buildings. Those with a terrace and balcony can try laying a 10mm-20mm thick layer of medium sand on the ground or flower bed, half-burying the flowerpot in it, which can play a certain role in water retention.
3. Ventilation
Ventilation is very necessary when growing flowers in a closed environment, as replacing fresh air is beneficial for plant growth and can also reduce the multiplication of bacteria in the closed environment, preventing the occurrence of bacterial diseases in plants. Try to maintain long-term ventilation in summer, ventilate when the temperature is high in winter, and ventilate in spring and autumn according to temperature and air dryness. Ventilation should be combined with the environment in the shed.
When growing flowers at home, it is necessary to observe more, adjust the breeding methods according to the habits and growth conditions and environment of the flowers, and make the flowers grow healthily.
The above is the complete content of the experience in growing flowers on the urban family balcony, for your comprehensive understanding and reference!