She pointed out the leaves were curling and said I was probably just wetting the surface, not soaking the deep roots. I started giving each plant a slow, deep soak for a count of thirty, and they perked up in two days. How do you know when you're actually giving enough water in a container?
Has anyone else found a way to keep container tomatoes watered without turning their balcony into a swamp or running to the sink ten times a day?
Turns out they were aphids and they spread to my peppers before I noticed. What's the best way to spot them early on a small balcony?
I spent a solid month trying to get rid of them from my balcony tomatoes, trying everything from soapy water to ladybugs I ordered online. The ladybugs just flew away immediately, which was a total waste of $25. Anyone have a better pest trick that actually works up high?
I bought the cheapest bag at the big box store for about $5, and my tomatoes just sat there looking sad for weeks. Swapped it out for a better quality blend with compost mixed in, and they took off in like 10 days. Anyone have a go-to brand they trust for containers?
I couldn't figure out why my potted tomatoes on my 4th floor balcony kept tipping over, even on calm days. Turns out, the plastic pots I reused from last year had tiny, clogged drainage holes, so water pooled at the bottom and made them top-heavy. It took me four weeks and three broken stems to finally drill bigger holes in the sides of the pots. Has anyone else had pots that just won't drain right?
My south-facing balcony gets brutal sun from noon on, and I lost three basil plants to scorch last week. My neighbor says they thrive in full sun, but my wilted leaves say otherwise. What's your real world experience with herbs and intense light?
So my balcony gets a lot of wind and I thought a little greenhouse cover would help my peppers and tomatoes. I got this thin plastic one online for about forty bucks. Put it up last month and it lasted maybe two weeks before a gust of wind ripped it right off the frame. The plastic tore like tissue paper and the frame bent out of shape. My plants got a bit beat up from the whole thing falling over. I should have known better than to go for the cheapest option. Now I'm just using some old row cover fabric clipped down tight, which works way better. Has anyone found a small balcony cover that can actually handle some weather without costing a fortune?
I was trying to save a few bucks and grabbed a $15 plastic trellis from a big box store for my cherry tomatoes. It looked fine in the package, but after I got it set up and the plants started to get heavy, the whole thing just folded over in a light wind. One of the main support arms cracked right at the joint. Now I've got a bunch of tomato vines all tangled on the balcony floor. I should have known better than to go for the cheapest option. Has anyone found a good, sturdy trellis that can handle real weight but doesn't cost a fortune? I'm in a third floor apartment so wind is always a factor.
Last month, I was really struggling to keep my balcony tomatoes watered during a hot week. My friend in Portland told me to poke a tiny hole in the bottom of an old plastic milk jug, fill it with water, and bury it next to the plant. I tried it with two of my plants and it worked so well. The water seeped out slowly right at the roots, and the soil stayed damp for days without me having to water every morning. It saved my plants when I had to be away for a weekend. I felt like a genius for using something I was just going to recycle. Has anyone else tried a simple trick like this to make watering easier on a small balcony?
I was on my third floor balcony in Chicago, trying to move a heavy ceramic pot of basil to get more sun. The pot slipped from my wet hands, hit the railing, and dumped about three pounds of soil and a full plant onto my downstairs neighbor's patio furniture below. I had to go down, explain, and help clean it up. Has anyone found a good method for moving big pots without this kind of disaster?
At a garden show in Sacramento, a speaker insisted you must water container tomatoes every single afternoon in summer. My plants were wilting until I checked the soil and realized they were actually drowning. Now I only water when the top inch is dry, even if it's 95 degrees. Has anyone else found that less water is better for pots?
I see a lot of people using those small plastic pots for big plants like tomatoes. The problem is the roots get cramped and the top gets too heavy for the base. I switched mine to a 5-gallon fabric pot from the garden center, and the difference is huge. It's way more stable and the plant looks happier. What size pots do you all use for your biggest balcony veggies?
Turns out my north-facing balcony just didn't get enough direct sun, so I moved everything to a friend's place in Tempe for a week and it bounced right back. Anyone else deal with a shady spot ruining their herbs?
I had to pick between those expensive ceramic self-watering planters or basic plastic pots from the garden center. Went with the cheap plastic ones and drilled my own drainage holes. My tomatoes in the 5 gallon buckets produced way more than my friend's did in her $40 self-watering setup. Anyone else find that simple works better up here?
I bought a set of 10 thin plastic pots for my balcony tomatoes last spring, thinking I saved $30. By August, half had split down the sides from the sun and heat, spilling soil everywhere. I'm in Phoenix, so the heat just wrecked them. Anyone have a good brand of pots that can handle full sun without breaking the bank?
He suggested I pinch off the top shoots more often, which I'd been scared to do. How aggressive should you be with pruning herbs in a 12-inch pot?
The reservoir kept the soil soggy for days, and now I'm back to checking the dirt with my finger every morning. Anyone have a better setup for herbs that actually works?
My neighbor on the 4th floor has all his pots pushed right to the balcony edge, which gives his tomatoes way more light and lets him fit three extra containers in the same space, so has anyone tried this with a south-facing balcony?
I had this one basil plant that looked pale and droopy for a month... I moved it from a small pot to a bigger one with fresh soil and put it on the sunnier side of my balcony. After about two weeks, the leaves got dark green and it started growing like crazy. I guess it just needed more room and light. Has anyone else had a plant turn around that fast after a simple change?
My balcony is only about 4 feet deep, so I had to choose one main thing to grow. I went with the herbs, like basil and cilantro, in a long window box. It's been 3 months and I'm honestly glad I did, because I can snip a little bit for cooking almost every day. Has anyone else had to make a choice like that with a really small space?
I dropped about $75 on a set of three last spring, and while they saved my tomatoes during a hot week away, my basil rotted from the constant wet feet, so I'm torn on if they're a smart buy or a problem waiting to happen for a small balcony setup.