How to grow herbs, vegies and flowers on balconies in Canberra

As a significant number of city folk live in apartments, balcony gardening is a real option for many. Leaky messes and stained tiles, drying out and dead plants, sunburnt plants, non-fruiting because of lack of insects. But help is at hand.

Good outcomes lie very much in careful planning. Aim to make a selection of the right plants for the location and prepare every aspect carefully. Balcony plants will need more regular care than those planted out in a garden bed, but with limited space you will probably have fewer plants to care for, and they are living close by to remind you daily of their simple needs.

If you are enthusiastic about surrounding yourself with lots of larger pots, it is worthwhile checking that your balcony has the strength rating to carry the total weight of your pots filled with potting mix. Ceramic and terracotta pots are very attractive but can weigh many kilograms and they will need to have their inside walls sealed with waterproof paint. Consider the alternative, modern lightweight UV-resistant plastic pots.

It will be a quality not quantity approach, though you can still look at a good range of herbs and vegetables for a small space. You will need to take account of sunlight hours and the amount of afternoon heat. As well, balconies can often catch the full force of prevailing winds, so delicate plants are not often suitable.

Fruiting plants need four to six hours of sunlight to grow well, produce flowers and then fruit. As well, balconies can be heat cushions, absorbing and reflecting more heat than in a garden bed with shade trees to the west, so take care.

Good drainage for the plants is vital, otherwise you will end up drowning the very gems you wish to grow. Manufacturers are recognising market potential for the urban gardener, so there are now some high quality UV-resistant planter boxes, with good built-in drainage components.

Select good-quality potting mix, choosing one with the five quality assurance Australian Standards ticks on the outside of the bag. You are looking to have living soil provided in the potting mix, well composted and with lots of micro-organisms that will work to benefit the plants. Do not buy mixes with fertilisers included, rather mix in some organic, slow-release fertiliser pellets into the potting mix before planting out your seedlings.

Water in your new plants, so that the soil or potting mix comes into direct contact with the roots of the plants. Regular deep watering is required. However, remember that with frequent watering through the porous potting mix, you will suffer a loss of plant nutrients. Give the plants regular top-ups of liquid fertilisers, including seaweed extracts, that provide valuable trace elements. Mulch around the plants with some organic sugar cane mulch, to aid the retention of moisture. Mulch will also help to keep the soil temperature lower.

Flowers that will brighten the springtime can include pansies, dwarf sweet peas, lobelias and primulas. Later flowering plants, such as petunias and verbena, can compliment the nasturtiums that can provide both flowers and leaves for dishes.

Parsley, chives and basil are good options for a planter box. Thyme, sage, marjoram and rosemary are also good summer, dry-climate plants that grow well in pots. Avoid drenching herbs in pots but do make sure that the soil does not dry out.

There are quite a number of vegetables that can be grown in pots. Cherry tomatoes, capsicums, chilli and eggplants will grow well in pots that are at least 40cm in depth. Our daughter Felicity has tomatoes set on her patio plants in Darwin, as I write this article.

You can grow cress, lettuce, silver beet and the small sugarloaf cabbage in planter boxes that have a depth of 25cm. Rocket and radishes will also grow well in planter boxes. If you have some extra space, you can try growing cucumbers and zucchinis, though you will need to have containers with at least 40cm depth. With these last plants you may need to provide some assistance with pollinating the female flowers using a small paintbrush.

Leek, bacon and potato frittata

Here is an easy winter dish using in-season vegetables and herbs.

4 young leeks
5 rashers short-cut bacon
2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
2 large Nicola potatoes
salt and ground pepper
3 cloves garlic, crushed
6 free-range eggs
125ml cream
⅓ cup grated parmesan cheese
¼ cup fresh thyme leaves
½ cup rocket leaves, torn

Trim off the dark green tops of the leeks and cut the remaining stems into 1cm lengths. Chop up the bacon rashers and thinly slice the potatoes. Heat the oil in a heavy-based frying pan and cook the leeks and bacon on medium heat for 4-5 minutes. Add in the sliced potato, season with salt and pepper and add in the garlic. Cook for a further 3 minutes, then remove from heat.

Beat the eggs and cream in a mixing bowl, then add in the parmesan and thyme leaves. Pour the egg mixture into the pan and cook for a further five minutes, until almost set. Place under a hot grill for two minutes to brown up the top. Scatter rocket leaves on top and serve.

This week in the garden

* Plant rows of sugar snap peas and snow peas, spinach, silver beet and kale.

* Begin selecting varieties of tomatoes and capsicums, and plant seeds into propagating trays. Keep in a warm and sunny location, near a north-facing window, to aid germination.

* Spray stone fruit trees with pre-mixed copper and sulphur Kocide​ or home mixed Bordeaux spray just before bud-burst to control leaf curl.

* Wrap hessian around young citrus trees to protect new growth from the impact of late frosts. Do not prune off old leaves yet as they will provide some protection for the emerging leaves.

* Turn over older compost heaps to mix the dry and moist parts together and speed up the decomposition process. Add in some green grass clippings and weedings to promote heat.

Owen Pidgeon runs the Loriendale Organic Orchard, near Hall.