If the placeon the terraceor the balcony, flower boxes offer a space-saving solution. Not only flowers and ornamental grasses, but also useful plants can be planted there. We'll explain to you how to put together an arrangement of vegetables and herbs that looks just as good as an arrangement of ornamental plants.
Flower box with vegetables and herbs: A kitchen garden on the balcony
AHerb garden on the windowsillis the absolute dream of every hobby gardener. This means you always have fresh herbs within reach when you need them while cooking. But in a planter there is enough space for vegetables, for example tomatoes or kale. Here is a step-by-step guide on how to create a small-scale kitchen garden:
1. Choose a suitable flower box. Wooden flower boxes are best as they do not heat up too much from the sun. It is also important that the planter box is at least 50 cm high so that the plants can take root.
2. Think about which crops you really want to plant in your balcony garden. Most herbs and vegetables prefer full sun. The optimal location is in the sun for at least 6 hours. However, there are exceptions that thrive well in partial shade or light shade. It is very important that the air can circulate well. Balconies without wind, privacy and rain protection are therefore suitable.
- Vegetables and herbs for sunny locations: salads, cucumbers, peppers, cherry tomatoes, hot peppers, leeks and celery, lavender, oregano, sage, dill.
- Vegetables and herbs for partially shaded locations: spinach, radishes, chard, peas, cauliflower, parsley, chervil, basil
3. Combine crops that have similar soil requirements. If you want to combine vegetables and herbs that have different requirements on the soil, you can place them individually in plant bags and then arrange them next to each other in the flower box.
4. For a successful arrangement, you need three types of plants, similar to ornamental plants: an eye-catcher, a ground cover that extends beyond the box and a gap filler.
5. Garden centers sell special small-growing varieties that are suitable for planting in flower boxes. They have a significantly shorter flowering period and a compact growth.
6. Young plants or seeds? Now the question arises for most beginners: which is better, buying young plants or seeds? This mainly depends on when you want to plant the balcony box. Seed mixtures are also often sold. All of these varieties have one thing in common: you have to grow the seeds yourself by mid-April at the latest and then bring them outdoors after the Ice Saints. You can also buy young plants at the garden center and then repot them at home.
Flower box with vegetables and herbs: planting plan
In the first small-format garden, basil plays the main role. The “Pesto Perpetuo” variety is a real eye-catcher and deserves its place in the middle of the planter. The plant has a compact habit, but grows to a height of around 50 - 60 cm. This variety does not produce flowers, but you will be able to enjoy the edible leaves all summer long.
You can also plant hanging tomatoes right next to the basil. The “Tumbling Tom” variety will extend over the edge of the planter. The hanging tomatoes are high-yielding and produce sweet cherry tomatoes. This variety is also suitable for planting in plant bags.
Then come several useful plants that not only taste wonderful, but also look good and add color to the arrangement. Examples include purple sage, blood dock and ornamental cabbage. All three have compact growth and are edible. Perfect for preparing salads or seasoning summer dishes.
You can also fill in gaps with the following crops: mint, thyme and oregano are creeping plants - perfect for the edge of the box, while rosemary can grow between the tomatoes and basil.
Planting plan for flower box with herbs
Next, we offer you an idea on how to create a herb garden in the flower box. Here are the herbs, spices and crops that make up the ensemble:
A.Minze
E.g. parsley
J. Lavendel
D. Lemon thyme
E. horned violet
F. Marjoram
All of these crops thrive best in sunny locations. A window sill, a balcony or a south-facing terrace that is exposed to the sun for at least 6 hours a day is ideal. Otherwise, the plants have no special requirements. They prefer nutrient-rich soil. You should lay a drainage layer of sand or clay at the bottom to prevent waterlogging. The herbs thrive best in moderately moist soil.
