1. Clean everything.
Wintertime has likely left a good layer of dirt on your patio or balcony. Start by sweeping up any dirt and debris, and then scrub away with a mop or even a pressure washer. Pay special attention to shadowy areas and corners, which can accumulate mould.
2. Determine how much sunlight your outdoor areas receive.
Different plants need different amounts of sunlight. The amount of sunlight your patio or balcony receives depends on a few things, including how it is oriented (like facing north, south, east, or west), what surrounds it (tall trees, other buildings, etc.) and if it is covered or uncovered.
After you get a rough idea of how long the sun shines on your patio or balcony, you can break it down into a category, such as almost all day (full sun), half a day (partial sun/shade) or almost no sun (full shade/no sun).
3. Consider how you will water your plants.
If you don’t have a ground-level garden, getting water to your plants may be a more involved process. You could always go with the tried and true method: a watering can. But if you don’t have the strength (or can’t remember) to do this regularly, consider some other options. If you have access to an outdoor faucet, a drip irrigation system could be worth it, especially if you are a plant lover.
4. Mind the critters and creatures.
Many outdoor plants, especially those that you want to produce fruits or vegetables, need pollinators. These helpful little guys could be insects, bees or other flying creatures. Be mindful to not harm them and don’t be alarmed if many more of them show up once everything starts to flower. Investing in window and door screens may be worth it, but ask your strata if you need permission to do that first.
5. Your balcony has a weight limit.
While a few potted plants and some outdoor furniture are well within your balcony’s weight capacity, adding large potted trees and shrubs could be pushing it. Remember, soil, especially wet soil, can get heavy. Likewise, storing extra bags of soil, rocks and other gardening materials outside all adds to this. While this is an edge case, if you’re a serious gardening fiend, you may run into this limit.
With some preparation, you can have a great gardening season no matter what sort of outdoor access you have, whether it’s a balcony, patio or even a ledge by a window.
