Similarily I've been looking in the bulb forum area, as I am planting up bulbs for the spring. But again, not much of any info on setting up planters - it's all about in-ground planting.

I don't think we should give up on this area, just yet. :)

I just checked out the container forum. It's amazing. I feel a new obsession/addiction coming on.

Thanks (I think LOL)

A girl named "Max"

If you want to learn how to make grity soil or grow veggies the Container Forum is where you need to be. LOL

For the last 2 years, I have grown the following in pots, all from seed:
Zinnias, Dahlias, Morning Glories, Snapdragons, Candytuft, Gaillardia, Lunaria, 4 o'clocks, and some others that I can't remember.

These things were fun to grow, but to me, ornamentals deserve to be arranged into a landscape. Growing them in pots is fun until they start to bloom and you realize that you just have flowers in a pot... It doesn't look pretty and it doesn't serve any purpose. To me it's only worth while if you're growing cutting flowers in containers.

So you could say that balcony gardening can be a good place to come for help. Quite likely, some of you must leave your plants on the balcony because of limited space inside, so that can require knowledge of the plants too.

It is unique to urban spaces, as NYGardener says.

Contrary to what eicher says, I find it VERY fulfilling to grow ornamentals in pots. I don't have a "landscape" in which to plant them, so I make the most of what I have, which is simply a concrete balcony, eleven floors up. I grow perennials, annuals, vegetables - anything I can get my grubby mitts on. I grow mostly from seed - which I absolutely enjoy, even if I have to wait sometimes 4 years to see the fruits of my labor (like my Tiger Lilies from bulbils). Of course, since I love plants, I've been known to buy a few too. And even if no one agrees with me, I think my balcony garden is BEAUTIFUL, ornamentals and all.

I think that rather than criticize the lack of activity on the forum, or disdain an individual's desire to have nature's beauties around, those of us who are interested can make this forum viable again.

I'm certainly willing to add my two cents when I can.

If you're interested, you can see my garden over the years in my Flickr albums.

PV

I notice that you sometimes have like wire cage over certain plants. I'm assuming that it has a purpose. Is it to protect the plants from birds and squirrels or for support or guidance to have the plant remain self contained in that container? What type of wire is that? I swear you have a knack at making a perfect circle out of it or a dome effect. How do you manage that?

I hope the new poster takes the time to look at all your albums. They will see such beauty, learn some new tricks of balcony gardening and hopefully get plenty of inspiration from you.

You are always so kind and generous in sharing not only your love for plants/flowers but your ideas. Thank You again!

The wire cages are made of plastic hardware cloth; I use them mainly to keep the birds from carting away my young seedlings or decimating the re-emerging perennials in spring. I've got starlings up here, and in spring, they will pluck entire seedlings out of the pots for their nests. They're the ones that give me the most trouble. The pigeons and I have maintained a truce, of sorts - I do sometimes have to chase them off from building nests on the terrace, but they don't really bother my plants much at all.

Glad you enjoy my photos!

PV

My first time here and it seems like nice bunch of people:-)

I have stumbled onto this forum from the container and citrus one where I spend most of my time. Most of my plants I have to winter inside including fig are in containers.

Mike

This is the slowest forum I have ever seen.

Mike

One of the houses I lived in had window boxes and I loved the look of them even though they were in almost total shade. I noticed there were HUGE spiders living in them and removed them when I had the windows replaced. When I set them at the edge of the front walk, they looked really cute since they were already painted to match the trim. Part of the reason I occasionally visit this forum is to see if anyone has any cool/beautiful window boxes to tease me.

I don't have a balcony but keep a lot of plants on my porches except when it's very cold.

Like marquest said over a year ago, the container forum has turned into vegetable pots. I don't plant vegetables. I plant bulbs and seeds. I check the appropriate forums for those, but sometimes I want a little extra reading/brainstorming. I think this balcony forum is the place for it.

I'll be back!

It's a shame the forum isn't called "balconies and porches" because they are similar, and a lot of people with porches might come by if so. No matter the height, it's a unique form of gardening within the container realm when you account for the possible... railings, support posts, roofs, shifting sun angles, added wind, inability to water to overflowing due to sealed environment or deference to those below, weight restraints, and a host of other things that are factors and concerns when putting containers in these types of environments.

I think the new feature where anyone who posts to a thread can now receive an update email will help all of the forums to be more active, and useful.

I just came off a pretty interesting first year of balcony gardening. We grew tomato plants and had a pretty good harvest.

I think having a forum for balcony garden is relevant as it a particular way of gardening. It's not just containers but how to also beautify and maximize the outdoor space especially if the balcony is in an urban setting. In my first year, i made the mistake of over planting/growing plants. It was an interesting and informative first year. Though i have read books and blogs about balcony gardening, it's much more helpful to have a forum with others who share in your trials and triumphs of gardening on a balcony.

Anyways, I look forward to posting here and reading what others have to say about the particulars of gardening on a balcony.

If you're reading this and have never posted, feel free to just say Hi here, although of course nobody needs any invitation to say anything anywhere they want.

I hope you find some replacements!