Setting up a Balcony Garden

My balcony planter box one week after transplanting seedlings

There are so many different options for growing food on your balcony. You could use a collection of different pots and containers to suit your space, hanging baskets, tiered systems, or a big wooden planter box like mine. Here's how I set up my planter box.

1. I lined it with black plastic to stop the soil from escaping out the gaps between the pieces of wood on windy days. I took the measurements of the box to a garden centre and bought the appropriate length of black plastic off the big roll they have there. I wasn't planning on lining the box, but when I initially started filling it with soil, a lot was falling through the drainage gaps at the bottom so I had to modify my plan.

2. I cut slits in the black plastic lining the bottom of the box for drainage.

3. I put in a layer of scoria (volcanic rock) that I bought from the garden centre to help with drainage. 

4. I added a layer of soil (vegetable potting mix I bought from the garden centre).

5. I tipped in the fermented contents of my bokashi bucket (not for the squeamish).

6. I filled it up to near the top with potting mix. It took three and a half 40L bags of potting mix to fill the planter (which is 130 cm long, 40 cm wide and 40 cm high).

7. I transplanted my seedlings. I tried to position them so they'd all have enough room to grow, but it's looking a bit crowded in there so I might have to put them through some kind of plant Survivor down the track.

I can't vouch for this being the best ever way of setting up a balcony planter box, but it was really easy and the plants are growing well so far.