New resident needs help choosing year round balcony plants

13 years ago

Hi everyone,

I just moved here to Livermore, CA (an hour east of San Francisco, plant hardiness zone 9a-9b)from upstate New York, where I was an avid gardener and knew my zone 5 well. I am now a newbie in a new zone, in a townhome with a beautiful large covered balcony that is in shade, and wonder what window box plants will provide greenery year round. I will supplement with hanging annuals in season, but would like something in the boxes that can remain nice looking all year.

I'm thinking pothos, will that work? Does impatiens grow year round here? Would that be a good choice?

Open to all ideas, would like something that doesn't require lots of care and stays good looking. The balcony is 20 feet long and is visible from the street, so I'd like something very attractive.

Any and all suggestions for gardening in this new to me area would be most appreciated.

Thanks in advance,

Kate

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Comments (7)

wanda
13 years ago
Alden Lane Nursery in Livermore is an excellent nursery and you should pay them a visit. I'm sure they can offer you some excellent suggestions and advice.

That said, I doubt if Pothos would look good in winter. It's mainly a houseplant. Impatients are considered an annual although they may overwinter if the winter isn't too cold. Fibrous begonias are a little sturdier, but still iffy...depending on protection and temperature.

Off the top of my head, there are some hardy ferns, such as Asparagus sprengerii that are low maintenance and would probably work well for you and will cascade. The regular ivies (English, Hahn's, etc.) would be fine. Star Jasmine might be a consideration. And there's always Vinca minor.
borderbarb
13 years ago
Is wind going to be a problem? What exposure [direction] is the patio? I might suggest graphing out the area and charting the sunlight patterns by the hour. The link below is to a gadget that I keep promising myself to get, as I'm always looking for ways to mitigate for shade in my yard.. Looks very handy. That might help you as you learn the ropes of your new zone. May I also suggest Sunset Western Garden Guide? Great idea-sparker and practical advice.

I had good results with bush sweet peas [Christmas gift for apt-dwelling family]
Ivy Geranium is fairly forgiving of less than perfect conditions.
I have a Plumbago growing in filtered shade [prefers sun] and it stays small with lovely blue flowers.

Here is a link that might be useful: Sunlight calculator
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Hi Sharon, I'm struggling with the same sorts of questions you are. The winter freeze-thaw cycle is the biggest problem for balconies. I'm west facing and fairly protected balcony but my mugo pine didn't make it through this winter. Many have tried to discourage my hunt for hardy shrubs/small trees and suggested I just stick to annuals. However, others more knowledgable than me have agreed that dogwood might survive winter. I also experimented with a boxwood this past winter and he appears to be alive & well. This year I'm going to try an Alberta Spruce, and probably a hardy juniper. They say that when selecting shrubs for balconies, choose ones that are rated for at least 2 zones colder than the one you're in. And basically the containers have to be as big as you can possibly make them. As for small trees, Lilacs are very hardy and the fragrance is a plus. Again, you'd have to have a pretty large container for it. That generates issues of weight and presumably having to move it one day without needing to hire a crane operator! I'm not sure whether you're in southern Ontario but Vineland Nurseries, down towards Niagara, specialize in dwarf shrubs and trees, you might want to check them out. I believe they have a website and could ship plants to you. 'Hope that helps. Let me know how it goes, Christina
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My guess is, that what goes around the southern France, Italy or Greece, will also go in that space. Hot summers and cold, but still rather mild winters. Stuff like Bourgonvilla might die down in the winter, but would perk right back up, in the spring! Stuff that goes outside, but has a short blooming period out there, might get a longer period inside (how does the smell of moonflowers from early July to mid November sound to you?). Eucalyptus might die down the first couple of winters, but will in time get very strong and tall. I think a bay-leaf would do well year round. Peaches and grapevines would do great as well, no doubt about that. Figs too. Passiflora actinia and caerulea plus some of the hybrids can withstand down to -8c/ 18f. IÃÂ·m envious!
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Pretty much the main purpose of flowers is bees, though some are worse about it than others and a few are not very bad. You may want to also consider groundcover plants that are more about greenery, though some have annual bloom for a period of time. And saying that you "have no clue where to begin" [planting flowers] is a clue that you might be overwhelmed by having to care for 150' of flower bed. You might want to have a combination of groundcover, perennials and some annuals. First and foremost you must get rid of any weeds in the bed. Any pieces of live weed roots will resprout and you'll have a weed infestation in no time. You can either dig out any weeds, or spray them with Round-up and plant a week later. As an ongoing maintenance chore, you'll need to remove weeds, at least weekly for a while, or they'll move in and take over. Once the bed is planted, Preen (a pre-emergent herbicide that is applied like shaking salt from a salt shaker) according to the manufacturer's schedule and applied to the finish planted bed, is helpful for keeping new weed seeds from germinating. Annuals, many of which can be raised from seed, is the most colorful and must be replanted yearly. Groundcover and perennials are permanent and come back every year. But they generally don't bloom as long as annuals. Daylilies would be a good perennial to use, especially 'Stella d' Oro' as it is a long blooming variety. It's not too bad on bees. Liriope would be a good perennial if it grows in your area. It comes in green and variegated versions. Petunias would be good annuals to buy as bedding plants. Marigolds are easy to grow from seed. Figure out where you want to place the permanent blocks of plants. Fill in the rest or what you're unsure about with annuals. Personally, I'd stop being overly concerned about bees. Gardeners are around them for our whole lives and don't get stung. Like our mother said, "don't bother them and they won't bother you."
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PRO
Kaveh Maguire Garden Design
13 years ago
Keep in mind watering needs for container plants. California is very dry with no rain all summer and low humidity so you would be surprised how quickly pots dry out compared to back east.

I have 45 square foot south facing balcony and I have had to experiment quite a bit. Ultimately replacing a lot of things that needed watering every day.
hoovb zone 9 sunset 23
13 years ago
Succulents. So easy, so beautiful.

{{gwi:549923}}
katefromupstate
Original Author
13 years ago
Thanks for the ideas, everyone, and the beautiful picture of the succulents. To answer the questions, wind does not appear to be a problem, the balcony faces west, and since it is completely covered (like a covered porch) there is no direct sun at any time during the day, but the area stays fairly light even in the shade.

I will indeed go Alden's, thanks for the advice.
Kate
hosenemesis
13 years ago
Hoyas are pretty. My dad has screened his balcony patio with hoyas, ivies, ivy geraniums, and Sprenger asparagus ferns. I have had good luck with overwintering spider plants as well. I have also planted rabbit's foot ferns in pots hanging on the patio, and they do well. Pothos always freeze in the winter or burn in the summer for me.

Renee
calistoga_al ca 15 usda 9
13 years ago
There are many plants that would do well there, and I would relish the challenge to rotate plants and keep a eye catching display year around. If you want the most bloom with the least plant change, I would second Wanda's suggestion of the fibrous rooted begonia. It will bloom almost year around and tolerate neglect very well. Al

New resident needs help choosing year round balcony plants

Comments (7)

wanda

borderbarb

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Comments (7)

wanda

borderbarb

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