How should I place my hostas on my balcony?
I hope to complete the move down south in another couple of months. I will have a 12 x 7' covered balcony to house my hostas & heuchies in their fabric grow bags. There is a floor-to-ceiling brick privacy wall on the western narrow end of my balcony. As you can see from the compass rose and red line, it's pretty much a SW exposure on the balcony.
I intend to put the largest (10 gallon fabric grow bags) on a 4 shelf utility shelving unit and cozy that unit right up against the brick wall to ensure stability against winds or other things which could topple it. I was originally thinking to put the smaller grow bags of hostas and heuchies on the eastern narrow side of the balcony on tiered shelves. But, it looks as though the lower 2 shelves would not get much light. Therefore, I'm considering 3 shelf utility straight up and down shelving units even with the top of the railing for that area.
I have 2 concerns:
1. Do you think the larger hostas on the taller utility shelf will get enough sun positioned against the brick wall?
2. Will the smaller hostas on the eastern side get enough sun in straight up and down shelving vs. tiered?
Thanks for your input, guys!
Comments (7)
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3 years agoKATHY: No, there is no sunscreen around the balcony. It is open. I think what you're seeing is just shadow.
KEN: The shelving units are quite sturdy. Each shelf holds like 75 lbs. each. They are by Origami, and fold up to mere inches thick in about 30 seconds. I figure that will be handy when I am able to find my little tiny dream house and move out of the apartment.
I also had the wind in mind, and that's why I intend to put the heaviest (the 10 gallon) fabric grow pots placed on the tall 4-shelf unit in the lee of the floor-to-ceiling brick privacy wall on the western side. The brick wall should cut a lot of the wind, and the 10 gallon pots should add stability. I still have to decide whether I want to put the 1, 2, 5, and 7 gallon fabric grow pots on tiered shelves or a straight up-and-down shelving unit, on the narrow eastern end of the balcony. Since the picture shows that the sun doesn't penetrate very far into the balcony, I wonder if the plants on the lower two tiered shelves would receive any more light than if they were on the straight shelving.
(not my balcony, just illustrative of a tiered plant shelf on A balcony!)
VS.
Esther-B, Zone 7a
3 years agoEsther-B, Zone 7a
3 years ago
zkathy z7a NC