Balcony gardens - container/ pot selection

What you need to consider when selecting pots or containers for the home or garden

• A wide selection of containers is available ranging from; ceramic, glazed ceramic, wooden, fiber-cement, brass, pewter, copper, and concrete through to plastic. Ensure the container you select is suitable and has adequate drainage holes at the base.

• Container temperature (and therefore soil and root temperature) is dependent on three main things: the material the container is made of, the color of the container, and the size of the container:

  • Metal containers are excellent conductors of heat, plastic and wooden containers offer moderate thermal insulation (depending on the thickness), and fiber-cement and concrete containers off the most thermal protection due to their thickness.

  • Darker colors (black, brown) heat up more than lighter colors (white, cream).

  • Smaller containers heat up faster than larger ones, larger containers also provide a larger "reservoir" of water for plants and require less frequent watering.

  • Remember, during summer most plants, containers, and soil in a container will heat up to the ambient air temperature (without the effects of direct solar radiation), this means that at night, mid-summer the soil can still be 35 degrees Celsius.

• If your patio is very windy or exposed to the wind:

  • Select pots that are heavy and have a solid (preferably square) base.

  • Do not choose containers with narrow tapered bases, as they will be inclined to blow over as their center of gravity is higher.

  • In very windy areas place heavy material at the bottom of the pot (such as extra drainage stone or bricks) to add ballast and stability.

  • In areas like this avoid using tall shrubs or trees as these act as sails in high wind, and again will be blown over.

  • Use heavier potting soil formulations to ensure that the plant will be well anchored (and again add some additional ballast).

• Planters can be used into which the plant and its current container are sunk, this allows for rapid exchange of the plant material, although it should only be used for smaller plants as the plants are easily blown over by the wind.

• Troughs can be mounted directly to a wall to add a vertical dimension to the balcony. Hanging, trailing, or herb plants even vegetables can be planted. Again check how much direct sunlight the trough is to receive. Troughs can also be mounted to balcony railings and seasonal plants for a splash of color.

• Wall pots are smaller versions of troughs and are mainly suited for small specimens or individual plants.

• Herb containers are containers with “pockets” around the sides; these are ideal for a collection of plants such as seasonal plants or herbs. These containers allow for planting around the side of the container as well as on the top of the container. Make sure that the plants have compatible water requirements.