Any suggestions on what to grow on my balcony in Chicago that faces west? I will only grow things I can eat. I like herbs, been growing them for the past 2 years. I also did some hot peppers last year, I am thinking I may try some berries or vegetables this year. Any suggestions? Any tips?
What to grow?
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Andy M.
Certified Pretend Chef
We had success growing smaller tomatoes in Topsy Turvey tomato planters.
How big is the growing space on your balcony? Do you have/could you have a trellis? How much sun does it get? Is it very windy?
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It gets full sun 1/2 the day. Nothing can be be hung from the ceiling or the railing
For potatoes and tomatoes, have a look at this: Grow Potatoes In Straw | Freedom From The Grid & Embracing Alternate Energy...
NoraC
Senior Cook
Good lettuce. It is pretty darn close to an herb in its uses and will save you money to grow. I would get a high end mix of seeds and start new seeds every 2 or 3 weeks, then prick out into a "lettuce bed" container that is running 4 or 5 plants at a time.
if you like sweet Italian frying peppers you could try a cubanelle pepper it is an upright grower with quite a few peppers. When fried in evoo then sprinkled with salt they make a wonderful appy. We elbow each other over them.
kadesma
kadesma
buckytom
Chef Extraordinaire
lettuces, spinach, and arrugula are very easy to grow in boxes as the have very small root systems and grow quickly. you can start them first in the spring - as in very soon, and then reuse those boxes again for a different summer veggie.
if you like hot peppers, habaneros do well in boxes.
if you like hot peppers, habaneros do well in boxes.
Caslon
Executive Chef
You can try the hanging planter As Seen on TV for peppers.
My take on that product?
The starter plants (tomatoes, strawberries, peppers) sold at Home Depot stores are so large, that you have to cram them into the "hanging basket holes." That's the major flaw with "Hanging Baskets as See on TV" setup.
My take on that product?
The starter plants (tomatoes, strawberries, peppers) sold at Home Depot stores are so large, that you have to cram them into the "hanging basket holes." That's the major flaw with "Hanging Baskets as See on TV" setup.
betterthanabox
Senior Cook
Mother Earth News has a great urban gardening site. I have a 8x10 deck and plan do grow strawberries in hanging baskets, tomatoes, cukes, flowers, and herbs. I also plan to grow lettuce. There are a ton of options!
Claire
Master Chef
In addition to herbs, you might think of edible flowers -- pretty to look at, peppery to add to a salad. Marigolds and nasturtiums come to mind. Can be done in a window box or even a small pot.
If you want to try the Topsy Turvey way of growing things, you can always get a heavy cast iron umbrella base and put one of those multi-armed pole things in it, with plants underneath it on the floor of the balcony.
We grew herbs in window shelf plantars on a plastic shelf unit outside for several years with a drip irrigation system set up in it. Course you have to remember to make sure to put something heavy on the bottom.
I've been thinking about setting up a shelving unit inside in front of a window that gets bright morning sun in the summer to grow lettuce and argula year round as it's too hot by mid-april for either here.
We grew herbs in window shelf plantars on a plastic shelf unit outside for several years with a drip irrigation system set up in it. Course you have to remember to make sure to put something heavy on the bottom.
I've been thinking about setting up a shelving unit inside in front of a window that gets bright morning sun in the summer to grow lettuce and argula year round as it's too hot by mid-april for either here.
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Is there a reason that you can't just grow tomatoes in a hanging basket and let them "flop" over the edge and grow sort of upside down?
texherp
Senior Cook
My theory is the Topsy Turvey works better in northern climates because the roots are on top and allowed to warm up better during the day. We can have problems with overheated roots in potted plants down here.
SadieBaby.
Cook
taxlady said:
I was thinking the same, but with strawberries!
fwiw, in south central PA and earlier in northwest Phila burbs, I had zip comma zero success with the updside-down-theory/plants/kits. sounded like a neat idea, didn't work out in the end. and I'm an avid gardener - as in hundreds of sq ft in veggies. as in "root crops" I love.... as in "had a 18x24 hobby greenhouse.... and paid to heat it . . .
tomatoes need full sun; so far as I can guessimate - the exposed pot/basket/container basically overheats and cooks the roots. I've raised tom. seedlings from seed - some put in the ground, actually in less than "full sun" but that's more hair of a shaggy dog story - same batch of seedlings in a 3 gallon 'upside down" arrangement. results were pretty much "ground plants were late (sun thing)" upside down plants.... well, they made good compost, but that's about it.
up at 5:00 am, peruse/tend the greenhouse, water the garden, water the hanging garden, still no worked for me.
tomatoes need full sun; so far as I can guessimate - the exposed pot/basket/container basically overheats and cooks the roots. I've raised tom. seedlings from seed - some put in the ground, actually in less than "full sun" but that's more hair of a shaggy dog story - same batch of seedlings in a 3 gallon 'upside down" arrangement. results were pretty much "ground plants were late (sun thing)" upside down plants.... well, they made good compost, but that's about it.
up at 5:00 am, peruse/tend the greenhouse, water the garden, water the hanging garden, still no worked for me.
CWS4322
Chef Extraordinaire
I tried hanging one tomato plant last summer...it turned itself "upside down" and tried to grow right-side up. No luck with that.
I have an amazing plant starter rack that has grow lights and trays. I just don't have a window big enough for it--except for the french doors going out to the backyard at the "other house." The problem--the french doors are the doors the dogs use to go outside. True, the rack has wheels on it, but it would be a real pain to move it out of the way all the time for the dogs to go out. I use it to start seedlings in the spring, but had the same idea, lettuce and radishes in the winter...I've done the Belgian endive thing--that was a lot of fun. We harvested the endive for Christmas that year.
I have an amazing plant starter rack that has grow lights and trays. I just don't have a window big enough for it--except for the french doors going out to the backyard at the "other house." The problem--the french doors are the doors the dogs use to go outside. True, the rack has wheels on it, but it would be a real pain to move it out of the way all the time for the dogs to go out. I use it to start seedlings in the spring, but had the same idea, lettuce and radishes in the winter...I've done the Belgian endive thing--that was a lot of fun. We harvested the endive for Christmas that year.
Dawgluver
Chef Extraordinaire
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I have a friend who grows upsidedown tomatoes and has had great success, and she lives in Mexico, where it gets extremely hot! Do not know what her secret is.
buckytom
Chef Extraordinaire
my guess is larger diameter buckets (5 gal. or better) and the fact that real tops turvys have an insulating wrap that looks like tyvek, and there's probably something about growing the right variety of tomatoes that way.
for those who've had success upside down, were the plants a determinate variety, or indeterminate?
were they heat resistant hybrids, or closer to an heirloom?
for those who've had success upside down, were the plants a determinate variety, or indeterminate?
were they heat resistant hybrids, or closer to an heirloom?
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