What vegetables can I grow on my balcony? Where can I buy seeds and seedlings?

Nowadays, many people advocate green food, but the vegetables bought at the vegetable market are not necessarily healthy. Some people want to grow vegetables at home but are afraid that the balcony at home is too small to keep alive. Let's learn more about what kind of vegetables you can grow on your balcony. Where can I buy seeds and seedlings?

How to grow vegetables on the balcony?

One: what kind of vegetables do you grow on the balcony?

"it is better to plant flowers, but better to grow vegetables." If the flowers are planted well, they can be appreciated; if the vegetables are planted well, they can not only eat their own pollution-free vegetables, but also become a beautiful scene with green branches, green leaves and fruitful fruits. But we live in the reinforced concrete jungle city people do not have a large area of land, how to grow vegetables? It doesn't matter, the small balcony is actually a good place to grow vegetables. The following will introduce the knowledge, methods and tricks of growing vegetables on the balcony one by one, and first introduce what vegetables are suitable for the balcony.

Choose vegetables according to orientation

What vegetables to grow on the balcony, on the one hand, according to personal interests and needs, on the other hand, we should consider which vegetables are suitable for the environmental conditions of our own balcony. Generally speaking, if space permits, most vegetables and fruits can be planted on the balcony. The so-called environmental conditions of the balcony, the most important is the balcony facing and balcony closed. Orientation determines the lighting conditions of the balcony, while the closure of the balcony determines the temperature conditions of the balcony. The temperature of the fully enclosed balcony is also higher in winter, the temperature limit is smaller, and there is a wide range of vegetables to choose from, which can be planted all the year round. The temperature of semi-closed or unclosed balcony is low in winter, it is generally not easy to grow vegetables in winter, the temperature is too high due to direct sunlight in summer, we should also pay attention to shading to protect vegetables.

What is more important is the orientation of the balcony, under the condition that the temperature permits, generally choose vegetables according to the orientation of the balcony.

The south-facing balcony is full of sunshine and good ventilation, so it is the most ideal balcony for growing vegetables. Almost all vegetables grow best in full-day sunshine, so vegetables can be grown on south-facing balconies all year round, such as cucumbers, balsam peas, tomatoes, beans, golden needles, apricots, mustard, zucchini, green peppers, lettuce, leeks and so on. In addition, aquatic vegetables such as lotus root, water chestnut and water chestnut are also suitable to be planted on the balcony facing south. In winter, most parts of the south-facing balcony can be exposed to direct sunlight, and then set up simple thermal insulation equipment, which can also create a good environment for the production of vegetables in winter.

The balcony facing east and west is half-day sunshine, which is suitable for growing light-loving and shady vegetables, such as onion, rape, small rape, leek, towel gourd, coriander, radish and so on. But facing the west balcony in summer when the temperature is higher, so that some vegetables produce sunburn, light deciduous, heavy death, so it is best to plant vine heat-resistant vegetables in the corner of the balcony. In summer, you should also try to defend against the strong light and radiation reflected from the back floor.

There is almost no sunshine on the north balcony all day, and the choice of vegetables is the smallest. Should choose shade-tolerant vegetables, such as lettuce, leek, asparagus, Toona sinensis, dandelion holly, fungus and so on. In summer, you should also try to defend against the strong light and radiation reflected from the back floor.

Which vegetables are most suitable for planting on the balcony?

Fast-growing vegetables with short cycle: rape, garlic, sprouts, mustard, Qingjiang vegetables, rape

Vegetables with long harvest time: tomato, chili, leek, coriander, coriander, onion, etc.

Space-saving vegetables: carrots, radishes, lettuce, spring onions, ginger, coriander

Vegetables that are easy to grow: balsam pear, carrots, ginger, onions, lettuce, Chinese cabbage

Vegetables that are not easy to grow insects: spring onions, leeks, sweet potato leaves, ginseng grass, aloe, carrots

What kind of food do beginners choose?

Beginners can choose vegetables or fast-growing vegetables that are easy to grow. For example, two kinds of fast-growing vegetables, Qingjiang vegetable and rapeseed, can be planted all year round and can be harvested in about five or six weeks. And balsam pear, spring onions, ginger, and other strong adaptability, and itself has a special taste, so insects do not like to approach, do not need pesticides, chemical fertilizers can grow very well.

Where to buy seeds and seedlings?

Usually in farmers, horticultural shops, flower markets, vegetable markets, agronomic markets, seed stores and other places, you can find the seeds or seedlings you need.

Foreign seed companies have long noticed the market for family vegetables and continue to cultivate dwarf and mini varieties of vegetables that are suitable for growing in small spaces. There are still few such dwarf and mini varieties in our market. I believe that with more and more people who like to grow vegetables at home, there will be more and more such dishes on the market for us to choose from.

Balcony vegetable growth strategy 2: what container do you use to grow vegetables?

Almost any type of container can be used to grow vegetables, as long as it is strong enough to provide enough space and drainage. In addition to traditional flowerpots, planters and other professional containers, many objects in life can be used after modification, such as plastic pots, buckets, flower boxes, flower slots, wooden cases, aluminum suitcases, galvanized tin cases, plastic boxes, jars, food irrigation, and even bathtubs, tires, gunny bags, barbecue plates and so on. But no matter what container you choose, make sure there is a drain hole at the bottom.

Pots, buckets, boxes, jars, baskets, pots and other household utensils can be used to grow vegetables

Tuber vegetables such as potatoes can be planted in bags

Spring onions, leeks, garlic seedlings, etc. can be planted in a baking pan.

Tires and gunny bags are also good containers for growing vegetables.

Drain hole

No matter what kind of container you choose to grow vegetables, you must ensure that there are drainage holes at the bottom to ensure smooth drainage. The drainage of the container is critical. If the drainage is poor, the plant roots will suffocate and rot; if the drainage is too fast, the plants will die for lack of water. Professional containers such as flowerpots and planters purchased on the market all have drainage holes at the bottom. For containers modified with household utensils, you have to drill several drainage holes by yourself. generally, several drainage holes with a diameter of 0.5-1cm can be evenly drilled around the bottom.

In order to avoid soil loss during watering, a "cushion basin" can be carried out, that is, a broken flowerpot, tile or window screen is used to cover the drainage hole, which is required to block the drainage hole. In order to promote drainage, you can put some coarse gravel or pebbles on the cushion to keep the drainage unobstructed.

When trailing plants such as cucumbers and kidney beans, you can install a "cage" to support the flowerpot.

Material

Generally speaking, ceramic and wooden containers drain faster than plastic containers and require more watering. Do not put plastic containers by the window, because plastic utensils are light and easy to be blown down by the wind. Do not use high-pressure treated wooden containers, chemical preservatives are added during high-pressure treatment, although this method protects the treated wood from termites, decay and other harmful factors for a long time, but the wood itself also contains toxic substances that can poison plants. If self-made wooden containers, it is best to use corrosion-resistant wood, such as pine, Chinese fir and so on.

For the material and selection of flowerpots, please refer to "Home Horticulture: how to choose flowerpots?"

Color

Containers should be used with caution because black absorbs heat and may damage plant roots. If you choose a black container, it is best to apply a layer of lighter paint, or just cover the container to avoid direct sunlight.

Size

The size of the container is important. The choice of growing vegetables would rather be big than small. Larger containers not only have plenty of room for fertilizer, but also have a large amount of water storage, which will not dry up quickly in summer. Tomatoes, chili peppers, kidney beans and so on need larger containers, generally 15mura 20 liter containers are enough. When buying seeds and seedlings, it is best to consult the seller, how big a container is needed, how to water and fertilize, and so on.

Soilless cultivation

Soilless cultivation is a technique that uses substrates (including rock wool, peat, vermiculite, perlite, bark, sawdust, water, etc.) and nutrient solution instead of soil. Soilless cultivation has not only fast growth, high yield and good quality, but also few diseases and insect pests, sanitary and tidy, which only needs to irrigate nutrient solution, and the management is very convenient.

Cultivated soil for soil cultivation

Soil cultivation can also be used to grow vegetables at home. Compared with soilless cultivation, soil cultivation also has its advantages, such as strong buffer to PH, good fertilizer and water conservation capacity, various beneficial bacteria activities conducive to plant growth, and so on. Family vegetables usually use organic culture soil, which can be bought in the agronomic market, and special culture soil can be selected according to the type of vegetables.

Some people think that the planting effect of the soil bought in the market is not good, some people like DIY, and they can also configure the culture soil by themselves. for the composition and preparation method of the culture soil, please refer to the following articles:

What is cultivated soil? What kinds of cultivated soil are there?

In order to meet the needs of the growth and development of flowers, especially potted flowers, according to the different requirements of various varieties to the soil, the specially prepared artificial soil is called culture soil, which contains rich nutrients, has good drainage and permeability (air permeability), can keep moisture and fertilizer, does not crack when dry, does not bond when wet, and does not crust after watering.

There are many kinds of cultivated soil, and the commonly used ones are as follows:

Rotten leaf soil

It is made of fallen leaves, withered grass, vegetable peel and so on. Pile these materials into the human pit, according to a layer of leaves (or withered grass, vegetable peel), a layer of garden soil, sprinkle some livestock or poultry dung and urine repeatedly accumulate several layers, cover the soil and cover the top, after more than half a year, mix the rotten leaves with the garden soil, and then sift, dry, collect and store. This kind of culture is rich in humus, has excellent physical properties, is beneficial to fertilizer conservation and drainage, and the soil is loose and acidic.

Stable manure soil

Barnyard manure is made of cow manure, horse manure, pig manure, sheep manure, poultry manure and soil weeds through accumulation, fermentation and maturation, which should be dried and screened after maturation, which contains nutrients and humus.

Garden soil and field mud

Garden soil and field mud refer to the topsoil in the garden or in the field, that is, the ripe soil of cultivated crops is stored indoors after accumulation and exposure.

Pond mud

Pond mud is widely used in the south. The pond mud is dug out into thin blocks, dried and stored in the sun, and the thin pieces are broken when used. it has the advantages of high fertilizer content, good drainage performance, neutral or slightly alkaline.

Rice chaff ash

Rice chaff ash is mainly rice husk or rice straw ash, also known as plant ash, plays the role of loose soil, conducive to drainage, potassium fertilizer, alkaline.

Yellow sand

Generally, using river sand as culture soil is beneficial to drainage and aeration. Rinse with clean water before use and use after removing salt.

Sawdust

After the sawdust is fermented and ripened, it is prepared with the soil to make the cultivated soil loose and have good water retention performance. it is a newly developed cultural soil material in recent years.

Brick slag

Smashing tiles or bricks is good for drainage and ventilation, but lack of fertilizer.

Garbage soil

Garbage soil is called "soul soil", which is made up of waste soil after dumping basin and adding manure. After the soil is rotten, it is screened and dried in the sun.

How to prepare culture soil?

Due to the different requirements of various plants for nutrients, acid and alkali tolerance, drainage and ventilation, and the proportion of preparation is also different, the basic requirements for cultivated soil should be based on the following principles:

① has a proper proportion of nutrients, including nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium and other trace elements.

② requires looseness, good ventilation and good drainage.

③ has no harm to plant diseases and other harmful substances, such as insect pupae and so on.

④ removes sundries such as grass roots and gravel, sieves and carries out general disinfection, such as exposure to sunlight or heating and steaming.

Several soil preparation methods to meet the needs of different plant potted plants are as follows:

Sowing and seedling soil

2 parts of rotten leaf soil, 1 part of garden soil, a small amount of stable fertilizer and a small amount of sand. Or use 1 part of rotten leaf soil, 1 part of garden soil, 1 part of rice chaff ash and a small amount of stable fertilizer.

General soil for potted flowers

1 part of rotten leaf soil, 1 part of garden soil, 0.5 part of rice chaff ash, 0.5 part of stable fertilizer soil. Or rotten soil, 1.5 for garden soil and 0.5 for stable soil.

Shade-tolerant soil for plants

0.5 parts of rotten leaf soil, 2 parts of garden soil, 1 part of stable fertilizer soil, 0.5 part of rice chaff ash.

Cutting soil

Cuttings are often made of yellow sand or frogstone because there is no nourishment before rooting. If you use 1 part of garden soil, 1 part of rice chaff ash, or 1 part of garden soil, 1 part of rotten leaf soil can be used. For some flowers, rice chaff ash cuttings can be used alone.

Acidophilic plant soil

Add a small amount of yellow sand to mountain mud, rotten leaf soil and garden soil.

Pulpy plant soil

0.5 parts of yellow sand, 05 parts of garden soil and 1 part of rotten leaf soil can be used. Or use 1 part of brick slag and 1 part of garden soil.

Camellia, rhododendron and Michelia mollissima

2 parts of rotten leaf soil, 1.5 parts of yellow mud, 0.5 parts of coke ash, 1 part of sand, adding a small amount of bone powder, etc.

Orchid soil

A few days ago, most of them use black mountain mud, that is, rotten leaf soil naturally accumulated by fallen leaves in mountain forests, or add a small amount of yellow sand to the decaying leaf soil.

In addition, there are the following soil types:

Loose soil

2 parts of garden soil and 1 part of rice chaff ash. Suitable for cutting.

Light fertile soil

1 part of garden soil, 2 parts of rotten leaf soil and 1 part of stable fertilizer soil. It is suitable for plants with weak root development and fine seeds.

Heavy fertile soil

2 parts of garden soil, 1 part of rotten leaf soil and 1 part of barnyard manure, which are suitable for the cultivation of general flowers.

Clayey fertile soil

Two parts of garden soil and one part of stable fertilizer soil are suitable for the cultivation of plants with thick roots and rhizomes, such as palm, cycad, etc.

What kind of fertilizer do you use to grow vegetables at home?

The fertilization of soilless vegetables is the simplest, as long as the nutrient solution is irrigated. The nutrient solution of soilless culture should be equipped with a large number of elements such as nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium, calcium, magnesium, sulfur and trace elements such as iron, manganese, boron, zinc, copper and molybdenum. The formula of the nutrient solution is specific to different plants, and some plants are universal, which can be bought in the agronomic market. It can be irrigated after reasonable preparation according to the instructions on the label.

The irrigation of nutrient solution is the key to soilless culture. the principle of standard nutrient solution irrigation is that it is irrigated in sunny days and not in cloudy and rainy days, less in the early growth period and more in the fruit period. The nutrient solution can be recycled and recycled. Generally, the nutrient solution can be completely replaced every 20 days or so.

Traditional fertilizer or nutrient solution can be used in soil cultivation. If you use traditional fertilizers, it is best to choose organic fertilizers, including plant fertilizers and animal manure, and do not use chemical fertilizers as much as possible, because chemical fertilizers will remain acid or salt roots, and the basin soil will become acidic or alkaline, hindering the growth of plants. There are all kinds of special organic fertilizers in the agronomic market, and suitable organic fertilizers can be selected according to the types of vegetables.

Using Kitchen waste to make Organic compost

If you like DIY, you can also make use of kitchen waste self-made organic compost, not only reduce the amount of garbage, make full use of waste, economic and environmental protection. The method of homemade organic composting is very simple: first, cover the bottom of the planting container with broken tiles or window screens, etc., then cover the soil with about 2cm, then put the drained kitchen waste in the container (about 3cm), and then cover with a thick layer of soil (about 6-9cm), and the compost is made, and you can sow and plant in this container.