Tenants

Growing Basil, Parsley, and Cilantro on Your Balcony: A Guide to Success

Growing your own herbs like basil, parsley, and cilantro on your balcony is a fantastic way to have fresh flavors for your cooking. By buying ready-made herb pots from the grocery store and transplanting them into larger pots with fresh soil, you can easily create a lush herb garden on your balcony. Here’s a step-by-step guide to help you succeed in your balcony gardening.

Preparation and Planning

Before you start planting, consider the following:

• Location: Choose a spot on your balcony that gets at least 4-6 hours of direct sunlight per day.
• Pots: Use pots with drainage holes to prevent waterlogging.
• Soil: Use high-quality potting soil, preferably mixed with compost for extra nutrients.

Growing from Ready-Made Pots

Basil

1. Planting: Buy a ready-made basil plant in a pot from the grocery store. Gently remove the plant from the plastic pot and transplant it into a larger pot with fresh soil. Ensure you plant the basil at the same depth it was in the original pot.
2. Care: Water regularly, but avoid letting the soil become too wet. Basil likes evenly moist soil. Pinch off the tops regularly to promote bushier growth and prevent the plant from flowering.
3. Placement: Place the basil in a sunny spot, but protect it from the intense midday sun to avoid leaf burn. A partially shaded area on the balcony can also work well.

Parsley

1. Planting: Follow the same steps as for basil. Parsley thrives in slightly deeper pots due to its longer roots. Transplant the parsley into a larger pot with fresh soil, ensuring the plant sits at the same depth as before.
2. Care: Keep the soil evenly moist and harvest regularly by cutting the outer stems near the base. This encourages new growth and keeps the plant healthy.
3. Placement: Parsley tolerates light shade, so it can be placed where the sun is not as intense all day. A spot with morning sun and afternoon shade is ideal.

Cilantro

1. Planting: Plant cilantro in a wide and shallow pot, as it has shallow roots. Gently remove the plant from the original pot and transplant it into fresh soil at the same depth as before.
2. Care: Water regularly and keep the soil moist, but avoid overwatering. Cilantro grows quickly and can bolt (flower) easily, so harvest often by cutting the leaves at the base.
3. Placement: Cilantro thrives best in cool, sunny, or partially shaded spots. Protect it from the strongest midday sun to prevent premature bolting.

General Care Tips

• Watering: Water regularly and ensure the pots have good drainage. Check the soil with your finger to ensure it is evenly moist but not waterlogged.
• Fertilizing: Feed the herbs with a liquid fertilizer every two weeks during the growing season. This helps them grow strong and healthy.
• Harvesting: Harvest the herbs regularly to promote new growth. Pick the leaves from the bottom up to encourage bushier plants.

By following these steps, you can enjoy fresh and flavorful herbs right from your balcony. Starting with ready-made plants from the grocery store makes the process quick and easy, and your balcony will soon transform into a fragrant and lush oasis.

Find a home with a garden or balcony where you can grow your own plants.