Advice for Small Juliet balcony?

[Kirby]

Hi everyone, I don't know much of anything about gardening so I was hoping someone here could give me some advice. I have this small juliet balcony that I would like to grow a plant such as ivy to freshen the air in my little studio and provide a little privacy from the street and parking lot below.

Right now I've just got these little pots with ivy in them which I water a couple times a day. They don't seem to be growing much...

Does anyone have some advice on how to do this? A large pot will take up the entire standing space so I was hoping to use a small pots. Would a soaker hose (maybe supplemented with nutrients) allow me to use these small pots?

Anyone here have experience with vertical gardening? I was wondering if I could attach the plants directly to the rails (well indirectly with polyamide felt).

The other option is to hang some containers off the other side of the rail, but I would have to get an ok from the building manager first.


[url=https://img252.imageshack.us/my.php?image=p1010034ns0.jpg][img]https://img252.imageshack.us/img252/6999/p1010034ns0.th.jpg[/img][/url]

[url=https://img103.imageshack.us/my.php?image=p1010035mf7.jpg][img]https://img103.imageshack.us/img103/7492/p1010035mf7.th.jpg[/img][/url]

[Jess]

Hi Kirby

They don't look like they are doing too badly. Ivy is quite slow to get started and then romps away.
How much sun does the balcony get and at what time of day?
It is hard to tell from the pic but they look a little bleached. Ivy don't like too much sun on them. A semi-shaded position is best really.
If your balcony is sem-shaded it might help putting them in a trough (or two) just to give them a bit more soil to grow in. If it does get a lot of sun then why not try growing tall grasses in troughs. Some are evergreen or at least have good Autumn/Winter colouring.
If you are any good at DIY you could attach one long single plastic trough to the outide of your balcony.

[Kirby]

Thanks Jess, I didn't know all that...

Some of the leaves have turned kind of pale green, if that's the bleaching you're talking about. I didn't know they didn't know they could get too much sun. Are they the type of plant that prefers indirect/less direct sunlight?

The window is facing east so they get lots of direct sunlight from the morning until around 3:00 PM. I live in Seattle so they will only get this type of bright light for a few months out of the year. The rest of the year is gray and cloudy. I've heard it's a little similar to the weather in England, although I wouldn't know, myself.

Do you know if ivy will grow during the gray portions of the year? I was hoping to get some some decent coverage and figured that the sunny season would be the only time that ivy would grow.


I'll look into getting some plastic troughs. Ideally I would like a setup like this lower balcony (but with some plants climbing upwards).
[img]https://www.flowerframers.com/images/Photo_Galleries/Urban-gardening7-7-03/images/Urban_Gardens-5.jpg[/img]

[Jess]

It does sound like too much sun for them. They will continue to grow and will grow better when the weather is not so nice.
In the long run I would scrap your little Ivies and get the large leafed forms which do much better in sun and put them in your trough. There is a white and green form called Hedera 'Gloire de Marengo' and a yellow and green one called Hedera 'Paddys Pride' and also a splashed leaf that is very pretty called Hedera 'Ravensholst'. They are far more rampant and could easily be left to hang down and also twined up through the railings. Would look very lush and "up market" just like the posher areas of London.
You would only need one plant. As I said they are very quick growers! It could the be cut back to keep it where you want it.
Google the names and see what you think.
One thought though. Would you be able to trim where it hangs down below your balcony? You might end up covering your lower neighbours balcony!

[Kirby]

Thanks for the info... it's a lot to think about. The Gloire de Marengo looks like a very pretty plant, but it is noted "tender in frost". I wonder if it can survive the frosts here in Seattle, and a little snow if we get any during the year.

I couldn't find many pictures of Paddy's pride or Ravensholst.



Gloire de Marengo
[img]https://www.burncoose.co.uk/images/pics/Hedra_Gloire_De_Marengo.jpg[/img]
https://www.bbc.co.uk/gardening/plants/plant_finder/plant_pages/1504.shtml
https://www.evergreennurseryinc.net/plants/heder_va.htm
https://www.plantpress.com/plant-encyclopedia/plantdb.php?plant=1044
https://www.burncoose.co.uk/catlg.cfm?p_name=HEDERA
https://www.shootgardening.co.uk/sitePlant.php?plantid=657&name=hedera-canariensis-gloire-de-marengo

Paddy's pride
https://www.shootgardening.co.uk/sitePlant.php?plantid=661&name=Hedera%20colchica%20'Sulphur%20Heart'&name=hedera-colchica-sulphur-heart

Ravensholst
https://www.shootgardening.co.uk/sitePlant.php?plantid=659&name=hedera-canariensis-ravensholst

Ivylace?
[img]https://www.burncoose.co.uk/images/pics/Hedra_Ivalace.jpg[/img]
https://www.shootgardening.co.uk/sitePlant.php?plantid=668&name=Hedera%20helix%20'Ivalace'&name=hedera-helix-ivalace

Green Ripple?
[img]https://www.burncoose.co.uk/images/pics/Hedra_Green_Ripple.jpg[/img]
https://www.shootgardening.co.uk/sitePlant.php?plantid=3201&name=Hedera%20helix%20'Green%20Ripple'&name=hedera-helix-green-ripple

[Jess]

What zone are you kirby? I t doesn't say on you profile. It does fine in my area and we are around zone 8.

Check this site for the third one I meant. Gave you the wrong name!
Not Ravensholst. I meant 'Margino Maculata' https://www.fibrex.co.uk/hederas3.asp?CategoryID=2&SubCategoryID=40

[Kirby]

I think you are right about Seattle being zoned 8a-8b.

https://www.ersys.com/usa/53/5363000/usda.htm
https://www.garden.org/zipzone/index.php


I'll have to plan a trip to a plant nursery to see some of these plants in person, as well as pick up some troughs...