TIME-SAVING AND FRUITFUL HACKS FOR THE BUSY BALCONY GARDENER
If you lead a busy life and have a balcony that you would love to transform with veggies and fruits but don’t know where to start, Instagram and TikTok star Patrick Vernuccio, better known as @TheFrenchieGardener, may be able to help.
Half French, half Italian and living in Berlin, he began gardening five years ago as a complete novice, with just one pot.
He bought a few packets of seeds and tried to grow vegetables on his fifth-floor balcony, sharing his results on social media, which has led to a new career inspiring urban dwellers on how to make use of their outdoor space.
He is sharing his hacks in a new book, Tomatoes & Basil On The 5th Floor. Here are some of his tips...
Plan before planting
This will save you an enormous amount of time, so you don’t end up putting sun lovers in the shade, or plants which like heavy soil in gravel gardens. “Analyse your place. If you’ve just moved in, ask your neighbours to give you an idea of how much sun you’ll get in your place,” says Patrick.
Invest in a quality potting soil
Invest in organic potting soil mixed with compost and it will last many seasons, Patrick says.
Focus on short-growth cycle plants
Patrick explains: “These grow in two to three months, and are easy to start from seeds or from seedlings that you can buy in garden centres, such as lettuce or radishes – which are one of the easiest to start off with and you can sow them directly into the pots or raised bed.”
Split supermarket herbs
“You could split up your supermarket plants and re-pot them,” he suggests. “Supermarket basil looks so fresh but after a week it’s wilted. But if you just divide the plant into five chunks of basil and re-pot them individually into pots you should have lots of basil. The same goes for mint.”
Make watering easier
You could invest in a water pump, connected by drip hoses which have tiny holes that drip water into the soil to water your pots. Some pumps are fuelled by solar energy.
Patrick explains: “I place big buckets of reused household water outside (you could also do it if you have a water butt), place the pump in them and programme when the pump will distribute water according to my plants’ watering needs. Mulching will save you a lot of time on watering duties.”
It will help pots retain moisture and reduce evaporation. It’s also wise to put saucers under pots to help retain water longer and help your plants stay hydrated in
summer, he suggests.
Go for dwarf tomatoes
“If you don’t have much time, maybe I would say avoid growing tomatoes, because they are the divas of the garden,” says Patrick. “However, if you want to grow tomatoes, grow smaller ones, dwarf tomatoes, which are easier. You won’t end up with a plant that is 2m high. It will be 40-50cm high and you don’t need a huge space for them. You can even grow them on a windowsill or trail them.” He recommends the varieties ‘Gourmandise Yellow’ and ‘Tiny Tim’. You will need to feed and water them regularly.
You could split up your supermarket plants and re-pot them... Patrick Vernuccio
Grow perennials in pots
“Phacelia is one of my favourite plants,” Patrick reveals. “Just put 20 seeds in a pot or a window planter and it grows by itself, will reseed itself in the same pot and will regrow again. It’s great for bees and biodiversity.”
You can also grow rhubarb in a pot as well as lemon balm.
Tomatoes & Basil on the 5th Floor by Patrick Vernuccio,
DK, priced £14.99.