There is a nothing nicer on a balcony than to have it full of plants. However, if your balcony points to the north side or is rather shady, you have to pay attention to a lot when choosing flowers and plants, but do not miss a green oasis. We will show you how to grow plants on a shady balcony and what you have to consider when designing the balcony.
1. The right conditions to grow plants on a shady balcony
Before you decide on balcony planting, you need to look at the different definitions. There are different types of shade and not every plant is designed for every shade.
In the following table we have summarized for you the different types of shade on the balcony.
| Description | |
|---|---|
| SEMI-SHADE: If the balcony has between three and four hours of sun a day, half-shade is spoken of.Most semi-shade balcony plants usually tolerate the blazing midday sun for a short time.However, it is much better if they are stripped to the maximum by the morning sun.The afternoon sun is dangerous: this can lead to burns in semi-shade bloomers. | |
| LIGHT SHADOW: Light shadow is whenever the sun and shadow alternate.As a rule, it is a sunny plant, but it provides a lot of shade due to leaves of trees or shrubs.When a light wind goes, sun penetrates through the branches and so especially semi-shade plants thrive really well.However, the sun should shine at most at half-time. | |
| BRIGHT SHADOW: The bright shadow describes a place where there is a lot of daylight. However, there is no direct sun.The bright shadow is therefore a kind of mix of full shadow and semi-shade, but there is little sun. | |
| FULL SHADE: With full shade, there is no sunlight or daylight – it is relatively dark.Most of the time, the full shade can be found on balconies that point to the north side.In full shade, plants that are more suitable for semi-shade cope relatively well.However, there are also plants that are especially suitable for fully shaded balconies. |
You can of course use the same tips for planting the terrace if you are planning your new terrace.
2. Best choices to grow plants on a shady balcony
Begonias are good balcony plants for the shade and give the balcony a splash of colour.
If you want to create a beautiful and blossoming oasis on a shady balcony, then you should mainly resort to flowers that thrive well in the shade and which are at best considered to be easy to care for.
There are many different shade flowers that bring a colorful splash of color to your balcony. In fact, balcony plants that like it rather dark can also bloom very lushly.
Especially the following flowering and green plants are suitable for the shady balcony:
- Begonias
- Tears of heart
- Forget-me-not
- Ivy
- Edel readchen
- Asparagus
In the following we present the suitable flowers and plants in more detail.
Ivy has no problems with shade and also thrives excellently on a north-facing balcony.
2.1. Begonias
The begonias are particularly popular when it comes to the dark balcony. They are characterized by their coloured flowers, which appear in the form of small florets.
Begonias come from the tropics and subtropics. They grow there in places in the shade between the months of April and September. For a balcony, they are perfect, because they set a colourful accent throughout the season.
The multi-year plants are available in different colours. Begonias grow between 30 and 40 centimeters high and have an average water requirement. Every two weeks you should supply the plants with a liquid fertilizer.
2.2. Tearful Hearts
The tearful hearts come from Asia and South America and occur there in the tropics. This is a popular ornamental.
Because they grow in the shade, they offer themselves wonderfully to green the dark side on the balcony. These flowers are suitable for both flower boxes and flower pots.
With their red-and-white flowers hanging down, they conjure up beautiful accents in spring and summer. If necessary, the multi-year plants can hibernate in the apartment. They grow up to 90 centimetres in height and require a relatively large amount of water. Fertilization is enough.
2.3. Edellieschen
The Noble Lieschen are, so to speak, another version of the “hardworking Lieschen”. Due to the beautiful colours, the plants are very popular when it comes to the greening of the balcony.
They shine in different colors and like the shadow. They can be pulled in flower pots or flower boxes and can also be tolerated with other plants. In general, they bloom between May and October and grow between 30 and 40 centimetres high.
2.4. Forget-me-not
Good to know
In general, the forget-me-not is found in streams and in shady forests. There are about 50 different varieties, some of which are used as ornamental plants.
The forget-me-not enjoys the viewer between March and June with its pretty, luminous color. They reach a high of almost 50 centimetres and are very easy to care for.
2.5. Ivy
A classic for greening the balcony is ivy. It is hardy and therefore decorates the balcony all year round. The root climber is suitable for buckets as well as boxes and can even be attached to splolds and act accordingly as a visual protection.
2.6. Asparagus plant
Asparagus plant is also called ornamental asparagus. From the end of May this flower can be planted on the balcony. The leaves are needle-shaped and prefer the shady balcony. The plant harmonizes particularly well with other flowers in a balcony box. Different combinations are possible here.
3. Balcony plants for shade: tips for care
When it all is to care for plants that thrive mainly on the dark side, there are not many special features to consider. Shadow plants require little water, which means you don’t have to water them as often.
Most shadow flowers are suitable for shadow and semi-shade. So it is not very bad when a bit of sun shines on the plants every now and then.
When planting a balcony itself, you don’t have to pay much attention. You can also easily combine the shade flowers with balcony plants that only grow in the sun.
