Is there anything in particular that you are looking to grow?

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quote:

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Originally posted by penny in ontario:
Is there anything in particular that you are looking to grow?

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Hi, Penny!

I would like to try something with flowers. My husband and I went on a bike trip in Austria this summer, and one of the many many striking features of that magic land was its balconies. Every building, even if it's just a barn, has flowers cascading down its walls. Every balcony is literally overflowing with blooms. It looked so incredibly beautiful and effortless. The flowers were for the most part geraniums and begonias, I think. They were abundant on every wall, regardless of the way it was facing (north, south, etc.).

I was wondering if it would be possible to recreate some of that magic where I live: central NJ, not far from Princeton. second floor, facing south, plenty of direct afernoon sun (very strong in summer), humid and hot (unpleasant) weeks in summer, sometimes gets pretty windy; balcony has a roof, so when it's raining, the rain does not get in the pots directly.

SO far I have been only successful with coleus which I grew from seeds.

I tried sweet peas(from seeds) - failed. Got strong shoots, but not a single flower. when it got hot, the plants slowly yellowed and died . I think it was the sun.

Also tried tulips and daffodils (from bulbs, planted in October) - also failed . They looked healthy when first leaves started showing. But the leaves never grew quite big enough, and only one daffodil and one tulip actually bloomed.

SO, you see, I know absolutely nothing about what and how to grow on a balcony.

After those experiments, I was ready to give up. But then we went to Austria, and it inspired me to try again next year.

I feel auwfully bad for those poor plants that I have managed to kill so far. But maybe there is still hope for me?

SO this fall I will try to make all the necessary preparations for the spring.

Only I don't know what they should be.

Should I try the bulbs again? Somebody told me that they might have frozen in the pots, hence no blooms.

Anyway, sorry for such a long post. But that was to show the extent of my ignorance.

Any word of advice at all will be greatly appreciated.

thank you so much for your attention,
t.

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I am so happy I found this forum!

Thank you, Penny!

sounds great. I'll try my luck next spring. We did take pictures, but still working on sorting them out. I'll post some. But nothing short of being there and seeing all that beauty with your own eyes will do justice to the mountains, the lakes, the flowers and such clean and fresh air... Austria is absolutely stunning.

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I am so happy I found this forum!

cant wait to see them!!

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