Herbs and greens which I grew on my balcony in 2020
What are my practical insights about growing them?
Lettuce
(Lactuca sativa)
Although lettuce is known as one of the easiest plant to grow – for me it appeared as one of the most challenging and difficult projects to achieve.
Experience gained
I bought a small plants of lettuce and planted them densely. Lettuce requires plenty of water while growing. I as learned from internet, lettuce like a place in shadow to grow. So, I chose north-eastern part of a balcony for it. But I refuse to plant lettuce again and you will find my short story WHY? below
My harvest
I made some salads with lettuce grown on my balcony, but I need to say, it had a bit bitter taste. It is probably some kind of common mistake I did, but, honestly, I give up on lettuce and do not want to plant it again!!! I would rather buy it from a local seller on a market, but never want to grow it again!
Recipes
I like lettuce in recipes, different kind of it. I use it very often for salads.
There are links to some of my recipes with lettuce below
Why I refuse to grow lettuce on a balcony again?
After transplantation into balcony’s garden pots, lettuce grew rapidly and nicely, but. But here what happens when someone has no practice and patience…I decided to replant it for the second time because now it was growing so densely.
I hope at least one reader would not repeat my mistake:) Never do it with delicate plant like lettuce, never replant it twice.
After I replanted it for a second time, it started to stress, made leaves brown, looked weak and unhappy. Lastly I decided – lettuce is not a plant I want to grow!
My recipes with lettuce:
Prophylactic self-isolation for happy salad preparation – (absolutely my favorite salad!!!)
Lavender
(Lavandula angustifolia)
Experience gained
I have got a one-year lavender plant from a friend of mine. She planted the seeds a year ago (also on a balcony!) and this summer 2020 she had already a dose of nice looking healthy lavender plants. I was lucky to get one from her:)
My harvest
I would say, planting herbs like lavender is not only for harvest, it is a kind of investment for a whole garden, whatever size it is.
Here below you may read what kind of advantages of lavender I discovered.
Recipes
I make a vinegar-based extract with lavender to use it for household needs (see below) and as a hair conditioner.
To make this extract you may use the same principle as in my recipe Hair conditioner with rosemary, just instead of rosemary take lavender.
Lavender as an investment in a garden
Advantages of growing lavender in a garden, even if it is a tiny small balcony garden:
- nicely looking bush
- makes a good company for other herbs in one pot, such as oregano and rosemary in my case
- brings amazing aroma on sunny days
- attracts bees and and therefore contributes for plants’ growth
Rosemary, Oregano and Lavender experiencing a good neighborhood in one pot. Pine tree mulch is good to keep the soil moist and not overdried
Lavender for household needs
Vinegar is known to absorb smells from air. When vinegar is enriched with lavender aroma – it gives more pleasure and refreshes air.
If there is any specific smell you would like to remove from the utility room – lavender/vinegar extract would do its best! Take a glass jar and fill a half of it with the extract. Leave it there for a few days without a lid. The unpleasant smells usually disappear.
Keep out of reach of children and pets.
No chemicals
I use no chemicals to boost its growth, only natural Bokashi fertilizer which I need to do by myself from veggie and fruit peels and other residue.
For a balcony garden as mine, making organic compost itself is necessary only once a year. But Bokashi composting is great all year round because a special liquid – organic natural fertilizer is a sub-product of the compost. I dilute it with water and use all year round to nourish my indoor and outdoor plants.
About my Bokashi composting set
I wrote the post about my Bokashi composting set and you may find it by clicking on the link Bokashi – my organic composting at home. My Bokashi composting set is in the action all year round!
If some of my readers would be interested, I bought my Bokashi online. I will receive small commissions from Amazon if you will buy a Bokashi set by following the link below:
Skaza Bokashi Organko Set (2 x 16 L) | 2 Composters from Recycled Plastic | Starter Set for Kitchen & Garden Composting | with EM Bokashi Bran 1 kg (Black-Green)
Have a question about Bokashi? – I would be happy to share my personal experience with you, just let me know in the comments below or contact me by email zet.antenna@gmail.com
This blog post is NOT SPONSORED. I purchased the Bokashi set mentioned in this post myself and feel very satisfied with this product and its positive impact to my garden.
The links are at no cost to you, but will earn me a commission if you choose to click them and make a purchase 🙂 Don’t worry – I only ever promote things that have truly helped me.
AlisaMGZN 