Can you plant fruits in your verandah?
Growing fruit trees in your balcony or verandah is not really unheard of. Especially in countries like Bangladesh, where space comes at a premium; making use of every available nook & cranny can prove to be a boon in disguise. Growing fruit trees in your own balcony or verandah can not only save you money for groceries, but also add some colour to an otherwise dull and drab home garden.
Not all fruit trees can be grown in smaller spaces like a balcony or verandah. For example, mango trees are best grown in open spaces, as their roots tend to go deep and wide. The trick to growing fruit trees is having good soil with ample fertilizer and making sure to weed it and use natural pest control on a regular basis. Smaller birds like sparrows might gather in your verandah to nibble on the fruit, so you have to keep a watchful eye on your plants every single day.
Once you decide on which fruits you would like to plant, go to the best nurseries or garden supply stores in your area to select the best saplings. Each fruit has a specific season it thrives in, so make sure you gather all relevant information to make your landscaping attempts even more fruitful.
Cherry tomato, lemons, limes and some varieties of banana can often be cultivated in a verandah or a porch without much effort. Make sure to confirm with your local nursery that the sapling you choose is one that will be able to survive in a verandah. If you have access to a common space in your rooftop, you could transfer one or two of the larger plants, after they have been repotted into plastic barrels or drums.
For cherry tomatoes, there needs to be sufficient sunlight (not necessarily direct at all times is needed) and soil treated with organic fertilizer high in nitrogen, for which you can use crushed eggshells as fertilizer. Tomatoes are amazing to be grown in gardens & pots, provided that the soil is well-drained to prevent root rot.
Even though chillies are used as a spice, as they are often classified as a fruit – you can choose to plant them in a pot, but do not fertilize your chilli plants until you have transplanted or repotted them into a different pot. Fertilizers used for tomatoes can be used for chilli plants as well, and like tomato plants, chilli plants need to be kept away from extreme cold weather.
Lemons, limes and most other citrus fruits grow best in mountainous regions of Bangladesh that have predominance of sandy loam soil. The soil needs to have low amounts of phosphorus and potassium in order for the citrus plants to thrive. For these plants, it is best if you can plant them in medium-sized pots to allow for their roots to have enough space to spread.
For bananas, natural fertilizers like manure and bone meal are great. Try to plant miniature or dwarf trees so that you can reap the benefits of a regular tree but it takes up less of your usable balcony or verandah space.
Exotic fruits like apricots and strawberries can also be grown in your verandah, so long as you keep them contained using garden trellises and smaller or medium sized pots. Keeping the soil healthy, the area well-ventilated, the roots water and well-drained, and the solid properly fertilized – there should not be any problem with the pH of the soil (acidic or alkaline, as necessary for the given plant. Fruit trees will add an element of interest to your plain verandah; allowing you to grow produce right in the comfort of your own home. Growing fruit trees takes a lot of tender nurturing care, so if you are willing to spend sufficient time and effort on this project, it could prove to be an enjoyable pastime for you.
