Planting Your Balcony & Terrace – The Complete Guide
Planting your balcony & patio — the complete guide
The best plants for sun and shade, plus how to water, fertilize, and overwinter them properly
A blooming balcony is the quickest way to your own little garden happiness — even on just 3 square meters. Here are the basics for a balcony that flowers all summer long.
Balcony & patio plants
Plants for a sunny balcony (south/west)
Full sun = at least 6 hours of direct sunlight. These plants love the heat:
- Geraniums (Pelargoniums): THE classic balcony plant in Austria. Tough, free-flowering, heat-tolerant. Upright or trailing.
- Petunias: Lush blooms in every color. Surfinia petunias are ideal for hanging baskets.
- Lavender: Fragrant, bee-friendly, and easy to care for. Perfect for containers.
- Oleander: Mediterranean flair. Needs lots of water and sunshine.
- Herbs: Basil, rosemary, thyme, sage — useful and decorative.
- Sunflowers (Mini): Compact varieties like "Teddy Bear" for pots. Guaranteed to lift your mood.
- Zinnia: Colorful summer flowers in red, orange, and pink — butterfly magnets.
Plants for a shady balcony (north/east)
Less than 4 hours of direct sun? No problem — these plants love the shade:
- Busy Lizzie (Impatiens): THE shade-loving bloomer — flowers in red, pink, white, and orange.
- Begonias: Tough, free-flowering, ideal for partially shaded balcony flower boxes.
- Fuchsias: Elegant, hanging blooms. Love partial shade and moisture.
- Hydrangeas: Also suitable in pots for a north-facing balcony. Care tips here.
- Ferns: Green texture for shady corners.
- Ivy: Evergreen and easy to care for — perfect as a climber or trailing plant.
How to water properly on the balcony
Balcony plants need significantly more water than garden plants — the soil in pots dries out much faster.
- In summer: Watering is often needed daily, and in hot weather even twice a day (morning and evening).
- Water in the morning: The plant can absorb the water before the midday heat sets in. Evening is the second-best option.
- Never in the midday heat: Water droplets on leaves act like magnifying glasses.
- Water thoroughly: Water less often, but deeply — until water runs out from the bottom.
- Saucers: In summer, saucers can be left with water in them — the plant will absorb it. In spring/autumn, pour away any remaining water after 30 minutes.
Self-watering: For holidays or hot days: buy balcony boxes with an integrated water reservoir. Or use watering globes/drip hoses. Saves time every day.
Fertilizing
- Start: 4–6 weeks after planting (before that, the nutrients in the fresh soil are enough).
- Frequency: Every 1–2 weeks with liquid fertilizer added to the watering water. Or mix slow-release fertilizer into the soil when planting.
- Flowering plants: Use a special fertilizer for flowering plants (with more phosphorus and potassium).
- From September onward: Stop fertilizing — the plants are preparing for winter.
Winter storage
- Annuals (geraniums, petunias, zinnias): Dispose of them after the first frost — they won’t come back. Geraniums can be stored over winter in a dark, cool place (5–10C).
- Perennials (lavender, hydrangeas, roses): Wrap the pot with fleece or bubble wrap and place it in a sheltered spot (against a house wall). Water occasionally even in winter.
- Potted plants (oleander, citrus): Store frost-free over winter — in a bright room at 5–10C. Water sparingly, do not fertilize.
Balcony plants at MO BLUMEN Vienna
Geraniums, lavender, herbs, and more — for the perfect Viennese balcony.
Frequently asked questions
After the Ice Saints (mid-May) — that’s when the risk of frost in Vienna has passed. Hardy plants like pansies and primroses can go outside as early as March/April. Frost-sensitive plants (geraniums, petunias, begonias) should only be planted out after May 15.
High-quality balcony flower soil (not the cheapest kind — it compacts quickly and doesn’t retain water well). Peat-free soil is more environmentally friendly. For pots: clay granules or expanded clay as drainage at the bottom. Refresh the soil every year — used soil from the previous year hardly contains any nutrients.
Plant single flowers — double flowers (like many geranium varieties) don’t provide nectar for bees. Good bee-friendly plants: lavender, thyme, sage, nasturtiums, cosmos, single dahlias, and sunflowers. A small dish of water with stones (as a landing spot) also helps bees.